Credits
The single balance every PortModels app charges against, how spending is calculated, and where the money goes.
Credits are the unit of account across PortModels. You buy them once and spend them in any app in the gallery. There is no per-app subscription and no separate card on file with each developer.
Why one balance#
A useful app you open twice a month is not worth a monthly plan. Charging per run means an app can be worth publishing at that scale, and worth trying at that scale. One balance also means trying a second app costs you nothing extra in setup.
Buying credits#
Open your balance and choose a pack. Checkout runs on Stripe; PortModels never handles your card details. Your balance is credited when Stripe confirms the payment, so a completed checkout may take a moment to appear.
The current rate and the available packs are shown at checkout.
How a run is charged#
Every request an app makes on your behalf is metered:
- The app calls a model through the PortModels API.
- PortModels records the tokens (or images) the request actually used.
- The provider cost for that usage is calculated.
- The developer's markup is added.
- The total is deducted from your balance and written to your ledger.
Deduction is atomic — a run that cannot be paid for is rejected before it starts rather than leaving your balance negative.
Note
Charges follow real usage. A long conversation costs more than a short one with the same app, and a cheaper model costs less than an expensive one for the same prompt.
Running out#
When your balance cannot cover a request, the API returns a payment error and the app should tell you to top up. Nothing is lost: add credits and run again.
Developers can read the current balance through the API — see Authentication — so a well-built app warns you before you hit zero.
Refunds#
Credits are prepaid. See the Terms for the refund position and contact [email protected] if a run was charged in error.