> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.varg.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authentication

> API keys, login, credentials, and billing

varg uses a single API key (`VARG_API_KEY`) for all AI generation. This key authenticates you with the varg gateway, which routes requests to the right AI provider (Fal, ElevenLabs, Higgsfield, Replicate) and handles billing.

## Get your API key

### Option 1: Sign up on the web

1. Go to [app.varg.ai](https://app.varg.ai)
2. Sign up with your email
3. Copy your API key from the dashboard

### Option 2: Log in from the CLI

```bash theme={null}
bunx vargai login
```

This gives you two choices:

* **Email login** — enter your email, receive a 6-digit code, verify it. Creates an account and API key automatically.
* **Paste API key** — if you already have one from the dashboard.

Your credentials are saved to `~/.varg/credentials` (permissions `0600`).

### Option 3: Agent-driven login (for AI agents)

AI agents can drive the login flow using `curl` — no interactive CLI needed:

```bash theme={null}
# 1. Send OTP to user's email
curl -s -X POST https://app.varg.ai/api/auth/cli/send-otp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"user@example.com"}'

# 2. User checks inbox for 6-digit code

# 3. Verify OTP (creates account + API key if needed)
curl -s -X POST https://app.varg.ai/api/auth/cli/verify-otp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"user@example.com","code":"123456"}'

# Response: {"api_key":"varg_xxx","email":"...","balance_cents":0,"access_token":"..."}
```

## Using your API key

### In a `.env` file (recommended for projects)

```bash theme={null}
VARG_API_KEY=varg_xxx
```

Bun auto-loads `.env` — no `dotenv` needed.

### As an environment variable

```bash theme={null}
export VARG_API_KEY=varg_xxx
```

### In global credentials

The CLI saves credentials to `~/.varg/credentials`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "api_key": "varg_xxx",
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z"
}
```

The SDK automatically checks this file if `VARG_API_KEY` is not set in the environment.

### In code

```typescript theme={null}
import { createVarg } from "vargai/ai"

const varg = createVarg({ apiKey: process.env.VARG_API_KEY! })
```

Or with the REST API:

```bash theme={null}
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer varg_xxx" https://api.varg.ai/v1/balance
```

## Credits and billing

### Check your balance

```bash theme={null}
bunx vargai balance
```

Or via API:

```bash theme={null}
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $VARG_API_KEY" https://api.varg.ai/v1/balance
# {"balance_cents": 10000}
```

1 credit = 1 cent. `balance_cents: 10000` means 10,000 credits (\$100).

### Add credits

```bash theme={null}
bunx vargai topup
```

This opens the billing page in your browser. Or go directly to [app.varg.ai](https://app.varg.ai).

Available packages:

| Package    | Credits | Price   |
| ---------- | ------- | ------- |
| Starter    | 2,000   | \$20    |
| Basic      | 5,000   | \$50    |
| Popular    | 10,000  | \$100   |
| Pro        | 20,000  | \$200   |
| Business   | 50,000  | \$500   |
| Enterprise | 100,000 | \$1,000 |

### Pricing

| Action     | Model              | Credits | Cost   |
| ---------- | ------------------ | ------- | ------ |
| Image      | nano-banana-pro    | 5       | \$0.05 |
| Image      | flux-pro           | 10      | \$0.10 |
| Video (5s) | kling-v3           | 150     | \$1.50 |
| Video (5s) | seedance-2-preview | 250     | \$2.50 |
| Video (5s) | wan-2.5            | 80      | \$0.80 |
| Speech     | eleven\_v3         | 25      | \$0.25 |
| Music      | music\_v1          | 30      | \$0.30 |

**Cache hits are always free.** Same prompt + params = \$0 instant result.

## CLI commands

| Command               | Description                  |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `bunx vargai login`   | Sign in or paste API key     |
| `bunx vargai logout`  | Clear saved credentials      |
| `bunx vargai balance` | Check credit balance         |
| `bunx vargai topup`   | Open billing page in browser |

## Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK)

If you have your own provider API keys (fal, ElevenLabs, etc.), you can use them through the varg gateway at **\$0 varg cost**. See the [BYOK guide](/byok) for details.