Billing & Tokens
Token costs, earnings, and balance management for teachers.
Tokens are the platform currency ($1 USD = 100 tokens). See the Glossary for a full definition. This page covers token costs, earnings, and balance management for teachers.
Token Economy
Costs (Spending Tokens):
| Activity | Token Cost |
|---|---|
| AI Lesson Generation | ~100 tokens |
| Generate 10 Exercises | ~25 tokens |
| Lesson Analysis | Varies |
| Marketplace Purchase | Varies |
Earnings (Receiving Tokens):
| Activity | Token Earnings |
|---|---|
| Check Own Student's Homework | 50 tokens |
| Community Homework Check | 30-50% of task cost |
| Marketplace Sales | 70-80% of price |
| Student Achievements | Variable bonuses |
Token Types
Platform Tokens: Primary currency, used for all transactions, purchase with USD, earn through activities.
Bonus Tokens: Promotional rewards, achievement bonuses, referral rewards, contest prizes. May have restrictions.
Organization Tokens (OrgAdmin): Shared organizational balance, distributed to teachers, centralized billing, usage tracking. Each organization can configure its own display currency via the currency_code setting in My School > Settings.
Purchasing Tokens
Buying Tokens
- Click "Billing" in sidebar or go to
/platform/billing - Click "Purchase Tokens"
Purchase Options
How It Works:
You can purchase any amount starting from $5 (500 tokens). Larger purchases earn bonus tokens automatically:
| 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 |
Payment Methods
- Credit/Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
Stripe Integration: Secure payment processing, PCI compliant, automatic receipts, subscription support.
Managing Your Balance
Checking Balance
View Balance:
- Header bar (always visible)
- Billing dashboard
- Transaction history
Balance Details: Current balance, pending earnings, reserved/committed, available to spend.
Transaction History
- Go to Billing -> "Transactions" or "History" tab
Transaction Types:
- Credit: Earnings, purchases, bonuses
- Debit: Spending, fees, transfers
- Pending: Awaiting confirmation
- Reserved: Committed but not spent
Details Shown: Date and time, transaction type, amount, description, balance after, transaction ID.
Export Data: Date range filter, category filter, for accounting/taxes.
Low Balance Alerts
- Go to Billing -> "Alerts"
- Configure: balance threshold, notification method (email, in-app), alert frequency
Alert Types: Low balance warning, critical balance (almost empty), weekly/monthly summaries, unusual spending patterns.
Earning Tokens
Teaching Activities
Checking Homework: Earn 50 tokens per own student's homework checked. Community pool: 40-60% of task cost depending on your teacher rating.
Live Sessions: Completed sessions earn tokens based on duration and quality. Bonus for high ratings and attendance.
Marketplace Sales: Earn 70-80% of sale price. Recurring for subscriptions. Volume bonuses.
Bonuses and Rewards
Achievement Bonuses: First lesson created, 10 lessons milestone, 100 students taught, platform contributions.
Referral Program: Refer new teachers or students. Earn tokens when they purchase. Tiered bonus structure.
Contests and Challenges: Content creation contests, teaching challenges, community contributions, special events.
Organization Distribution
For OrgAdmins:
- Go to My School -> "Token Distribution"
- Select teachers
- Allocate token amounts
- Set frequency (one-time, weekly, monthly)
- Confirm distribution
Tracking: Who received what, when distributed, usage by teacher, balance per teacher.
Spending Tokens
Cost Management
Track Spending:
- By Category: AI generation costs, marketplace purchases, other features
- By Time: Daily spending, weekly trends, monthly totals, year-over-year
Budgeting: Set spending limits, track against budget, adjust usage patterns, optimize efficiency.
Cost Optimization
AI Generation: Plan before generating, use specific parameters, review carefully, regenerate only when needed, save good templates.
Homework: Create reusable templates, use auto-grading when possible, focus on quality over quantity, encourage peer review.
Efficiency Tips: Buy tokens in bulk for better rate, track spending patterns, eliminate waste.
Spending Limits
- Go to Billing -> "Limits"
- Configure: daily spending limit, weekly spending limit, monthly spending limit, per-transaction limit
- Receive warnings as you approach limits
- Hard stop at limit (optional)
Organization Billing
OrgAdmin Billing Management
Centralized Billing Benefits: Single payment method, consolidated invoices, usage tracking by teacher, budget management, tax reporting.
Setup:
- Go to My School -> "Billing"
- Connect organization payment method
- Set billing preferences
- Configure teacher allowances
- Set up reporting
Teacher Allowances
Monthly Allowance: Fixed amount per teacher, auto-distributed monthly, rollover or reset, adjust individually.
Project-Based: Allocate for specific course, one-time grants, reimbursement system, performance-based.
Unlimited (with approval): Teachers request as needed, OrgAdmin approves, usage tracked, budget alerts.
Invoicing and Reporting
Organization Invoices: Monthly consolidated bill, detailed usage breakdown by teacher and category, exportable for accounting.
Reports: Usage trends, cost per teacher, ROI analysis, budget variance, tax documents.
Tax Considerations
For Teachers
- Token earnings are income
- Report on tax returns
- Keep detailed records
- Platform provides documentation
Deductions: Home office, internet, equipment, professional development, platform fees.
Consult a tax professional about self-employment tax, quarterly estimated payments, state/local requirements, and international considerations.
For Organizations
- Token purchases deductible as business expenses
- Platform fees deductible
- Teacher payments deductible
- Keep all receipts
Security and Fraud Prevention
Account Security
- Strong password
- Secure email
- Regular monitoring
Suspicious Activity: Monitor transactions, report unauthorized charges, enable alerts, contact support immediately.
Fraud Prevention
Platform Measures: Secure payment processing, fraud detection, chargeback protection, account verification.
Your Responsibilities: Secure credentials, report issues promptly, verify transactions, keep software updated.
Troubleshooting
Purchase Failed
Common Causes: Insufficient funds, card declined, payment method expired, security block, technical error.
Solutions:
- Check payment method
- Try different card
- Contact bank
- Wait and retry
- Contact support
Tokens Not Received
After Purchase: Usually instant. May take few minutes. Check transaction history. Refresh page.
After Earning: Pending status first. Processing time varies. Check earnings breakdown. Verify activity completed.
Incorrect Balance
- Refresh page
- Check transaction history
- Verify all transactions
- Look for pending items
- Contact support if needed
Refunds
Eligibility: Unused tokens: full refund. Technical issues: case-by-case. Accidental purchase: contact support. Fraud: immediate refund.
Next Steps
After understanding billing:
- Marketplace - Monetize your content
- AI Lesson Generation - Manage AI costs effectively
- Use Cases - Practical scenarios
Q&A
Do tokens expire?
Tokens do not expire as long as your account remains active. Inactive accounts may be subject to the platform's dormancy policy.
Can I transfer tokens to another teacher?
Token transfers within an organization are handled by the OrgAdmin through the token distribution feature. Direct teacher-to-teacher transfers are not supported.
Are token purchases refundable?
Unused tokens can be refunded. Tokens that have been spent on AI generation or other features cannot be refunded. Contact support for refund requests.
How do I track my earnings for tax purposes?
Use the transaction history in the Billing section to review all your earnings and spending.