How AI credits work
What a credit is, what consumes one, and how the monthly allotment resets.
FrameworkList uses credits to meter AI usage. One credit covers one AI operation.
What consumes a credit
- Generating a canvas from a thought (1 credit)
- Refining a canvas with a follow-up instruction (1 credit)
- Running the brief wizard (1 credit per wizard run)
- Regenerating an insight panel for a canvas (1 credit)
Reading the framework catalog, browsing your library, editing canvases by hand — none of these use credits. Only AI calls do.
Monthly allotment by plan
- Free — a small starter allowance to try things out (typically enough for 3–5 AI operations total)
- Premium — 50 credits / month
- Ultra — 200 credits / month (4× more, plus access to Claude Opus for higher-stakes work)
When credits reset
Credits reset at the start of each billing period. You can see your current usage and the next reset date on the Settings → Subscription panel.
What happens when you run out
The next AI call returns a "you are out of credits this period" message. You have two options:
- Wait for the reset (date shown on the settings panel)
- Upgrade to a higher tier to get more credits immediately
Unused credits do not roll over to the next period.
Free tools never use credits
The interactive free tools (SWOT, Eisenhower, Pros/Cons, Premortem, 5 Whys) run entirely in your browser without AI. They never consume credits. They also don't sync across devices — that's the trade-off.
Estimating how many you need
- Power users (PMs running multiple briefs per week): Ultra
- Regular users (1–2 briefs per week + occasional canvas refinement): Premium
- Light users (testing the product, occasional one-off decisions): Free is usually enough
If you're unsure, start on Free and upgrade when you hit the limit. There's no commitment.
Still need help?
Email [email protected] — real human responses within 2 business days.