How Credits Work

A complete guide to the Syntact credit system.

Overview

Syntact uses a credit-based system to meter AI API usage. Instead of paying per request or managing your own API keys, you purchase credits upfront and they are deducted as you use the platform. This gives you predictable spending and access to multiple AI models through a single account.

Purchasing Credits

Credits are available in preset tiers or as a custom amount. All purchases are one-time payments processed through Stripe.

Starter

~8,100

credits

Plus

~21,400

credits

Pro

~43,100

credits

Business

~86,500

credits

Custom amounts are also accepted. The credit amount is calculated using the same formula as preset tiers.

How Usage Works

When you send a message, credits are deducted based on the AI model and the number of tokens processed (both your input and the AI's response).

Request Lifecycle

1
Pre-flight check
Syntact estimates the cost based on your message length and the selected model, then checks your balance.
2
API request
Your message is sent to the AI model through OpenRouter. The response streams back to you in real time.
3
Actual cost calculation
After the response completes, the exact token count and cost are determined from the API response metadata.
4
Credit deduction
The actual credit cost is atomically deducted from your balance and logged in your usage history.

Understanding Tokens

AI models process text in units called tokens. A token is roughly 4 characters or about 3/4 of a word. Both your input (prompt) and the AI's output (completion) are measured in tokens, and most models charge different rates for each.

Input tokens (prompt)

Your messages, system instructions, and conversation history. Generally cheaper than output tokens.

Output tokens (completion)

The AI's response text. Typically 2-5x more expensive than input tokens depending on the model.

Balance & Monitoring

Your dashboard provides real-time visibility into your credit balance and usage:

Credit balance widget shows your current balance at a glance
Usage history shows individual API calls with model, tokens, and credits
Transaction history shows past credit purchases with dates and amounts
Low balance warning appears when your balance drops below 1,000 credits

Ready to get started? Buy credits