Billing & Tokens
Token costs, plan usage, and balance management for teachers.
Tokens are the platform currency ($1 USD = 100 tokens). They never expire. For a full definition, see the Glossary. For organization-level billing and cost configuration, see Accounting & Billing.
What Costs Tokens
| Activity | Token Cost |
|---|---|
| AI Lesson Generation | Usage-based (minimum balance: 100 tokens) |
| AI Exercise Generation | ~25 tokens |
| AI Cover Image (course or lesson) | 25 tokens |
| Writing Assessment | Charged per assessed writing submission; handwriting/image assessment costs more than text-only assessment |
| Speaking Assessment | Charged per assessed speaking attempt; live examiner conversations cost more than recorded monologues |
| Session Transcription | Per-minute of live session audio, billed when the Post-Session Summary toggle is on for the enrollment or group |
| Post-Session Summary | Usage-based per generated summary (single generation for group sessions, regardless of student count), billed when the Post-Session Summary toggle is on |
Costs depend on the complexity and length of what's generated or assessed. See AI Lesson Generation and Exam Preparation for details. Transcription and summary are billed together because both are produced by the single Post-Session Summary toggle — configured per enrollment (see Managing Enrollments) or per group (see Student Groups).
Your Token Balance
Your current balance is visible in the sidebar footer and on the Billing page (/platform/billing).
For org admins and teachers without spending limits, the sidebar shows your current plan (Free or Paid), active status, token balance, and USD equivalent. Click Add Tokens to go to the purchase page.
Teacher Budgets
Org admins can set weekly or monthly spending limits for individual teachers. When a budget is configured, the teacher's sidebar replaces the token balance with a "My Budget" display showing:
- Remaining balance — how many tokens are left in the current period
- Budget cap — the total limit (e.g., "of 10,000 per week")
- Progress bar — color-coded usage indicator (green = within budget, amber = approaching limit, red = exceeded)
- Reset date — when the budget resets (e.g., "Resets Apr 15")
Budget Exceeded
When a teacher's spending exceeds their budget limit, a Budget Exceeded dialog appears. It shows:
- The budget limit and amount spent
- The period type (weekly or monthly)
- When the budget resets
- A "Contact Admin" button to request a budget increase
Token-consuming actions (AI generation, etc.) are blocked until the budget resets or the admin increases the limit.
Subscription Plan Usage
If your organization has a subscription plan, the Budgets page shows plan usage alongside token balances:
- Current plan name and billing period
- Generations used vs. limit (e.g., "47 / 500") with a progress bar
- Per-teacher generation counts
On the Generation History page, a "Billing Source" filter lets you view only plan-covered or token-funded generations. Plan-covered rows are highlighted with a "Plan" badge.
Purchasing Tokens
- Go to Billing in the sidebar
- Click Purchase Tokens
- Enter the amount (minimum $5 / 500 tokens)
- Complete payment via credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) through Stripe
Larger purchases earn bonus tokens:
| Purchase Amount | Bonus | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50 | — | $1 = 100 tokens |
| $50+ | +5% | $1 = 105 tokens |
| $100+ | +7.5% | $1 = 107.5 tokens |
| $200+ | +10% | $1 = 110 tokens |
Tokens are added to your balance immediately. Receipts are generated automatically.
Transaction History
Go to Billing and view the transaction history to see token purchases and spending. Each entry shows the date, transaction type, amount, and description.
Low Balance Alerts
Your OrgAdmin can set an organization-wide low balance threshold in school settings. When a student's balance drops below this threshold, both the student and OrgAdmins receive a notification. Students can also set a personal threshold override from their balance section.
Next Steps
- AI Lesson Generation — understand AI generation costs
- Accounting & Billing — organization-level billing and cost configuration
Q&A
Do tokens expire?
No. Tokens remain in your account as long as it's active.
Can I transfer tokens to another teacher?
Direct teacher-to-teacher transfers are not supported. Token distribution within an organization is managed by the OrgAdmin.
Are token purchases refundable?
Unused tokens are eligible for a refund. Contact support with your transaction ID.