Credits

Prompt2CAD bills in credits. One credit is one cent of "list price." Everything else is just arithmetic.

Typical costs

Action	Cost
New CAD model	Typically ~100 credits; complex requests 150+
Model update	Typically ~50 credits; complex requests 80+
Render (photorealistic image)	50 credits (fixed)
Generated inspiration image	4 credits each (fixed; the agent may request 1–4)
Parameter slider drag	0
PNG screenshot	0
Project switching, viewport rotation, anything UI	0

AI chat is charged by actual token usage, so the estimates are not fixed prices. A short model update usually costs less than creating a complex model from scratch. Long prompts, reference images, large conversation histories, and longer agent responses can increase the cost. Render and generated-inspiration prices are fixed; uploaded reference images are part of chat token usage instead.

The free trial

Every new account gets 160 free credits on first sign-in. AI chat is charged by actual token usage, so the exact number of actions varies with the complexity and length of the conversation. As a guide, a new CAD model is typically around 100 credits, a model update around 50 credits, and a render costs 50 credits.

The trial is intended to let you create a first CAD model and test a conversational or parametric update before topping up.

The free trial is not available in every region — it is withheld in a small number of markets where, over months of traffic, signups essentially never converted to paid use (a pattern tied to payment-method availability and purchasing power, not to any individual user). If you sign in from one of those regions your account is created normally and you can top up to start designing; you simply don't receive the free starter credits. The decision is made once, at first sign-in, based on the country the request came from.

You'll know before you start: the home lobby shows a "Free trial isn't available in your region yet" banner with a top-up link as soon as you sign in from a region without the trial and your balance is still empty, and the same message appears if a first message is ever blocked for balance. The banner disappears permanently after your first top-up.

When you "have to pay"

Two gates:

1. Insufficient balance. Every model call, including automatic tool-call continuations, requires a positive balance. A call can use the remaining balance, but Prompt2CAD does not debit below zero; once the balance reaches zero, the generation stops and the chat shows an "out of credits" banner. Top up to continue.
2. CAD / 3D and project-file exports. STEP, DXF, GLB, DAE, OBJ, STL, and .p2cad project downloads are gated until a verified top-up succeeds. The paid entitlement remains on your account forever. Accounts with a negative balance from an older charge or reconciled refund must clear that balance before downloading. PNG export is always free.

The two gates are otherwise independent. You can have a healthy balance (1,000+ credits) and still hit the export gate if you've never topped up — those credits came from the trial.

What affects a model update's cost

Credits are based on the tokens processed during the chat turn. Cost generally increases when:

• The current project has a long conversation history.
• The request includes detailed requirements or reference images.
• The agent needs several tool steps to inspect and update the geometry.
• The requested change requires rebuilding a large portion of the model.

“Model update” is a customer-facing estimate, not a separate fixed billing unit. A small dimensional change may cost less than the typical 50-credit estimate; a structural rewrite may cost more.

Failed turns

If a chat turn errors out before producing usable output — a model timeout, a geo-block, a malformed reply — no credits are charged. The failed turn is still logged so we can investigate, but your balance is untouched.

If you suspect you were charged for a failed turn, email support with the project name and approximate time. Usage records carry timestamps and can be cross-checked.

Checking your balance

• Header chip — top right of /app. Always visible.
• Credit runway banner — appears in the chat when your balance is close to running out, using the typical new-CAD-model estimate as a guide.
• Per-action confirmation — Render explicitly confirms "50 credits" before charging.

Cost transparency

The balance is shown in credits and each completed chat turn is charged from its actual token usage. The typical new-model and model-update figures are value guides for comparing top-up amounts, not quotas or guaranteed action counts.

Why we picked this model

Usage-based billing means a small update usually costs less than a large build. Credits keep those varying costs legible in one balance, while the typical-cost estimates help you choose a top-up amount without treating every request as if it consumes the same amount of work.

Next: Top-up — how to actually pay.