BetterChatGPT with an uncensored API: why it does not connect yet
BetterChatGPT and its maintained fork BetterChatGPT-PLUS let you set a custom API endpoint, but every request is made from the page, including in the desktop builds. The Wild West API does not answer CORS preflight today, so BetterChatGPT cannot use it yet.
Set it up
- To try it or check again later: open the API menu and tick Use custom API endpoint.
- Set API Endpoint to https://wildwestapi.com/v1/chat/completions and paste your sk-ww- key into API Key.
- In the PLUS fork, add outlaw-1 under Custom Models with Add Model.
- Send a message. Today it fails with a network or fetch error.
- For a working setup now, use SillyTavern or one of the apps listed below.
Does it work with the Wild West API?
No, not yet. BetterChatGPT is a static web app: there is no server of its own, and the endpoint you enter is called with fetch from the page. A request with an Authorization header to another site triggers a CORS preflight, and the API does not answer it, so the browser blocks the request.
The desktop builds do not change this. In BetterChatGPT-PLUS the Electron app starts a small local file server and loads the same web app into a normal browser window with standard web security, so the same check applies.
What to use instead
- SillyTavern for roleplay and character chat.
- Chatbox desktop, Jan or Cherry Studio for a simple ChatGPT-style window.
- NextChat desktop or self-hosted if you like the BetterChatGPT style of interface.
If it works later
Once the API answers preflight, the steps above apply. BetterChatGPT-PLUS custom models have advanced settings for Context Length (max tokens) and Max Completion Tokens. Set the first to what you will pay to resend each turn (these models take 512K tokens or more; see context window) and the second to 600 to 1200 for prose (max tokens).
Troubleshooting BetterChatGPT
- 401: the key is missing, mistyped or disabled. Paste it again with no trailing space and check it starts with
sk-ww-. A key from another provider will never work here. - 402: your balance is too low for the request. Top up in the dashboard; see pricing. A huge context on every turn burns credit faster than you might expect.
- 404 or 400 with an unknown model: the model id is wrong. Use an exact id from the model list, such as
outlaw-1, with no provider prefix and no spaces. - 429: you are rate limited. Wait a few seconds and send again, and turn off any auto-retry loop that fires instantly.
- 5xx: trouble upstream. Retry; if it keeps happening, switch to another model id for a while.
- Network error, "Failed to fetch" or a CORS message: this is the expected result today. The browser blocks the request before it reaches the API, so nothing is charged.
FAQ
Is the original BetterChatGPT different from the PLUS fork here?
Both are browser-only apps that call the endpoint from the page, so both are blocked the same way.
Does a self-hosted copy fix it?
No. Self-hosting only serves the same static files. The browser still makes the API call.
Does a failed request use credit?
No. A blocked preflight means the real request is never sent.