AI Cloud guide
Checked 5 October 2026
Waymark works without any of this
Everything in Waymark translates on your device: free, offline, no sign-up. AI Cloud is an optional extra for more natural translations, better reading of hard menus and signs, and better listening in noisy places.
BYOK: bring your own key
Waymark doesn't sell AI and has no server in the middle. You sign up with an AI company, get a key (API key) and paste it into Waymark. Waymark uses the key to send text, photos or audio from your phone directly to that company and get the translation back. The key stays in this iPhone's Keychain, is never synced to iCloud and is never sent to us. You pay the company directly, only for what you use.
Companies and models
Each company has several models. Small models are fast and cheap, enough for short travel sentences; large models are smarter but slower and pricier. Waymark picks travel-friendly models for you. Listed by name; Waymark is not paid by any company.
| Text | Photos | Voice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude (Anthropic) | ✓yes | ✓yes | –no |
| DeepSeekWorks in mainland China | ✓yes | –no | –no |
| Gemini (Google)Free quota to try | ✓yes | ✓yes | ✓yes |
| OpenAI | ✓yes | ✓yes | ✓yes |
| OpenRouterOne key for many companies' models | ✓yes | ✓yes | ✓yes |
| Qwen (Alibaba)Works in mainland China | ✓yes | ✓yes | –no |
Whatever the chosen company can't do, Waymark does on your device.
Before you sign up
- An email and a credit or debit card that works for international payments. Most companies need a small prepaid minimum in US dollars.
- Start small, turn off auto-recharge if you don't want it, and set a spending limit on the company's website. Credit terms such as expiry differ by company.
- Some companies don't work in some countries, such as mainland China.
- Signing up is easier on a computer. With a Mac on the same Apple Account, copy the key on the Mac and paste it on the iPhone.
- Do it before your trip.
Set it up
In Waymark: Settings → AI Cloud → "Set Up AI Cloud". Answer a few questions, follow the steps for the company you pick, then paste the key. Waymark recognises the company, tests the key and sets up every task.
Your data
With AI Cloud on, what you translate goes directly from your phone to the company you chose, under its privacy policy; some companies keep data for a while. For nothing to leave your phone, use on-device translation. See Privacy.