Credits are what you spend when building with Caffeine. Depending on your account, you may have welcome credits, subscription credits, top-up credits, voucher credits, and referral credits.
Welcome credits — 15 credits granted at signup on the Free plan. These expire 30 days after they are added to your account.
Subscription credits — your monthly allowance based on your plan (20 for Host, 100 for Studio, 1,000 for Business). On each billing-cycle renewal, your subscription balance is topped up to your plan's maximum — it is not reset to zero. Unused subscription credits stay in your balance across renewals, up to that maximum. Top-up and voucher credits are separate and are not subject to this cap.
Top-up credits — purchased separately as a one-time top-up by subscribers. These expire 6 months after purchase.
Voucher credits — credits added from a voucher or promo code. These expire 3 months after redemption, and you need an active subscription to redeem them.
Referral credits — 20 credits earned when a new subscriber joins through your invite link and chooses a qualifying plan. The new subscriber also receives 20 credits. Credits are added to both accounts 30 days after the qualifying payment clears.
How subscription credits renew
On your renewal date each billing cycle, Caffeine tops up your subscription credit balance to your plan's maximum. It does not wipe unused subscription credits and grant a fresh full allowance on top.
| Plan | Monthly allowance | Subscription balance cap |
|---|---|---|
| Host | 20 credits | 22 credits |
| Studio | 100 credits | 110 credits |
| Business | 1,000 credits | 1,100 credits |
The credits added on renewal equal your plan maximum minus your subscription balance before renewal. If you used your full allowance during the previous cycle, you receive the full monthly amount. If you still had unused subscription credits, the renewal grant is smaller — but your subscription buying power is still brought up to the plan maximum.
Example (Studio): If you had 82 unused subscription credits on renewal day, you would receive 110 − 82 = 28 credits, not a fresh 100 on top of what you already had. Your subscription balance after renewal would be 110.
Top-up credits (purchased separately) and voucher credits are not part of this cap. They stack on top of your subscription balance and are tracked separately.
On annual billing, the same monthly top-up happens each month on your renewal anniversary — credits are not granted once per year.
What credits are spent on
Not everything costs credits. The main actions that do:
- AI usage — charged per token while the AI is working in your project, at the rates of the builder model you chose. This covers builds, fixes, planning, and answers to your questions. See How AI usage is priced below.
- Going live — charged when you first publish your app. The cost depends on which deployment cloud your project uses: 4 credits for apps on Caffeine's mainnet or a shared cloud, or 0.5 credits for apps on a personal cloud engine (a cloud you have registered yourself). Re-deploying an already-live app costs nothing. This charge applies when deployment is triggered, whether or not the deployment succeeds.
- AI image generation — 1 credit per image generated in the App Market listing form. Reusing a previously generated image from the gallery does not cost an additional credit.
- Email sending — each email recipient your app sends to costs 1 credit-cent (0.01 credits). These charges appear in Credit Usage as a recipient count — for example, "2 recipients" — with the total cost on the right. A per-recipient price is not shown because the effective rate can vary across a day's sends.
- File storage — credits are deducted when files are uploaded, while they remain in storage, and when they are downloaded. These appear as two line items in your transaction history: Storage Cost (uploads and the space your files occupy) and Bandwidth Cost (data transferred when files are accessed). See File Storage Costs for the full pricing breakdown.
- Live canister maintenance — once your app is live, Caffeine automatically keeps it running by topping up its compute resources as needed. These top-ups are charged at 0.5 credits per 100 billion cycles deposited, billed proportionally to the amount actually deposited — you are only ever charged for what your app uses, not rounded up to a whole credit.
- Custom domain purchase/renewals - buying or renewing a domain through Caffeine costs 4 credits per $1 USD of the domain price, rounded up to a whole credit. Connecting a domain you already own does not cost credits. These show up as Custom Domain Purchase and Custom Domain Renew.
Many common actions cost nothing: creating a draft, deploying to draft, cloning a project.
How AI usage is priced
You pay for the work the AI actually does, not a fixed price per build. A small tweak costs little; a large new feature costs more.
