# When your Codex allowance runs out, use an API key instead of credits

DevFeed: [When your Codex allowance runs out, use an API key instead of credits](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/when-your-codex-allowance-runs-out-use-an-api-key-instead-of-credits-16008.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://workos.com/blog/codex-allowance-runs-out-use-api-key-not-credits>)

Author: WorkOS

Published: 2026-09-04T15:35:41Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [WorkOS Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/workos-blog.md>)

Topics: [codex](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/codex.md>), [API](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/api.md>), [API keys](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/api-keys.md>), [OpenAI](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/openai.md>)

Tags: [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [codex](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/codex.md>), [openai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/openai.md>)

## AI overview

The article argues that Codex extra credits use the same published token rates as the OpenAI API, while a benchmark found the credit lane was 1.5 times slower than the API at indistinguishable quality. It reports a blinded comparison of API-key and Codex subscription access, with nearly identical quality scores and no blockers in either arm.

## Source excerpt

Codex extra credits price out to exact API list rates, and we measured the credit lane 1.5x slower at quality we couldn't tell apart. Overflow to the API.