Quickstart Guide

Get from sign-up to your first AI-generated article in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Create Your Account

1. Go to app.cuppa.ai
2. Sign up with Google or email
3. Choose your plan (Solo, Studio, Scale, or Enterprise)

Step 2: Set Up Your OpenAI API Key

This is the most important step. Cuppa uses your API keys directly - you pay OpenAI’s actual costs, no markup.

Get Your OpenAI API Key

1. Go to platform.openai.com
2. Click Sign Up (or Log In if you have an account)
3. Go to Settings → Billing → Add payment method
4. Prepay at least $5-10 in credits
5. Go to API Keys → Create new secret key
6. Copy your key (starts with sk-)

Important: OpenAI API is different from ChatGPT Plus. You need an API account with prepaid credits.

Add Key to Cuppa

1. In Cuppa, go to Team Settings → API Keys
2. Paste your OpenAI API key
3. Click Save

✅ You’re ready to generate content!

Step 3: Add Your First Brand (Optional)

Brands help Cuppa write content that matches your website’s voice and style.

1. Go to Brand Settings → Add Brand
2. Enter your website URL
3. Cuppa will automatically analyze your site and extract:
   • Brand voice and tone
   • Target audience
   • Key topics and themes

Tip: You can skip this step and generate content without a brand. But brand-aware content performs better.

Step 4: Generate Your First Article

Quick Generation (No Setup)

1. Go to Create Content → Single Generation
2. Enter your target keyword (e.g., “how to train for a marathon”)
3. Click Generate
4. Wait 1-2 minutes for your article

With More Options

1. Choose a Model (GPT-4o recommended for quality)
2. Select your Brand (if you added one)
3. Adjust settings:
   • Word count target
   • Tone of voice
   • Include images (requires Replicate key)
4. Click Generate

Step 5: Review and Edit

Your article opens in the Cuppa Editor where you can:

• Edit content directly
• Check SEO score with Content Grader
• Add internal links with Link Engine
• Generate images if you didn’t include them
• Publish to your CMS with one click

What’s Next?

Now that you’ve created your first article, explore these features:

Add More API Keys (Optional)

Set Up Integrations

Connect your CMS for one-click publishing:

• WordPress Integration
• Ghost Integration
• Webflow Integration

Connect social accounts for auto-posting:

• Social Integrations - X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and more
• Google Search Console - Organic search data
• Google Analytics 4 - Sessions and on-site traffic
• Bing Webmaster Tools - Bing search data (combined with GSC in Performance Hub)

Try Bulk Generation

Generate multiple articles at once:

1. Go to Create Content → Bulk Generation
2. Add keywords (one per line)
3. Configure settings
4. Click Start Generation

Explore Content Planner (Solo+)

Automate your content operations:

• Auto-generate social posts when articles publish
• Weekly newsletter roundups generated automatically
• Reddit drafts with subreddit suggestions
• Content Planner Guide

Common Questions

Do I need ChatGPT Plus?

No. Cuppa uses the OpenAI API, which is separate from ChatGPT. You need an API account at platform.openai.com.

Why do I need to prepay OpenAI credits?

OpenAI requires prepaid credits to use their API. Start with $5-10. For bulk generation, Tier 2 ($50+ spent) is recommended for higher rate limits.

How much does an article cost?

With GPT-4o-mini: $0.01-0.05 per article With GPT-4o:$0.10-0.30 per article With Claude: Similar pricing

Can I use Cuppa without OpenAI?

An OpenAI key is required for some internal features (outline generation, metadata). You can use other models (Claude, Grok) for the main article content.

What if generation fails?

• Check your API key is valid
• Ensure you have API credits
• Check you’re on Tier 1 or higher (spend $5+ on OpenAI)
• Try again - transient errors happen occasionally

Prefer the Terminal?

If you work with AI agents or prefer command-line workflows, check out the Cuppa CLI:

npm install -g @cuppa-ai/cli
cuppa auth login
cuppa generate "your first keyword"

The CLI gives you 75+ commands covering every feature above, plus high-level workflows like cuppa campaign, cuppa optimize, and cuppa seo local. See CLI vs MCP vs API to choose the right interface.

Need Help?

• Documentation: Browse these docs for detailed guides
• Support: Email support@cuppa.ai
• Community: Join our Discord for tips from other users