Use Ellis with your own ChatGPT or Grok subscription

Ellis normally runs on your workspace's AI API key, which is billed per use. If you already pay for ChatGPT (through Codex), Grok (through Grok Build) or use OpenCode, you can have Ellis use that subscription instead. Ellis then runs through a small helper on your own computer.

The helper is called Ellis Companion. You install it once with one command. After that it starts when you log in, runs in the background and updates itself.

Your sign-in stays on your computer
VoxaLink never sees your ChatGPT, Grok or OpenCode login. The companion uses the sign-in that is already on your computer, sends it Ellis's question, and returns the answer to the portal. Your subscription's own limits apply.

Before you start

You need:

• A Mac, Windows or Linux computer that you use while working in the portal.
• Node.js 20 or later (nodejs.org). To check, open Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and run node --version.
• Personal subscriptions allowed in your workspace. They are by default; an administrator can turn them off in Settings → General → LLM → Ellis AI access.
• At least one of these, installed and signed in on that computer:

Connect your computer

1. In the portal, open Ellis and select Change next to the current connection. (You can make the same choice in Settings → General → LLM → Ellis AI access.)

   

2. Under How should Ellis answer you?, choose My ChatGPT or Grok subscription. Ellis shows an install command and a pairing code.

   

3. Copy the command, paste it into Terminal or PowerShell on your computer and press Enter.

4. When it asks for the pairing code, type the code from Ellis. It stays hidden while you type.

5. You'll see Paired. Ellis is connected in the background and will restart at login. In Ellis, your computer now shows as Online.

6. Pick the Provider (ChatGPT, Grok or OpenCode), Model and, if you like, Reasoning effort, then select Save. Ellis confirms what it will use, for example "Saved. Ellis now answers using your ChatGPT subscription on MacBook-Pro."

This choice applies only to you in this workspace; other people keep whatever they've chosen. To go back to the workspace key, choose Saved API key and select Save. That option is greyed out, with the reason shown, when the workspace has no usable API key.

Ellis only works through your computer while it's switched on, online and running the companion. If your computer is offline, Ellis tells you. It does not switch to the API key by itself, so you won't be billed for API usage without choosing it.

For administrators

Below the choice, administrators see Let people in this workspace use their own subscriptions. Untick it and select Save to turn personal subscriptions off for everyone in the workspace (tick it and Save to allow them again). While it's off, nobody can pair a computer or choose a subscription, and requests waiting on a computer are cancelled. People who were using a subscription are asked to switch to Saved API key themselves; their computers stay paired, so turning it back on restores them. The same checkbox appears when a reseller manages your AI settings.

Automatic updates

The companion keeps itself up to date. When a new version is out, it downloads it in the background, waits until Ellis isn't in the middle of an answer, and restarts on the new version. You don't need to do anything.

• Every update is digitally signed by VoxaLink. The companion refuses any file that doesn't carry that signature, and never goes back to an older version.
• If a new version fails to start, the companion switches back to the previous one on its own.
• Ellis shows each computer's status: Up to date, Update available, Updating…, Update failed — reinstall or Reinstall once to get automatic updates. For the last two, run the install command again from Ellis. Your pairing is kept.

What the companion can and can't do

• It only passes Ellis's questions to your CLI and returns text answers. It turns off the CLI's tools, so it can't run commands, open your files or browse the web.
• It runs under your own user account and never asks for administrator or root access.
• Ellis can't choose which program runs or which folder it runs in.
• It doesn't keep the content of your questions or answers in its logs.
• The first install downloads the companion from VoxaLink over a secure (HTTPS) connection. Every update after that is also signature-checked.

When something doesn't work

• My computer shows Offline. Check the computer is on and connected to the internet. If you restarted and it's still offline, run the command Ellis shows under that computer, or pair it again.
• "Not signed in" or no models listed for a provider. Sign in to that CLI again (codex login, grok login or opencode auth login). The companion picks it up within about 30 seconds.
• "Your computer's Ellis connection needs an update." It usually updates itself within a few minutes. If it doesn't, run the install command from Ellis again.
• The pairing code expired. Codes last 10 minutes. Select Get a new code.
• Ellis says the connection was revoked. Someone selected Disconnect for this computer. Pair it again.
• "Subscription turned off by your administrator." Your workspace doesn't allow personal subscriptions right now. Choose Saved API key and select Save, or ask an administrator to tick Let people in this workspace use their own subscriptions. Your computer stays paired, so it works again as soon as that's allowed.

Remove the companion

• Stop using it for Ellis: in Ellis, choose Saved API key and select Save.

• Disconnect a computer: in Ellis, select Disconnect under that computer. It stops receiving Ellis requests immediately.

• Uninstall it from your computer: run this in Terminal or PowerShell. It removes the local pairing and, once nothing else is paired, the background service:

  npx -y --package=https://api.voxalink.cloud/ellis-companion/install.tgz ellis-companion unpair
  

  If you paired the same computer with more than one workspace, it asks you to add --device and a device ID. Run the same command with status instead of unpair to list the IDs.

Everyday tasks

• Use your ChatGPT plan for Ellis → install Codex and run codex login, then in Ellis choose My ChatGPT or Grok subscription, connect your computer, pick ChatGPT and Save.
• Switch from ChatGPT to Grok → run grok login, then pick Grok as the provider and Save.
• Go back to the workspace key → choose Saved API key and Save.
• Use Ellis on a new computer → choose Pair another computer under your subscription. You can disconnect the old one there too.
• Use the same computer for another workspace → sign in to that workspace and connect the computer there too. One companion handles up to 10 workspaces.