> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getunbound.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Credits, Usage, and Budget Management

> How credits work, when they reset, how to view usage, set budgets, and manage billing on Unbound

## How Credits Work in Unbound

Unbound uses a credit-based system for API usage. Each API request consumes credits based on:

* The **model** used (e.g., Claude Opus costs more than Claude Haiku)
* The number of **tokens** processed (input + output)

## What Resets on the 1st — and What Doesn't

**Monthly budgets reset. Credits do not.** These are two different things and it's worth keeping them apart:

|                    | What it is                                       | What happens on the 1st                                                                               |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Monthly budget** | A per-person cap on spend for the calendar month | Everyone's month-to-date spend goes back to zero, so anyone who hit their budget can work again       |
| **Credit balance** | A prepaid balance your organization buys         | Nothing. It carries over, falls as you use the platform, and only goes back up when credits are added |

So if you're blocked and it's a budget cap, waiting for the 1st fixes it. If the organization's credit balance is empty, waiting changes nothing — credits have to be added.

## How to View Your Usage

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to your Unbound dashboard">
    Go to [gateway.getunbound.ai](https://gateway.getunbound.ai) or your custom domain.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to usage analytics">
    Click **Home** in the sidebar, or go to **Analytics → Overview** for detailed breakdowns.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review your usage">
    You'll see analytics including:

    * Total spend
    * Number of requests
    * Token consumption
    * Per-model breakdown
  </Step>

  <Step title="Filter by date">
    Use the date filters to view usage for specific time periods. For monthly usage, select the current calendar month range.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Unbound provides deep usage insights at user, team, and department levels. Organization admins can see usage breakdowns for each team member.
</Tip>

## "Application Credits Not Available" Error (402)

Despite the wording, this most often means **you have reached your own monthly budget** — not that your organization is out of credits. It can also mean the organization's credit balance is exhausted. Your admin can tell which from the cost view: if your month-to-date spend has met your monthly limit, it's the budget.

**How to resolve:**

1. **Ask your administrator to raise your monthly budget**, or to grant you a cost exemption — an exemption can lift your limit temporarily and expires on its own
2. **If it's the organization balance**, credits need to be added
3. **Wait for the 1st** — this only helps if you were blocked by your monthly budget. Month-to-date spend resets then; a spent credit balance does not

<Warning>
  A 402 error does **NOT** mean your API key is invalid. Your key is fine — you've hit a spending limit.
</Warning>

## How to Set or Adjust a Monthly Budget

Organization administrators can set and modify budgets:

A monthly budget is a **cost policy**, applied to the user groups you assign it to. Where several could apply to one person, the highest-priority one wins.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Policies → Usage">
    Click **Policies** in the left sidebar, then **Usage** (Admin only).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to the Budget Limit tab">
    Create a new cost policy, or open an existing one to edit it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the monthly budget and scope">
    Enter the amount in USD and choose which user groups it applies to.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save your changes">
    Click **Save** to apply the new budget.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To change the limit for **one person** rather than a whole group, grant a **cost exemption** from **Cost Management** instead. An exemption either raises that person's limit or lifts it entirely — it can never set one lower than the policy's. Every exemption needs a written reason, and unless you give it a date it expires at the end of the current month. Admins can revoke one at any time.

## "You Are Not Authorized to Make Changes for Both Budget and Models"

This error appears when you don't have admin permissions.

**Who can modify budgets and models:**

* Organization administrators only

**What to do:** Contact your organization administrator to make these changes on your behalf.

## Usage Limits

Usage limits can be configured at multiple levels by your organization administrator:

* **Per tool** — Monthly budget cap on each connected tool
* **Per user** — Individual user spending limits
* **Per model** — Restrict which models are available

If you're hitting a limit unexpectedly, check with your admin about your current allocation.

## Invoices and Billing

### Where to find invoices

Invoices are available in the **Billing** section of your dashboard sidebar (Admin access required).

### Auto top-up

Auto top-up is no longer configurable from the dashboard — contact your account manager to set it up or change it.

### Can't find invoices?

If you cannot locate invoices in the UI, contact support with your organization name and we'll provide invoice history directly.

## Free Trial / Free Credits

If you'd like to try Unbound before committing, contact our sales team to discuss trial options and free credits for evaluation.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Cost Policies" icon="dollar-sign" href="/policies/cost-policies">
    Set monthly budget limits and spending controls per team
  </Card>

  <Card title="Analytics" icon="chart-line" href="/analytics">
    Track spend by user, model, and tool in real time
  </Card>
</CardGroup>