Credits

Credits are the units Sticklight uses when you interact with the AI to build your website. Credit usage adjusts dynamically based on how much work the AI needs to do behind the scenes.

Who can do this: All workspace roles can view credit balances (except Viewers). Only Owners can purchase additional credits or change plans. See Roles and Permissions for details.

How Credits Are Used

There’s no fixed credit amount per message. Different actions use credits in different ways, depending on what you ask the AI to do.

Understanding Credit Usage

Credit usage depends on the complexity of your request:

• Shorter, focused prompts typically use fewer credits than broad requests because the AI doesn’t need to read or edit as many files
• Ask mode is the most credit-efficient – it uses fewer tools and doesn’t run edit loops
• Plan mode uses fewer credits than Build mode since it’s exploring ideas rather than making changes
• Build mode uses the most credits because it reads, edits, and validates changes

Visual mode edits, like dragging elements, changing layouts, or editing text directly, do not use credits.

Why Simple Changes Still Use Credits

Even when a request looks simple, the AI does significant work behind the scenes. It needs to:

1. Read and understand what you’ve already built
2. Interpret your request in context
3. Figure out the safest way to make changes
4. Apply updates without breaking other parts of your site

Credits reflect the work required, not how small the change appears. A request like “translate the whole site” or “redesign this page for mobile” involves reviewing many files and making complex updates, even if the prompt is short.

Free Plan

The free plan includes:

• 5 projects – Create up to 5 projects. Delete an existing project or upgrade to Pro to create more.
• 5 daily credits – Reset at UTC 00:00
• 30 monthly credits – Reset on your billing cycle date

Your billing cycle date is set when you send your first prompt. Monthly credits reset on that same date each month.

Once you hit your credit limit, features requiring credits are unavailable until the next reset. Upgrading to Pro removes these limits and gives you unlimited projects and a larger monthly credit allocation.

Maximizing Your Credits

Get more out of your credits with these practical tips:

Plan Before Prompting

Decide what you want to build before you start. Outline the main features and how users will interact with your site. A clear plan leads to focused prompts that use fewer credits.

Keep Prompts Focused

Write short, specific prompts instead of broad requests. Ask the AI to work on specific pages or elements rather than your entire site.

Good: “Update the hero section headline to mention our free trial”

Less efficient: “Make the homepage better”

Use Ask Mode to Understand First

Use Ask mode to explore and understand your project before making changes. Ask mode is the most credit-efficient way to build context. A few questions in Ask mode can prevent wasted Build iterations by helping you understand the codebase first.

Use Plan Mode for Complex Work

Use Plan mode to brainstorm and explore ideas without making changes to your site. Plan mode uses fewer credits than Build mode. Switch to Build only when you’re ready to apply changes.

Use Visual Edit Mode

For UI tweaks, select the element in Visual Edit mode before describing the change. This helps the AI target exactly what you want without scanning your entire layout.

Revert Instead of Debug

If a change isn’t what you wanted, use Revert instead of sending more prompts to fix it. This saves credits and gets you back to a working state immediately.

Build in Small Steps

Add features one at a time. Start with the basics (pages, navigation, consistent design) then add forms, integrations, or advanced features gradually. Testing after each change catches issues early and avoids costly fixes later.

Checking Your Balance

You can see your current credit balance while working in Sticklight by clicking on the Sticklight logo on the top left of your workspace screen. Your balance updates in real time, so you can plan ahead and avoid interruptions.

Owners, Admins, and Editors can view the credit balance. Viewers cannot see credit information.

How Rollover Works (Pro Only)

Unused monthly credits carry forward to the next month, but only for one month. Old credits are always used first, so your newest credits are protected for potential rollover.

Example:

• Month 1: Purchase 100 credits, use 0. Balance: 100
• Month 2: +100 new credits. Balance: 200 (100 rolled over + 100 new)
• Month 3: +100 new credits. Balance: 200 (rolled-over credits from Month 1 expired, but unused Month 2 credits rolled over)

How credit priority works: If you enter Month 2 with 100 rolled-over credits and 100 new credits, any usage comes from the rolled-over credits first. This means if you only use 50 credits that month, your 100 new credits remain untouched and roll over in full to Month 3.

Rollover only applies while you remain on an active Pro plan. If you downgrade to Free, all remaining credits are removed.

Pro Plan Credits

Pro users have two credit pools:

1. Daily credits (5) – Reset every day at UTC 00:00, no rollover
2. Monthly credits – Reset on your billing date, rollover enabled

Daily credits are used first, then monthly credits.

Upgrades & Downgrades

Only workspace Owners can upgrade or downgrade plans.

Upgrading

Free to Pro:

• Pro features unlock immediately
• New billing cycle starts on upgrade date
• You receive your full credit allocation right away

Pro to higher Pro tier:

• Additional credits added immediately (the difference between the amount in your current plan and the new plan amount)
• Charged the prorated difference for the current cycle
• Next billing cycle charges the new plan amount
• Billing date stays the same

Downgrading

Pro to Free:

• Downgrade takes effect at the end of your billing cycle
• You can cancel the downgrade anytime before the cycle ends
• When the cycle ends, remaining credits are removed
• Pro features become unavailable

Pro to lower Pro tier:

• Takes effect at end of billing cycle
• No refund for the current cycle
• Can cancel the downgrade anytime before it takes effect

What Happens When You Run Out

Free plan: When you hit your daily limit (5 credits) or monthly limit (30 credits), features requiring credits are unavailable until the next reset. If you’ve reached your 5 project limit, delete an existing project or upgrade to create more.

Pro plan: If you use all your credits, you can upgrade to a higher tier for immediate access to more credits. The prorated cost is charged immediately.

FAQ

Why do simple changes use credits?

Even small changes require the AI to read your existing code, understand context, plan the safest approach, and apply changes without breaking anything. Credits reflect this work, not the size of your prompt.

Can I buy credits without a subscription?

No. To get more credits, upgrade to a Pro plan or a higher Pro tier. If you upgrade mid-cycle, you only pay the prorated difference and receive the credit difference between your current plan and the new plan.

Do credits roll over?

For Pro users, unused monthly credits roll over to the next month, but only for one month. Old credits are used first, so your newest credits are protected for potential rollover. Rollover only applies while you remain on an active Pro plan. Daily credits (5 per day) never roll over on any plan.

What’s the difference between daily and monthly credits?

Daily credits (5) reset every day and are used first. Monthly credits come with your Pro plan, reset on your billing date, and roll over if unused. Free users have daily credits (5 per day) with a monthly cap of 30.

Why haven’t my credits refreshed?

Credits reset based on UTC time, not your local timezone. Daily credits reset at UTC 00:00. Monthly credits reset on your billing cycle date at UTC 00:00. Your billing cycle date is set when you send your first prompt. If it seems like your credits should have reset, check the UTC time.

What happens if I downgrade from Pro to Free?

The downgrade takes effect at the end of your billing cycle. Any remaining monthly credits (including rolled-over credits) are removed when the cycle ends. You’ll have access to 5 daily credits on the Free plan, up to 30 per month. If you have more than 5 projects, you won’t be able to create new ones until you’re under the limit, but your existing projects remain accessible.

Can I switch from annual to monthly billing?

Yes, but the change takes effect at the end of your annual period. No refund is provided for the remaining time on your annual plan.

Which mode uses the most credits?

Build mode uses the most credits because it reads, edits, and validates changes. Plan mode uses moderate credits for exploration. Ask mode is the most credit-efficient because it only reads your code without making changes or running edit loops.