AI work is measured in tokens — small chunks of text, a few characters each. Everything the AI reads (your message, your project's files, its instructions) and everything it writes (code, plans, replies) is counted in tokens. Each builder model has three rates, quoted per 1 million tokens:
- Input — tokens the AI reads.
- Output — tokens the AI writes.
- Cache input — input the AI already read earlier in the same session and reads again. This is charged at a lower rate than fresh input, which lowers the cost of longer builds.
You choose the model from the model picker in the chat bar. The model picker shows each model's rates in credits (1 credit is $0.50), so you can compare before you build. More capable models cost more per token. Default is recommended when starting out — it gives the best quality-to-price ratio. See Choosing a builder model.
Charges build up while the AI is running. Tokens the AI has already used are charged whatever the outcome — including when a build fails or when you stop it.
How credits are spent
Credits are always spent in this order:
- Welcome credits first
- Subscription credits second
- Top-up and voucher credits last
This means longer-lasting paid credits are preserved for as long as possible. One exception: older purchased top-up credits are spent before subscription credits.
Checking your balance
Your credit balance is shown in the top bar of the Caffeine interface. The number reflects your available credits — your total balance minus any credits currently held for in-progress activity. While the AI is running, Caffeine holds a small block of credits ahead of usage. Once usage is tallied, the tokens actually used become the charge and any unused part of the hold is released back to your account. For a full transaction history, go to Profile avatar → Credit usage.
Getting more credits
- Upgrade your plan — the main way to increase your monthly credit allowance. Go to Profile avatar → Membership / Upgrade. If you are on the Free plan, you will also see an Upgrade card above the account section in the sidebar (and a one-liner below the prompt box on mobile) that opens the plan picker directly.
- Purchase top-up credits — a one-time top-up available to subscribers from the billing section without changing your subscription. The Top up button appears in your credit and billing settings only if you are on a paid plan. Available packs are 100 credits for $50, 200 credits for $100, and 500 credits for $250.
- Enable auto top-up — automatically buy credits whenever your balance drops below a threshold you set. See the section below for details.
- Redeem a voucher — if you have a voucher or promotional code, go to Profile avatar → Use promo code. Credit vouchers add credits to your account for 3 months. Subscription vouchers activate a paid subscription for a set period — for example, 1 month of Host or 1 month of Studio. After that period the subscription ends automatically unless you renew it. Redeeming the wrong kind of code won't silently fail — if a code isn't valid or has already been used, you'll see an error message.
- Invite a friend — share your personal invite link and earn 20 credits when your friend becomes a qualifying new subscriber. Your friend also receives 20 credits.
- Sign up — Free users receive 15 welcome credits at signup, valid for 30 days.
Balance alert emails
Caffeine sends you an email when your credit balance is running low, when it has been fully depleted, and — on the Business plan — when your team has reached its member capacity. These alerts give you a chance to top up your credits or take action before your work is interrupted.
Inviting friends and earning credits
To find your invite link, open Profile avatar → Invite a friend, or go to Settings → Overview. Copy the link and share it with your friend.
Both accounts receive 20 credits 30 days after your friend makes a qualifying payment. A qualifying friend must:
- Sign up through your invite link
- Be a new subscriber who has never held a paid Caffeine subscription
- Choose an annual plan, or a monthly plan other than Host
Invite sharing is available from personal accounts with a confirmed email address. If you are in a team workspace, switch to your personal account to find your invite link.
Auto top-up
Auto top-up keeps your credit balance from running out by automatically purchasing more credits whenever your balance drops below a level you choose. It is available on paid plans (Host and Studio).
To set it up, go to Profile avatar → Plans & Billing. The Auto top-up section appears beneath your credit balance. Turn on the toggle and set two values:
- When below — the credit threshold that triggers a top-up. Must be a whole number of 10 or more.
- Top up by — how many credits to purchase each time the threshold is reached. Must be a whole number of 10 or more, and must be at least as large as the When below amount.
Each credit costs $0.50 and is charged to your default payment method. After a top-up charge, it can take up to 5 minutes for the new credits to appear in your balance.
A confirmation dialog shows the exact charge before you save your settings. To turn auto top-up off, toggle it off and confirm — automatic purchases stop immediately.
