An AI sidebar with every major model.
If you’re comparing Chrome AI sidebars, here is exactly what Thinkbeside is, what it costs and how it handles your data, so you can weigh it against the others.
Free, with your own API key. How pricing works · How your keys and data are handled
How to switch to Thinkbeside
- 1
Install and sign in
Add Thinkbeside from the Chrome Web Store and sign in with an email code, Google or GitHub.
- 2
Paste an API key
Create a key with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek or xAI, or add an OpenAI-compatible provider. One is enough.
- 3
Open the panel
Press Alt+O (⌥O on Mac) on any page, PDF or video and ask.
What sets it apart
No plan to buy
Thinkbeside sells no subscription or credits. You pay providers directly at their API rates.
Answers you can check
Replies cite the tab, PDF page, Word section or video timestamp they used.
Several models at once
Compare up to four providers side by side, or put two to four models in one group chat.
Thinkbeside in facts
Thinkbeside is a free Chrome extension that puts an AI assistant in Chrome’s side panel, using your own API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, xAI or any OpenAI-compatible provider.
These are Thinkbeside’s own traits, stated plainly. Check the same points for any other sidebar you’re considering: how it bills, where your requests go and how synced data is protected.
| Price | Free. No subscription or credits; you pay each provider at its API rates |
|---|---|
| Models | GPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek and Grok with your own keys, plus any OpenAI-compatible server |
| Where it runs | Chrome’s native side panel; also Edge, Brave and Arc |
| AI requests | Straight from your browser to the provider, not through Thinkbeside’s servers |
| Compare | Up to four providers side by side; group chat with two to four models |
| Citations | Tabs, PDF pages, Word sections and video timestamps |
| Account | Required: email code, Google or GitHub |
| Sync | Encrypted at rest with keys available to the service, not end-to-end; can be turned off |
Questions
Is Thinkbeside free?
Yes. The extension is free. You pay each AI provider directly for the tokens you use, at its API rates.
Do I need an API key?
Yes, at least one, from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, xAI or an OpenAI-compatible provider such as OpenRouter.
Is my data used to train AI models?
Thinkbeside does not use your synced content to train AI models. Your requests go straight to the provider you chose, under that provider’s API terms.
More ways to use Thinkbeside
Try the sidebar that runs on your keys.
Free to install. Works with the API keys you already have.