> For agents: connect to the AoTwin MCP server at https://app.aotwin.io/mcp to read and change tickets and projects. Setup guide: https://aotwin.io/docs/mcp.md. Index of all docs: https://aotwin.io/llms.txt.
# Credits
How credits pay for AoTwin's work, what uses them, what happens when they run out, and hand-backs.
## Overview
Credits pay for the work AoTwin does on your tickets. Your plan gives the workspace a number of credits every month. Each ticket you assign to AoTwin uses some of them, in proportion to how much work the ticket took.
How many credits each plan includes, and what extra credits cost, is on the [pricing page](https://aotwin.io/pricing). This page explains how credits behave.
## What uses credits
- **Assigning a ticket to AoTwin.** Only the work AoTwin does on a ticket uses credits.
- **A ticket that comes back.** When AoTwin hands a ticket back, you pay for part of the work. See [Hand-backs](#hand-backs) below.
Filing a ticket, editing it, commenting and changing its status do not use credits. Only assigning a ticket to AoTwin starts the work.
## See where your credits go
Admins can see the whole picture under **Settings > Plan**:
- A meter shows how many credits the workspace has used this month, and the date the credits renew.
- **Credits used this month** lists the tickets that used credits, with the amount for each.
On a ticket's page, the **Credits** line shows its cost. While AoTwin is working, it shows what has been used so far and a likely range, such as **37 so far · likely 60–140**. When the work ends, it shows the final amount.
## How a ticket is charged
Before AoTwin starts a ticket, the workspace needs enough credits to cover the first stretch of work. If it does not, the ticket waits.
While AoTwin works, it reserves credits a step at a time. When the ticket finishes, AoTwin releases what it did not use and charges for what it did.
Every ticket has a ceiling. If a ticket needs more work than AoTwin puts into a single ticket, AoTwin stops at the ceiling and hands the ticket back, with what it found so far. Splitting the work into separate tickets usually works.
### Hand-backs
A hand-back costs half of what AoTwin used on the ticket, with a cap. The same goes for a ticket you stop partway, by closing it or giving it to a person.
Some endings cost nothing: when something goes wrong on AoTwin's side, and when a ticket already has an open pull request from AoTwin and nothing new is pushed.
## Each month
Credits belong to the month. They renew on the date shown under **Settings > Plan**, and credits you did not use do not carry over. On a yearly plan you pay once a year and still receive your credits month by month.
### Low and out
Admins get an email when the workspace has used most of its credits, and another when it has none left to start new work.
When credits run out:
- A ticket that has not started shows **Out of credits until** a date. AoTwin starts it once credits are back.
- A ticket in the middle of work pauses and shows **Waiting for credits**. AoTwin picks it back up as soon as the workspace has credits again.
- The Plan page says that AoTwin has stopped picking up new requests.
Upgrading the plan switches AoTwin straight back on.
## Pay as you go
On the paid plans, AoTwin can carry on past the monthly credits. Extra credits are billed at your plan's own rate, which you can see under **Settings > Plan**.
> Only admins can change the monthly limit.
Under **Pay as you go**, **Monthly limit, in dollars** caps what extra credits can cost in a month. Enter a whole number of dollars and choose **Save**. When the limit is reached, tickets wait and show **Monthly limit reached**. They start when the month renews, or as soon as an admin raises the limit.
If extra credits cannot be billed on your workspace, there is no pay as you go section, and AoTwin stops when the monthly credits are used.
## FAQ
Why is the estimate a range?
AoTwin cannot know in advance how much work a ticket needs. The range is a guide. The final number is what the ticket actually used.
Does the Free plan have credits?
No. The Free plan keeps your team's tickets in AoTwin but does not include the AoTwin agent, so it has no credits to spend. See [Plans and billing](https://aotwin.io/docs/plans-and-billing).
Do I pay twice if AoTwin tries a ticket again?
The ceiling counts every run since the ticket was last assigned to AoTwin, so trying a ticket again cannot take it past the ceiling.
Who gets told when credits are low?
The admins of the workspace, by email.