Credits and refunds
How much a generation costs, what happens if it fails, and how your credits refill each month.
What credits are
Credits are the internal unit AreaCacao uses to measure AI usage. Each AI operation (generating a filling, importing a recipe, enriching an ingredient) uses a set number of credits.
Your plan includes a monthly allowance of credits that refills every month: plan credits you didn't use don't carry over. Credits you buy in packs are kept separately and never expire.
How much a filling generation costs
- 12 credits per generation. The review scene shows it under the Create my recipe button ("Uses 12 credits · Balance: N").
- When you click Create my recipe, the 12 credits are reserved. If the recipe is delivered, they're charged: you'll see "−12 credits · remaining balance: N" on the result screen.
- If the engine can't produce a valid recipe and you see the We haven't mastered that combination yet screen, the 12 credits are returned automatically. You don't have to ask for anything.
- If generation fails because of a technical problem (We couldn't finish your recipe) or you cancel it with Cancel this recipe, they're returned too.
- If the recipe doesn't even get started (for example, a connection error), no credits are used.
When a recipe is delivered
A new recipe is only delivered if all its composition parameters fall within the range for the filling type (water, sugars, other fats and cocoa butter, depending on the family; for soft caramel, the sugar block and total fat replace sugars and other fats, and bicarbonate and lecithin are added; water activity and estimated pH are for guidance only and don't count). The engine adjusts quantities and tries several times before giving up. That's why a delivered recipe comes with a score of 100; if the engine can't get there, the recipe isn't delivered and you aren't charged. More detail in Validation score.
Why there's an automatic refund
Because the formulator's promise is to deliver valid results. If the engine can't reach a balanced recipe, you'll see the We haven't mastered that combination yet screen: you're not getting value, so you're not charged.
What happens if you don't have enough credits
The Create my recipe button is always active: it isn't disabled ahead of time. If your balance is below 12 credits and you click it, the You're out of credits modal opens instead of generating. Nothing is deducted. The modal offers you two paths:
- Buy a credit pack. You choose from the available packs; each one shows how many credits it includes, its approximate equivalent in recipes (≈ N recipes, at 12 credits per recipe) and, where applicable, a Save N% badge. Payment is completed inside the modal and, when it's done, you see the Credits added! screen: click Continue and the recipe is created with the same choices. Purchased credits never expire.
- Upgrade your plan. If you use the formulator often, this takes you to the plans page to get more credits every month at a better price per credit. Upgrading takes you out of the formulator: go back to it afterward to create the recipe.
If your subscription has a pending payment, the modal switches to Payment pending with a Manage payment button so you can update your payment method before generating again.
Where you see your balance
- In the formulator's review scene, under Create my recipe.
- On the Dashboard, Credits card (available credits of N this month). Clicking it opens your credit usage.
- In Settings → Usage, with your balance, plan credits, purchased credits and usage history (reserved, completed, refunded).
- On the Import recipes screen, next to the main CTA.