How credit usage works at amber

Every user gets a daily token budget for working with amber. If that budget isn't enough, there are several ways to get extra capacity – tailored to power users, automations, or entire teams. This article explains how the budget works, how to check your usage, and what options are available if you need more.

Daily Usage Allowance

Each user initially receives a personal daily usage allowance. This allowance is automatically renewed every day.

As long as the daily allowance is still available, no additional credits are required. Only after it has been used up will continued use of premium models be charged against the organization’s credit balance.

Unused daily allowance cannot be transferred to other users.

Standard vs. Premium Models

amber gives you access to a growing selection of language models from different providers. These are divided into two categories:

Standard Models — Always Available

You have unrestricted access to a broad selection of powerful models—even after your daily allowance has been used up.

These include GPT-5.6 Luna, GPT-5 mini, Claude Sonnet 5, Mistral Large 3, and other models that are more than sufficient for the vast majority of everyday use cases. This ensures that you always have the right tools for your daily work.

Premium Models — Limited

For particularly demanding use cases, you also have access to top-tier models such as Claude Opus or GPT-5.6 Sol/Terra.

Once the limit has been reached, these language models become available again the following day.

You can see which models are currently classified as standard or premium in your user settings under “Usage” → “View pricing groups.” Classifications may change as new model updates are released.

What Are Credits?

Credits are a balance displayed in euros for paid AI usage. They are used for premium models after the daily allowance has been exhausted, as well as for the amber API.

All authorized users draw from the same organizational balance. The personal and organization-wide spending limits defined by the administrator apply.

Actual costs depend on the model used and the volume of input and output. You can find an overview under “View pricing groups.”

Credit Balance and Usage

In the company settings, administrators can see:

  • The current credit balance

  • Credits already used

  • Percentage used

  • Spending limits

  • Usage by individual users

Example:

  • Credits provided: €300.00

  • Already used: €51.60

  • Remaining balance: €248.40

Purchasing Credits

Additional credits can be purchased via “Buy more.” These credits are added to the organization’s shared balance.

Automatic Top-Ups

The “Credit subscription” section shows whether automatic top-ups have been configured, including:

  • Current status

  • Top-up amount

  • Date of the next top-up

If the subscription is disabled, no credits will be added automatically. Additional credits must then be purchased manually.

Organization-Wide Spending Limits

Administrators can set separate spending limits for different types of usage.

Premium Models

This limit restricts credit spending on premium models.

API

This limit restricts spending on the amber API.

A spending limit is not the same as the available balance. Usage is only possible if sufficient credits are available and the relevant limit has not yet been reached.

Personal Credit Limits

Administrators can also set a personal credit limit for each user. This determines the maximum amount that an individual can use from the shared balance.

The user overview shows:

  • Daily allowance: Current status of the user’s personal daily allowance

  • Credit usage: Amount already used from the shared balance

  • Credit limit: Maximum permitted credit spending

The personal limit can be adjusted through the action menu next to the relevant user.

Searching and Filtering Users

The user overview can be searched and filtered. Available options include:

  • Searching by name or email address

  • Selecting a user group or pricing group

  • Sorting or filtering by credit limit

  • Additional filter options

This makes it easy to identify which users have already used credits or have particularly high limits.

What Happens When a Limit Is Reached?

Premium models can no longer be used through the organization’s credit balance if:

  • The shared credit balance has been exhausted

  • The premium-model limit has been reached

  • The user has reached their personal credit limit

The API can no longer be used if either the shared balance or the API limit has been exhausted.

Paid usage becomes available again as soon as new credits are added or the relevant limits are increased.

Payment and Top-Up History

The “Payment and top-up history” section records changes to the credit system, such as:

  • Credits provided or purchased

  • Changes to spending limits

  • Automatic top-ups

Each entry displays the event, amount, and date and time.

Opening Credit Management

As an administrator, you can find credit management in the company settings:

  1. Open the company settings.

  2. Go to the “Credits” section.

  3. Review the balance and usage to date.

  4. Under “Spending limits,” edit the limits for premium models and the API.

  5. Set personal credit limits in the user overview.

  6. If necessary, purchase additional credits via “Buy more.”

Credits and Tokens: What Is the Difference?

Tokens are units of text that an AI model processes or generates. The cost per token varies depending on the model.

You do not need to calculate token quantities yourself in credit management. amber displays the resulting usage costs as credits denominated in euros.

This allows you to see directly:

  • How much balance is available

  • How much has already been used

  • Which limits apply to the organization and individual users

Frequently Asked Questions

When Are Credits Used?

Credits are used once the personal daily allowance has been exhausted and premium models continue to be used. API usage is also charged through credits.

Do All Users Share the Same Balance?

Yes. The balance is managed centrally. Personal limits determine how much of it an individual user may use.

Can I Limit Individual Users’ Spending?

Yes. Administrators can set a personal credit limit for each user.

Is There a Separate API Limit?

Yes. The API limit is managed separately from the premium-model limit.

What Happens When No Credits Remain?

Premium models and the API can no longer be used through the organization’s credit balance. Usage becomes available again after new credits have been purchased or provided.

Are Credits Topped Up Automatically?

Only if a credit subscription is active. Otherwise, additional credits must be purchased manually.

Where Can I Find the Model Prices?

The current models and pricing groups are available under “View pricing groups” in credit management.