Why Neeti needs a key
NeetoCal does not host or run the AI models that power Neeti. Instead, you connect NeetoCal to Google Gemini using an API Key. An API key is a secure secret code that allows one software application, like NeetoCal, to securely communicate with another, like Google Gemini.
When Neeti answers questions for your clients, Google charges you directly for the processing power used. This setup ensures that you only pay for your exact usage, and your sensitive customer interactions remain entirely within your own Google account.
What you will need before you start
Before you begin, prepare these items:
A standard Google (Gmail) account, or a Google Workspace account for your business.
A valid credit or debit card.
About 10 to 15 minutes of uninterrupted time.
Why a paid API key is required
Gemini automatically places new API keys on a free plan, but you must upgrade to a paid plan before using Neeti. A free plan will not work for two reasons:
Model access: Neeti uses Gemini's top-tier model. Google only allows keys associated with active, paid billing accounts to call Gemini's top-tier model. If you use a free key, the key technically exists, but it cannot run Neeti at all. This is a hard product gate.
Rate limits: The free plan comes with a very low Quota. A quota is a limit set by Google on the number of messages or words your AI is allowed to process within a specific timeframe, such as a minute or a day. This low quota is tied to the lowest Usage Tier. A usage tier is a classification level assigned to your account based on your spending history, which determines your processing speed and limits. These limits would block normal daily use of your scheduling assistant.
To unlock full access, Google requires you to purchase Pre-paid Credits. Pre-paid credits are funds you purchase in advance and load onto your account to pay for your AI usage as your assistant answers questions.
We recommend loading USD $25 for smooth operational use. However, if you are just testing out Neeti, you can get started with the absolute minimum of USD $10 that Google requires to activate a paid tier. For the rest of this guide, we will assume you are planning to load $25.
Guidelines for naming your assets
To help with quick filtering and debugging in the future, we recommend naming your Google assets using a standard, clean format:
NEETOCAL_{your_org_name}_NEETI_{entity}
Replace {your_org_name} with your organization's actual name, and replace {entity} with the specific asset type:
Use PROJECT for the Google Cloud project.
Use API for the Gemini API key.
Use BILLING for your Google Cloud billing account.
For example, if your company name is Acme, your assets would be named NEETOCAL_ACME_NEETI_PROJECT, NEETOCAL_ACME_NEETI_API, and NEETOCAL_ACME_NEETI_BILLING.
Step 1: Open Google AI Studio and create a key
Google AI Studio is the web interface where you will generate your secret key and monitor your usage.
Open your web browser and go to Google AI Studio.
Log in using your Google account.
Review and accept the Terms of Service if this is your first time logging in.
Look at the left-hand sidebar, then click the Get API key button.
Click the blue button labeled Create API Key.
You will see a prompt asking you to select a Project. A project is a virtual workspace inside Google Cloud that holds and organizes your API keys, usage logs, and billing settings.
Click Create API key in new project.
Rename the project to match our naming guideline:
NEETOCAL_{your_org_name}_NEETI_PROJECT.Once your key is generated, rename the key to
NEETOCAL_{your_org_name}_NEETI_API.Click Copy to copy the key to your clipboard. If you ever need to retrieve this key in the future, you do not need to generate a new one. You can view your active keys at any time by visiting Google AI Studio API Keys and clicking on the specific key's name.
Step 2: Set up billing and add pre-paid credits
To move to the paid tier, you must set up a Billing Account and buy your pre-paid credits. A billing account is a secure profile where you link your credit card or bank account to pay Google for the services you use.
Google enforces pre-paid billing for all new developer accounts to help you control your budget.
Click the Set up Billing button.
You will be asked to select the project. Choose the one which you created before.
Select your country, choose your account type (choose "Individual" or "Business"), and accept the Google Cloud Terms of Service.
Name your billing account according to our guideline:
NEETOCAL_{your_org_name}_NEETI_BILLING.Enter your business name, address, and credit or debit card details to create your payments profile.
Once your card is verified, you must buy your pre-paid credits to activate your paid access. Top up your account with your chosen amount (minimum of $10, though we recommend $25).
Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize the pre-paid charge.
Once the payment clears, your account status will upgrade. This change secures your data privacy (Google will not use your data for training on paid accounts) and increases your API speed.
Step 3: Set a manual monthly spend cap
Setting a manual monthly spend cap is a mandatory step. If you do not set a manual cap, Google will aggressively rate-limit your API key more often than required throughout the day. To prevent these artificial blocks and protect your bank account from unexpected spikes if your key is ever exposed, you must set a manual spend cap that matches your pre-paid credit amount.
Under the Monthly spend cap section, select your project from the dropdown and then click Set spend cap.