Frequently asked questions
How many credits do I get on the Free plan?
Free users receive 15 welcome credits at signup, valid for 30 days.
Do welcome credits roll over?
No. Welcome credits expire 30 days after they are added to your account.
Do subscription credits roll over?
Yes, up to your plan's subscription balance cap. Unused subscription credits stay in your balance across billing cycles. On renewal, your subscription balance is topped up to the cap rather than reset. See How subscription credits renew.
Why did I receive fewer subscription credits than my plan allowance on my renewal date?
This usually means you still had unused subscription credits from the previous cycle. Renewals top up your subscription balance to your plan maximum — they do not add a full monthly allowance on top of what you already have. Check Profile avatar → Credit usage to see your balance before and after the renewal. Top-up and voucher credits are separate and are not reduced by this.
When do top-up and voucher credits expire?
Top-up credits expire 6 months after purchase. Voucher credits expire 3 months after redemption.
What happens when I run out of credits?
When your credit balance drops too low, a notice appears just above the chat input. What the notice says — and what action it offers — depends on your account:
- Not signed in — you see a prompt to sign up and claim your welcome credits.
- Signed in on the free plan — you see "Out of credits — building is locked" (or "Low on credits" if you have a small amount left) with an Upgrade button that opens the plan picker.
- On a paid plan without auto top-up — you see the same locked message with an Enable auto top-up button that takes you directly to the Auto top-up section in Plans & Billing.
- On a paid plan with auto top-up already on — you see the locked message with a Top up button to add credits manually.
Your app is not changed and no build runs while credits are insufficient. You can still view and share your apps.
If your credits run out at the exact moment a new build is starting — after you've sent a message but before the AI has begun generating — you will see an out-of-credits message posted directly in the chat. The build does not start and no credits are charged.
If your balance runs out while the AI is already working, the AI stops. The tokens it used up to that point are charged. Add credits and send your message again to continue.
What happens if I try to build a new app from scratch on the Free plan?
Starting a new app from scratch is handled separately from the regular out-of-credits flow. If you are signed in on the Free plan and you send a prompt to build a new app from scratch, Caffeine posts a message in the chat telling you to subscribe to a paid plan, with two buttons, Subscribe and Browse the App Market, and no build runs.
To unlock building from scratch you can subscribe to any paid plan (Host or Studio). If you would rather not subscribe, remix any app from the App Market instead — it lands in your account as a new project that you can iterate on with your available credits.
If you have already subscribed or received credits and you still see the earlier subscribe-to-build message in your chat, simply send your prompt again — that bubble swaps to a brief "you're all set — try sending your prompt again" acknowledgement and the build runs normally.
What happens to my credits if I cancel my subscription?
Subscription credits are tied to your billing period and expire when your subscription ends. Top-up and voucher credits are also cancelled when your paid subscription ends.
What happens to my credits if my payment fails?
Subscription credits expire immediately when a payment fails and your account reverts to the Free plan. Credits are restored only after Stripe successfully collects payment. See the billing article for full details.
Do I get credits when I sign up?
Yes. Free users receive 15 welcome credits at signup, valid for 30 days.
Why does my credit balance look lower while the AI is running?
While the AI is working, Caffeine holds a small block of credits ahead of usage. Your displayed balance reflects your total minus any held credits, so it may appear lower than expected for a few minutes. Once usage is tallied, the tokens actually used become the charge and any unused part of the hold is released back to your account.
How many credits does a build cost?
It depends on the builder model you chose and on how much work the change needs. You are charged for the tokens the AI reads and writes, at the rates shown in the model picker. A small change on an efficient model costs little; a large feature on a premium model costs more. To see what past work cost, open Profile avatar → Credit usage.
What happened to credits per build?
Builds used to cost between 1 and 7 credits each, depending on how much effort the AI needed. That pricing has been replaced. AI work is now charged per token at the rates of the model you choose, so you pay for exactly the work done and can pick a cheaper or more capable model to match the task.
Does asking the AI a question cost credits?
Yes, a small amount. Any time the AI runs in your project — including when it answers a question without changing your app — it reads and writes tokens, which are charged at your selected model's rates.
Where can I see my credit transaction history?
