Use casesYour own plan
Background agents on the ChatGPT or Claude plan you already have
Swarm runs its agents on the model provider you connect: your ChatGPT plan (a one-time sign-in), your Claude plan through Claude Code on the same machine, or an API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenRouter or Fireworks. The agents then work in the background on your machine, and every job reports its token use and estimated cost.
Three ways to pay for the models
| Option | How it connects | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT plan | A one-time sign-in: your AI gives you a link and a code, you sign in with your ChatGPT account. | Using a plan you already pay for. |
| Claude plan | Claude Code installed and signed in on the Swarm machine, as the user that runs Swarm; then turned on in Swarm. | Claude models on your subscription. |
| API key | You type the key on Swarm's setup page or into the CLI, never into a chat. | Pay-as-you-go, or models from Google, OpenRouter or Fireworks. |
None is the default. Once one is ready, every role runs on Swarm's recommended model for that provider, and you can change a role's model when you want to.
What runs in the background
- Coding jobs, each on its own branch, waiting for your review.
- Research and audits by the finder, written to a report.
- Scheduled workers: a morning brief, a weekly dependency check, posts drafted for your OK.
- Jobs your app or CI starts with a trigger token.
Use my ChatGPT plan for Swarm, then every weekday at 7 write me a brief on what changed in our competitors' docs.
swarm_connect_chatgptswarm_give_jobswarm_schedule_job
Signed in with your ChatGPT plan. The brief runs weekdays at 07:00 and lands in reports/; the first one cost $0.05.
Keeping spend in view
Every job reports its tokens and estimated cost, and your AI can read usage per worker for the day. Limits cap what one job may spend and how many run at once.
Questions
Can Swarm use my ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan?
Yes. Swarm signs in with your ChatGPT account once (a link and a code), and its agents then run on your plan's models.
Can it use my Claude subscription?
Yes, through Claude Code: install Claude Code on the Swarm machine, sign in as the user that runs Swarm, and turn it on in Swarm. Swarm never handles your Claude credentials.
Do I need an API key?
No, a ChatGPT or Claude plan is enough. API keys from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenRouter or Fireworks work too.
Will my AI ever ask me to paste a key in chat?
No. Keys are typed on Swarm's setup page or into the CLI on the machine, never into a chat.
Updated 24 October 2026