> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.obside.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.obside.com/credits/how-it-works.md).

# How it works

## Credits

Credits are used to **interact with Obside** and **access its features**. Each interaction consumes a number of credits proportional to its complexity. This model makes pricing more **precise and aligned with actual usage**.

For example, a simple conversation with Obside Chat costs about **1 credit**, while creating or optimizing an agent consumes more. The more complex the task, the more credits are consumed.

You can check the exact cost of each interaction by opening the **message details** in Obside Chat (info icon).

***

## When are credits consumed?

Credits are consumed by **AI work** — whenever a language model runs on your behalf. The main cases:

* **Chat** — every message you send, **including everything the AI does to answer it**: creating and editing agents, generating their code, giving advice, and analyzing or refining your strategy. Heavier requests (such as building an agent) cost more than a simple question.
* **Live agents** — the AI reasoning and news analysis a deployed agent runs on its own (AI traders and news-reactive bots or alerts).
* **Demo portfolio import** — extracting holdings from a screenshot or broker export.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Backtests are free.** Running a test on historical data **does not consume any credits**, on any plan — backtest as much as you like.
{% endhint %}

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**Weekly brief:** on **paid plans**, the weekly portfolio brief is **included at no credit cost**. On the **Free plan**, generating it **draws from your credit balance**.
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The full credit history is accessible in **Settings → Usage & Billing**, with the breakdown by operation type.

***

## Renewal

Credits **reset every month** at your subscription's renewal date. They **don't roll over** from one month to the next (with the special case of yearly plans, where the full yearly allowance is granted up front — see [Pricing](/misc/pricing.md)).

The **Free plan** comes with a monthly credit allowance that is **renewed every month**.

The exception is **purchased credits** (top-ups): they **don't reset monthly** and stay available for **a full year** after purchase — see [Buying more credits](#buying-more-credits) below.

***

## Allocation per plan

Credits are included in each Obside subscription tier:

* **Free**: 100 credits / month
* **Plus**: 500 credits / month (6,000 credits per year on the yearly plan)
* **Pro**: 1,000 credits / month (12,000 credits per year on the yearly plan)
* **Max**: 2,000 credits / month (24,000 credits per year on the yearly plan)

For the full breakdown, see [Pricing](/misc/pricing.md).

***

## Buying more credits

Need more than your monthly allowance? You can **top up** your balance at any time with a one-off purchase — available on **every plan**, including Free. Go to **Settings → Usage & Billing → Buy credits**.

Top-ups use a **bonus model**: you pay the amount you choose, and the larger the top-up, the more **extra credits** you get on top. The base rate is **$0.04 per credit** (25 credits per $1) before the bonus.

| You pay | Bonus | Credits you get |
| ------- | :---: | :-------------: |
| $20     |  +10% |       550       |
| $50     |  +20% |      1,500      |
| $100    |  +30% |      3,250      |

You can also enter a **custom amount** between **$5 and $1,000**; the same bonus tiers apply (+10% from $20, +20% from $50, +30% from $100).

{% hint style="info" %}
**Purchased credits last a full year.** Unlike your monthly allowance, top-up credits **don't reset** — they expire **one year after purchase**. They're also spent **after** your monthly allowance, so a top-up acts as a reserve that kicks in only once your plan's credits run out.
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