AI usage, models and top-ups
How the $15 monthly AI allowance works, what uses it up, choosing a model, and adding a top-up.
In this tutorial
Every Heyron agent comes with $15 of AI usage each month. It pays for the work your agent does with AI: its replies, its web searches, the actions it takes in your connected apps, and any paid tools it uses. You never get a surprise bill. If you need more, you can add a top-up.
This page explains what uses the allowance, how to see where you stand, how to choose a model, and how to make the $15 go further.
Where to see your usage
Open your agent and click Usage at the bottom of the left menu. Under Plan usage you'll see:
- Monthly allowance: how much of your $15 is left, and the date it resets.
- Extra credit: any top-up money you've added.
- Web searches and Connected app actions this month.
- Storage: how much of your agent's disk is in use.
Below that is an activity table for the last three months, split into model use, web search, app actions and paid tools. The Settings tab also shows how much of the allowance you've used, with a link back to Usage.
What uses the allowance
| What your agent does | Uses the allowance? |
|---|---|
| Replying to you (thinking and writing) | Yes. This is usually most of it |
| Searching the web | Yes |
| Acting in a connected app (sending an email, adding a calendar event) | Yes |
| Paid tools, such as scraping a website | Yes |
| Files you upload and keep | No, but disk space is limited (see Storage on Usage) |
The biggest costs come from long conversations and big jobs in one message. Every reply re-reads the conversation so far, so a chat that has run for days costs more per message than a fresh one.
What happens when it runs out
- Your agent uses any extra credit you've added first.
- When that's gone too, it pauses AI replies until your allowance resets.
- The allowance resets on the 1st of each month (UTC).
Your agent, its files and its memory are untouched while it's paused. Nothing is deleted.
Add a top-up
On the Usage tab, under Add AI usage, choose Add $10, Add $25 or Add $50. You'll pay once through Stripe, and you'll see "Payment received — your credit is added within a minute" when you're back.
- Top-ups are added to that agent only, dollar for dollar.
- They never expire. Unused credit carries over from month to month.
- They're used after your monthly allowance runs out, so your $15 is always spent first.
Choosing a model
In any chat, the model picker next to the message box lets you choose which AI model answers. Default sits at the top of the list and is a good choice for most work. On OpenClaw, the model you pick sticks to that chat.
Next to it is the effort picker, from None and Minimal up to Max and Ultra. Higher effort means the model thinks longer before answering. On OpenClaw you only see the levels your chosen model supports.
- Planning and strategy
- Tricky code or debugging
- Writing that has to be right first time
- Quick questions and lookups
- Routine edits and summaries
- Scheduled jobs that run often
Bigger models and higher effort cost more per reply. If your allowance is going faster than you'd like, this is the first thing to check.
How to make $15 go further
- Start a new chat for each new task. Use New chat in the left menu instead of keeping one conversation going for weeks. See long chats and starting fresh.
- One job per message. "Draft the email" then "now the subject lines" is cheaper than "do the whole campaign".
- Ask for short answers. Tell your agent the length and format you want.
- Point at files, don't paste them. Upload a document once and refer to it by name rather than pasting it into every message. See working with files.
- Keep scheduled jobs lean. A job that runs every 10 minutes adds up quickly. See scheduled tasks.
Frequently asked questions
When does my AI allowance reset?
On the 1st of every month, UTC. The Usage tab shows the exact reset date.
Do I need my own OpenAI or other API key?
No. Your agent's AI usage is included in your membership and managed for you. You don't need to sign up with a model provider.
Do top-ups expire?
No. Top-up credit stays on that agent until it's used, and it's only used after the monthly allowance runs out.
Can I move a top-up to a different agent?
Top-ups are added to the agent you bought them for. If you need credit moved, open a support ticket.
Why did my agent stop replying?
If the allowance and any extra credit are used up, AI replies pause until the 1st. Check Usage, or add a top-up. If usage isn't the problem, see agent not responding.