Buy and manage AI credits

AI credits are workspace balance for AI actions

AI credits let a workspace run AI-powered actions in ALLO. They are workspace-scoped, so credits bought or granted in one workspace do not automatically move to another workspace under the same user account.

AI credits are separate from plan seats, file storage, and payment account credits. If a file upload fails because storage is over quota, AI credits will not fix it. If an AI action cannot run because the credit balance is too low, buying storage will not fix it.

Availability

Where to see and buy AI credits

Open Workspace Settings → Billing and look for AI credits. You may also see an insufficient-credit message when an AI action cannot run. Admins can open the credit purchase flow from that message. Non-admins should ask a workspace admin to buy credits or change Auto-reload settings.

For general AI usage concepts, see Understand AI credits. For the AI workspace itself, see Use AI Studio.

Where credits are used

AI credits are spent when ALLO performs AI work for the workspace. The exact amount can depend on the action, input size, output type, selected model, provider work, and workspace configuration.

Credits can be used by AI Studio generation, Object Chat, supported voice or transcription flows, and other AI-powered actions that show credit-aware access in the product. If a credit gate blocks the action, ALLO stops before provider processing begins.

Deleting a generated result does not return credits. Credits represent AI work that already ran, not whether the final object stays on the canvas.

Types of AI credits

When ALLO spends credits, it can draw from different credit buckets in an order designed to use limited-time credits before permanent purchased credits. You do not need to choose the bucket manually.

One-time credit packs

AI credit packs are one-time purchases. They add credits to the workspace balance and do not create a recurring subscription by themselves.

Use Pricing for the current public package list, and use the purchase screen in Billing as the checkout source of truth. The purchase screen shows the current pack, price, payment method, credit amount, and any promotion before checkout. If ALLO is running a time-limited promotion, rely on the purchase screen for the final credit amount shown at purchase time.

Free workspaces can buy one-time credit packs when purchasing is available. That lets a team use AI credits without upgrading the whole workspace plan.

Credit-pack checkout can save an eligible payment method for future Billing use. Saving a payment method does not turn a one-time pack into a subscription; it only helps later purchases or Auto-reload where the product offers that path.

AI credit packs and AI credit balances are non-refundable. Deleting generated output does not return credits, and turning off Auto-reload stops future automatic purchases but does not undo charges that already completed. For policy and duplicate-charge questions, see Refunds and duplicate charges.

Subscription credits

Some paid plans include subscription AI credits. For eligible Business subscriptions, ALLO can grant credits based on the number of paid seats and the billing cycle. Monthly grants refresh each paid billing period. Annual subscriptions can grant the annualized amount for the paid seats.

Trialing subscriptions may not receive the same subscription credit grant until the subscription becomes paid. If you expected subscription credits and they do not appear, check the workspace plan, paid seat count, billing state, and trial status.

Subscription credits are not the same as purchased credits. Subscription credits are tied to the billing cycle. Purchased credits remain until spent.

Auto-reload

Auto-reload can automatically buy more credits when the workspace balance falls below a threshold. It is designed for teams that run AI workflows often enough that repeated manual purchases would interrupt work.

Auto-reload settings can include:

The monthly cost cap resets at the start of each month in UTC. Manual pack purchases do not count toward the Auto-reload cap. Turning Auto-reload off stops future automatic purchases, but it does not undo credits or charges that already happened while the setting was enabled.

Auto-reload needs a saved payment method that can be charged. If the payment method fails, Auto-reload cannot resolve an insufficient-credit state until payment is fixed. If an admin turns Auto-reload on while the balance is already below the threshold, ALLO may need to complete an initial top-up before the enabled setting is saved.

Insufficient-credit messages

If an AI action cannot run because credits are too low, ALLO may show an insufficient-credit message.

If you are an admin and the purchase flow fails, check payment status in Fix a payment issue.

AI credits versus billing credits

AI credits are for AI usage inside ALLO. Payment account credits, invoice credits, or billing adjustments are financial account items. They do not become AI credits unless ALLO grants or purchases AI credits through the AI credit flow.

If support says there is a billing credit or invoice adjustment, do not assume your AI credit balance will change. Ask specifically whether the adjustment affects AI credits or only the invoice balance.

This also applies to proration. If a plan, seat, billing interval, or storage add-on change creates a prorated invoice credit, that credit belongs to Billing. It does not refill the AI credit balance. See Fair billing and proration for how mid-cycle billing credits work.

AI credits versus storage add-ons

This distinction matters because each problem has a different recovery path:

Use Buy storage add-ons for file quota. Use this article for AI usage.

Troubleshooting AI credit billing

When to contact support

Contact support when a credit purchase was charged but credits did not appear, Auto-reload charged unexpectedly, subscription credits are missing for an eligible paid workspace, a billing adjustment or duplicate charge is involved, or an AI action spends credits in a way you cannot explain. Include the workspace name, purchase time, pack name, amount, AI action attempted, and screenshots of the credit balance before and after if available.