---
title: "How credits work"
description: "Credits measure building work. Here is what tends to use them."
canonical: "https://docs.automo.build/plans/how-credits-work"
---

# How credits work

> Credits measure building work. Here is what tends to use them.

Credits are how building work is measured. The cost of a change depends on how much work it needs.

## What uses credits

Asking the builder to do work is what uses credits: making changes, planning, and other AI-driven tasks. A one-line tweak costs a little; "rebuild the dashboard with three new charts" costs more.

For exactly what is and is not counted on your plan, see the [Pricing page](https://automo.build/pricing).

## Stretching your credits

- **Be specific.** A precise message does the job in one pass, a vague one may take three.
- **Change one thing at a time.** Bundled requests cause rework.
- **Look before you ask.** Checking the preview first avoids guesswork.
- **Edit small things by hand.** A colour or a label can be faster in the file than in the chat.

## When you run out

Building pauses until you have more credits. Check your plan for how allowances renew and how to add more.

Next: [Billing and invoices](/plans/billing-and-invoices).