CherryStudio Setup Guide (Desktop AI Client)

One: Overview

CherryStudio is a user-friendly, cross-platform desktop application designed for chatting with various large language models. It features a graphical interface that doesn’t require any command-line knowledge.

By pointing CherryStudio to APIBox, you can build a unified AI workspace on your computer that can switch instantly between Claude, GPT-5, and DeepSeek, all at a fraction of official API costs.

Two: Installation Steps

1. Download and Install

Visit the official CherryStudio website to download the client for your operating system:

• Windows: Download the .exe installer and double-click to install.
• macOS: Download the .dmg file and drag the app into your Applications folder.
• Linux: Use the .AppImage or .deb packages.

If macOS shows a security warning preventing the app from opening, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click “Open Anyway”.

2. Get Your API Key

Go to the APIBox Console to generate a new API Key.

Tip: APIBox charges approximately 1/7 of official rates, and a single account provides access to all major AI model providers.

3. Connect CherryStudio to APIBox

Open CherryStudio and click the Settings (gear icon) at the bottom left.

Navigate to the Providers section and select Add Custom Provider.

Fill in the following details:

• Provider Type: Select OpenAI (this acts as the standard compatible interface).
• Provider Name: Enter APIBox (or any name you prefer).
• API Key: Paste your APIBox Key.
• API URL / Base URL: Enter https://api.apibox.cc/v1
• Models: If the app doesn’t auto-fetch the list, manually type the model IDs you wish to use. Examples:
  • claude-sonnet-4-6 (Highly recommended for general tasks)
  • gpt-5
  • gemini-2.5-pro
  • deepseek-v3

Save your settings and return to the main chat window. You can now select your configured models from the top dropdown menu.

Three: Troubleshooting

❌ API Error / Connection Refused

Cause: The API URL is incomplete. Fix: Ensure your Base URL is exactly https://api.apibox.cc/v1. The /v1 part is mandatory.

❌ “Invalid API Key” Error

Cause: You selected a native provider like Anthropic instead of a custom OpenAI-compatible provider. Fix: APIBox uses the OpenAI standard. Ensure the provider type is set to OpenAI or Custom OpenAI Compatible.

❌ Model Not Found / Dropdown Empty

Cause: Older versions of CherryStudio may not support automatic model discovery. Fix: Manually type the exact APIBox model string (e.g., claude-sonnet-4-6) in the models configuration field. Refer to the APIBox dashboard for valid model names.