Pricing
AI credits explained: why the price on the pricing page is not your bill
How credit-based pricing works in AI tools, what one credit buys at Chatbase, Sintra, Submagic and Taskade, and a simple way to estimate your real monthly cost.
Updated 14 Oct 2026
“700 message credits”, “250 credits”, “50,000 AI credits” — most AI tools now sell a monthly allowance instead of unlimited use, because every answer costs them money at the model provider. The number on the pricing page only becomes meaningful once you know what a single credit buys. Here is how to work it out, with figures from the vendors’ pricing pages and terms as of 13 October 2026.
One credit is rarely one result
Credits are a currency, and each vendor sets its own exchange rate:
- Chatbase charges message credits per answer, and the price depends on the AI model you choose — a more capable model can cost two credits per answer. If the bot runs an action, such as looking up an order, that can trigger several requests and therefore several credits.
- Submagic shows its allowance in credits and in videos side by side: 45 credits are 15 videos on Starter, so one video costs three credits. The same credits also pay for AI-generated videos and images.
- Sintra AI gives 250 credits a month and does not publish a fixed price per task.
- Taskade includes 50,000 AI credits a month on Pro and 150,000 on Business.
What happens when the credits run out
This is the part that decides your bill:
| Tool | Monthly credits | When they run out |
|---|---|---|
| Chatbase | 700 (Hobby) · 4,000 (Standard) · 15,000 (Pro) | Buy more: $40 per 1,000 credits; bought credits do not expire |
| Sintra AI | 250 on every plan | The service switches to “lower-tier models with reduced capabilities”; top-ups available |
| Submagic | 45 · 120 · 300 | The next plan up has more |
| Taskade | 0 (Free) · 50,000 (Pro) · 150,000 (Business) | Credit packs from $5 for 9,000; pack credits never expire |
Two details are easy to miss. At Sintra, every plan has the same 250 credits — the longer, cheaper terms buy you a lower price, not more capacity. At Taskade, the free plan starts with no monthly AI credits at all; you earn some by inviting others, or buy a pack.
Estimate your real monthly cost in three steps
- Count the results you need per month. For a support bot: the answers it gives. For video: the clips you publish.
- Multiply by the credits per result. If you are unsure, use the free plan or trial on a realistic week and read the usage page.
- Compare with the plan’s allowance — and price the gap. If 700 credits cover three weeks, the fourth week costs either a top-up or the next plan.
Example: a website bot that answers 40 questions a day at one credit per answer uses about 1,200 credits a month. Chatbase Hobby includes 700; covering the missing 500 takes one add-on block of 1,000 credits for $40, doubling the bill to $80 — or you move to Standard at $150, which you may want anyway for the helpdesk.
Credits do not roll over
At Sintra, monthly credits reset every billing cycle and are not carried over, according to its terms. Bought add-on credits are a different story: Chatbase and Taskade both state that their purchased credits do not expire. If your usage swings from month to month, a smaller plan plus add-on credits can be cheaper than a bigger plan you only fill in busy months.
The short version
- Read “credits” as a currency and find the exchange rate.
- Check what happens at zero: top-up, upgrade, or weaker models.
- Measure a realistic week before you commit to a plan.
More checks before you buy: How to choose an AI tool for your small business. Current plan details are in each tool review.