---
title: "AI credits"
description: "How AI credits work in EmbedSocial: what spends them, how to check your balance, and how to buy more."
---

**AI credits** are the unit that pays for EmbedSocial's AI features. Every AI generation, whether it is building a widget from a prompt or translating post captions, spends credits from your account balance instead of counting against your plan.

Credits are separate from your plan's [usage and view limits](/docs/billing/limits/): a plan limit resets every month, while credits are bought once and stay in your account until you spend them.

## What spends AI credits

| Feature | Cost |
|---|---|
| AI design generation (build or a follow-up change in the widget editor's AI chat) | 1 credit per generation |
| AI translation (post captions, in widget settings) | 1 credit per 5 posts |
| Starting from a template, connecting a source, setting display options by hand | Free, no credits spent |

See [AI design](/docs/widgets/ai-design/) for how the editor's AI chat works.

## How to check your balance

Your credit balance is shown in two places inside the widget editor: the top right of the editor, and the bottom left of the left rail. Both count down as you generate.

## How to buy more credits

Credits are bought on demand, so you can top up at any time without changing your subscription plan.

:::steps
1. **Open the credits dialog.** Inside the widget editor, click the credit counter in the top right. '**Get more credits**' opens with your current balance at the top.
2. **Choose how many.** Drag the '**Customize credits**' slider to the amount you want, anywhere from 10 to 500 credits. The price per credit and the total update as you drag.
![The Get more credits dialog with the current balance, the Customize credits slider, and the Buy credits button](https://embedsocial.com/images/docs/ai-design/7-get-more-credits.jpg)
3. **Buy the credits.** Click '**Buy credits**'. The new balance is available in the editor straight away.
:::

> Credits do not expire if you do not use them, so a top-up carries over until you spend it.

## FAQ

**Q: Do AI credits expire?**

No. Credits do not expire if you do not use them.

**Q: What happens when I run out of credits?**

AI generation stops until you buy more. Click the credit counter in the widget editor and buy from '**Get more credits**' at any time, on any plan.

**Q: Do credits come included with my plan?**

Credits are bought separately from your subscription. Check the [pricing page](/pricing/) for whether your plan includes a starting credit allowance.

**Q: Does every AI feature cost the same number of credits?**

No. AI design generation costs 1 credit per generation. AI translation costs 1 credit per 5 posts. See the table above for the full breakdown.

**Q: Can I buy exactly the number of credits I need?**

Yes. The '**Customize credits**' slider in the '**Get more credits**' dialog goes from 10 to 500 credits, and the price updates as you drag it.

## What's next

Read [AI design](/docs/widgets/ai-design/) for the full walkthrough of building a widget with the editor's AI chat, or check [Usage and view limits](/docs/billing/limits/) for the plan limits credits do not count against.

> If you have any questions, click the bottom right chat icon to talk with our customer success team or send us an email at [support@embedsocial.com](mailto:support@embedsocial.com) We're here for you 🙏