Go to Profile avatar → Credit usage. This shows your balance, recent transactions, and credit sources. AI image generation charges appear as Image Generation in the transaction list. Live canister maintenance top-ups appear as Canister Top-up and are billed at 0.5 credits per 100 billion cycles deposited. Email sending charges appear as a recipient count — for example, "2 recipients" — with the total cost shown on the right.
Why do I see small credit charges for my live app even when I am not building?
Live apps require compute resources to stay running on the Internet Computer network. Caffeine automatically tops these up as needed and charges at 0.5 credits per 100 billion cycles deposited — you pay only for what your app actually uses.
What is a subscription voucher?
A subscription voucher is a special code that activates a paid subscription for a fixed period — for example, 1 month of Host or 3 months of Studio — at no charge. Unlike a credit voucher, it does not add credits directly; instead it starts a subscription that gives you the full credit allowance and premium features of the chosen plan for the duration. The subscription ends automatically when the period runs out unless you choose to renew it.
Can I redeem a subscription voucher if I already have an active subscription?
No. Subscription vouchers can only be applied when your account does not already have an active paid subscription. If you are already subscribed, the voucher cannot be redeemed until after your current subscription ends.
What happens when a subscription voucher expires?
When the voucher-granted subscription period ends, your account automatically reverts to the Free plan. Your apps and data are not affected, but paid-plan features no longer apply.
What is auto top-up and how does it work?
Auto top-up is a setting that automatically purchases more credits whenever your balance drops below a threshold you set. You choose how low your balance can get before a top-up triggers, and how many credits to buy each time. Each credit costs $0.50 and is charged to your default payment method. Auto top-up is available on paid plans only.
Where do I turn on auto top-up?
Go to Profile avatar → Plans & Billing. The Auto top-up section is below your credit balance. Toggle it on, set your threshold and top-up amount, then save. A confirmation dialog shows the exact charge before the settings are saved.
Will I receive an email when my credits are running low?
Yes. Caffeine sends you an email when your balance is low and again when it has been fully depleted, so you know to top up before your next build is blocked. On the Business plan, a separate email is sent when your team reaches its member capacity.
How quickly do auto top-up credits appear?
After a top-up charge, it can take up to 5 minutes for the new credits to show in your balance.
What happens if an auto top-up payment fails?
If the charge to your payment method fails, an error banner appears in Plans & Billing showing what went wrong. Caffeine also sends you an email to let you know the charge did not go through. You can fix the issue with your payment provider and then use the Retry now button to attempt the top-up again manually.
Some banks require approval for every charge, which prevents automatic top-ups. This is common for cards issued in India. If Caffeine detects this requirement, auto top-up is turned off and Plans & Billing shows an explanation. You can still purchase a top-up manually.
Which subscriptions qualify for referral credits?
Any annual plan qualifies, as does any monthly plan other than Host. The invited person must be a new subscriber who has never previously held a paid Caffeine subscription.
When are referral credits added?
Both accounts receive 20 credits 30 days after the invited subscriber's qualifying payment clears.
Am I charged credits when a build fails?
Yes, for the tokens the AI used before the build stopped. AI work is charged as it happens, so the work done on a build that does not complete is still charged. Breaking large changes into smaller steps keeps each attempt small — see When Builds Fail.
Am I charged credits if I stop a build?
Yes, for the tokens the AI used up to the moment you stopped it. Nothing more is charged after the build stops.
Am I charged credits if I don't like what the AI built?
Yes. Charges are based on the tokens the AI used, whatever the result. Describe what you want changed in the chat and the AI will update the app in your next build.
Am I charged for Go Live if deployment fails?
It depends on how far deployment got. If Go Live could not start after you clicked the button, deployment credits are released back automatically — no further action is needed on your side. If you see a Go live failed message, the Go Live charge typically still applies. Check Profile avatar → Credit usage and use Profile avatar → Get help if the charge looks wrong.
Why do I see two Go Live entries in my credit activity?
If your project uses a cloud engine, Go Live charges two separate items: 4 credits for the standard deployment and 0.5 credits for the engine Go Live fee. Both appear as Go Live in your credit activity — one at 4 credits and one at 0.5 credits.