Type the exact amount you topped up, which is 25 (or 10 if you loaded the minimum for testing).
Click Save to lock in the cap.
Tying the cap to your pre-paid top-up ensures Google stops serving requests at the exact moment your credits run out. This prevents any surprise overage bills. If you require more usage later, you can increase both your pre-paid balance and this spend cap.
Step 4: Paste the key into NeetoCal
Now that your key is active, funded, and protected, you need to save it inside your NeetoCal admin dashboard.
Log in to your NeetoCal admin dashboard.
Look at the left sidebar menu and navigate to Admin panel → General → Neeti.
Locate the single input field on this page labeled Gemini API Key.
Paste your copied API key into this field.
Click Save (or the save button).
NeetoCal will immediately validate your key against Google's servers. If your key has not been funded yet, or if you copied it incorrectly, NeetoCal will show a clear error message. If the key is valid, your settings will save.
Step 5: Test that it works
To verify that your assistant is running, open the chat workspace and ask a question.
Look at the NeetoCal sidebar menu and click on the sparkle icon labeled Neeti.
This opens the Neeti chat panel.
Type a simple question, such as: "What is my availability for tomorrow?" or "Who is the host for my default booking link?"
If Neeti answers with correct information from your account, your setup is complete.
Managing your key
Key Rotation: For security, we recommend replacing your key every few months. To do this, go back to Google AI Studio, generate a brand new key, name it according to our guidelines, paste it into NeetoCal, save it, and then delete your old key from Google AI Studio.
Auto-Reload: To ensure Neeti never stops working due to an empty balance, you can configure the auto-reload feature in your Google AI Studio billing settings. You specify a trigger credit balance (such as when your balance falls below $10) and a reload value (such as adding $25), which automatically charges your linked card to buy more credits.
Failed Payments: If you decide not to use auto-reload, keep a close watch on your email inbox. Google automatically sends detailed email notifications if your pre-paid credit balance runs low or if a payment fails to go through.
Troubleshooting
Error: API Key Invalid
This error occurs if the key is entered incorrectly or has been deleted from Google AI Studio.
The Fix: Go back to Google AI Studio, copy your key again, and make sure you do not miss any characters when pasting it into NeetoCal.
Error: Quota/Rate Limit Reached (429 or RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED)
This error means your pre-paid credit balance has run out.
The Fix: Go to the billing dashboard in Google AI Studio or Google Cloud Console. Check your prepaid balance and top it up with another $25 to resume service.
Error: Region Unsupported / Blocked
This error appears if your Google account billing address is in a country where Google does not offer the Gemini API, such as Mainland China or Hong Kong.
The Fix: You must use a Google account registered in a supported region with a matching local payment method.
Error: European Union (EU) Privacy Block
The free plan is restricted in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.
The Fix: Because NeetoCal requires you to upgrade to the paid tier with a credit card, this block is resolved automatically once you complete Step 2.
FAQ
How much will using Neeti cost me?
For a typical NeetoCal admin asking Neeti around 100 questions a day for a month, the recommended $25 top-up is usually enough to cover the month. Heavier usage (more questions, longer conversations) burns through credits faster, which is exactly why the spend cap is set to match the top-up. Once you get a feel of Neeti, and if you feel the organization requires more usage, then you can add more credits to spend for Gemini.
Do I have to pay Google?
Yes. You cannot use a free key for Neeti. A paid account is required because Neeti calls Gemini's top-tier model, which is completely blocked on free accounts. A paid account also protects your data privacy, as Google is legally barred from using your customers' chat histories for AI training on paid accounts.
Can multiple NeetoCal workspaces share one key?
Yes. You can paste the same Gemini API key into multiple NeetoCal workspaces. However, please note that all workspaces will draw from the exact same pre-paid credit balance and will share your monthly spend cap.
What happens if my prepaid credits run out?
If your credit balance reaches zero, the Gemini API will immediately stop working. Neeti will no longer respond to your clients. To prevent this disruption, we recommend setting up auto-reload or watching your email for low balance notifications from Google.
Can I use Google’s $300 welcome credit for the Gemini API?
No. Google offers a $300 trial credit for new Google Cloud platform accounts, but they explicitly exclude Gemini API costs from this program. To use the Gemini API on the paid tier, you must load real pre-paid funds onto your account.
Learn more
Google AI Studio Pricing - View current per-token rates, useful if you want to estimate cost details beyond the rough numbers in this article.
Google AI Studio Quotas - Read Google's official documentation on request-per-minute limits.
Google Cloud Billing Help - Learn how to update your credit card, manage billing profiles, and print invoices.
Google AI Studio Billing Guide - Official Google documentation explaining pre-paid billing tiers and automated upgrades.