---
title: "Credits and plans"
description: "How credits pay for answers, what each plan includes, how credit packs work and where to see your balance and usage."
canonical: "https://lookio.app/docs/platform/credits-and-plans"
updated: "2026-11-02"
---

# Credits and plans

## Credits

Credits pay for answers. Importing, editing and reading are free, in the app and over the API, the CLI and MCP.

An answer costs 10, 30 or 80 credits depending on the query mode, whatever its length and whatever it finds: an answer with nothing found, or a greeting, costs the same. Only a question to an assistant that reads no resource is refused, for free, before anything is held. The full table is in [Core concepts](/docs/get-started/concepts#query-modes).

Lookio holds the price of the mode before an answer starts, then charges it once the answer is written. If your balance cannot cover the hold, the question is refused with `insufficient_credits`, and the message points you to Billing.

Credits belong to the workspace. Everyone in it spends from the same balance.

## Plans

| Plan        | Words stored   | Seats and permissions                                                   |
| ----------- | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Free**    | 125,000        | One seat. Every knowledge permission is on.                             |
| **Starter** | 1,000,000      | Teammates share the workspace. An admin sets each member's permissions. |
| **Pro**     | 10,000,000     | Same as Starter.                                                        |
| **Custom**  | No fixed limit | Tailored to your scale.                                                 |

A new workspace gets free welcome credits so you can start without a card. The API, the CLI and MCP are available on every plan.

Prices and the credits included each month are on the pricing page of [lookio.app](https://lookio.app). The app's **Billing** page shows your current plan and lets an admin change or cancel it.

The words-stored limit is explained in [Resources](/docs/platform/resources#word-allowance). Granular permissions are explained in [Members and permissions](/docs/platform/members-and-permissions).

## Credit packs

When you need more credits this month but not a bigger plan, an admin can buy a pack on the **Billing** page. Packs are one-time, valid for 12 months and stack on top of any plan.

Referral credits expire 90 days after they are granted.

## See your balance and usage

- In the app, **Billing** shows your plan and balance, and **Usage** charts credits over time.
- Over the API, [`GET /v1/credits`](/docs/api/credits/get-credits) returns the balance and each grant with its expiry, and [`GET /v1/usage`](/docs/api/usage/get-usage) returns credits over a period.
- With the CLI, run `lookio credits` or `lookio usage --from 2026-01-01`.
- Over MCP, call `get_credit_balance` or `get_usage`.

Each answer also reports `credit_cost` and `credits_remaining`.

## Who can buy

Only workspace admins can buy credits, change the plan and manage billing.