When you exceed your monthly AI credit allocation, overage billing lets you continue using AI features without interruption. This guide explains how overages work and how to manage them.

What Are Overages?

Your plan includes a set number of AI credits per month:

Plan	Included Credits
Free	0
Starter	2,000
Standard	10,000
Pro	50,000
Enterprise	Custom

Overages occur when you use more credits than included in your plan.

Overage Pricing

Additional credits cost $0.02 per credit ($20 per 1,000 credits).

Cost Examples

Extra Credits	Overage Cost
500	$10
1,000	$20
2,500	$50
5,000	$100

Enabling Overages

By default, AI stops working when credits are exhausted. To enable continuous service:

Go to Settings > Billing
Find AI Credit Overages
Toggle on Allow Overages
Optionally set a monthly cap
Save changes

Overage Caps

Set a maximum overage amount to control costs:

No Cap

AI continues indefinitely
You're charged for all usage
Best if you need guaranteed uptime

Capped Amount

Set a dollar limit (e.g., $50/month)
AI stops when cap is reached
Protects against unexpected costs

Example caps:

Cap	Extra Credits Allowed
$20	1,000 credits
$50	2,500 credits
$100	5,000 credits
$200	10,000 credits

What Happens Without Overages

If overages are disabled and credits run out:

AI agent stops responding to new chats
Customers see "AI is currently unavailable"
Ticket submission still works
Knowledge base browsing works
AI resumes when credits reset (next billing period)

Monitoring Credit Usage

Check Current Usage

Go to Settings > Billing
View AI Credits section
See: Used / Included (e.g., 8,500 / 10,000)

Usage Alerts

Support Station can alert you when approaching limits:

80% usage warning
90% usage warning
100% usage (overages starting or AI paused)

Configure alerts in billing settings.

Overage Billing

When Charged

Overage charges appear on your next invoice:

Itemized as "AI Credit Overage"
Shows number of overage credits
Charged at $0.02 per credit

Invoice Example

Support Station - Standard Plan      $175.00
AI Credit Overage (2,500 credits)     $50.00
----------------------------------------------
Total                                $225.00

Reducing Overage Costs

Upgrade Your Plan

If overages are consistent, upgrading may save money:

Scenario	Current	Upgrade Option
Starter + 3,000 overage	$60 + $60 = $120	Standard: $175 (includes 10K)
Standard + 5,000 overage	$175 + $100 = $275	Pro: $500 (includes 50K)

Calculate whether more included credits is cheaper than overages.

Improve AI Efficiency

Reduce credit consumption:

Better KB content - More accurate first responses
Fewer follow-ups - Complete answers reduce back-and-forth
Direct to articles - Let customers read before asking AI

Seasonal Adjustments

If you have predictable busy periods:

Enable higher caps during peaks
Reduce caps during slow periods
Plan for major launches or campaigns

Managing Unexpected Overages

Sudden Spike?

If usage suddenly increases:

Check for unusual activity
Review AI chat logs
Look for:
- New traffic source
- Bot activity
- Product issue generating questions

Setting Emergency Caps

If you're getting unexpectedly high bills:

Go to Settings > Billing
Set a cap immediately
Investigate the cause
Adjust cap once understood

Overage FAQs

Do credits roll over?

No, unused credits expire at the end of each billing period. Overages are charged per-period.

Can I pre-buy credits?

Not currently. You can enable overages for on-demand usage or upgrade for more included credits.

What if I hit my cap mid-conversation?

Current conversation completes
New conversations see "AI unavailable"
No partial charging

Can I disable overages mid-period?

Yes, you can toggle overages off anytime. AI will stop when included credits are exhausted.

Do test messages count?

Yes, all AI interactions consume credits, including testing.

Cost Control Best Practices

Set a Reasonable Cap

Start with a cap you're comfortable with:

Too low: AI may stop at inconvenient times
Too high: Unexpected bills possible
Just right: Allows bursts without runaway costs

Review Monthly

At each billing cycle:

Review credit usage
Check overage charges
Decide if plan upgrade makes sense
Adjust cap if needed

Plan for Growth

As your usage grows:

Track credit usage trends
Anticipate needs
Upgrade proactively vs. reactively