Billing & Credits

Billing

Billing and Credits

How credits work, what they cost, when they are consumed, and how purchasing and refunds are handled.

2 Credit Types

2 Billing Paths

90 days Trial Credit Window

FIFO Expiration Model

Overview

SageScreen uses a credit-based system for metering platform usage. Credits are consumed when you create screens and sages. Two separate credit currencies exist: screen credits for candidate screenings and sage credits for building custom sages. Each operates independently with its own balance, consumption rules, and expiration timeline.

Credits are purchased in packs or provisioned through enterprise agreements. Once purchased, they follow a first-in, first-out (FIFO) expiration model: the soonest-expiring credits are always consumed first.

Credit Types

Screen Credits

Screen credits are the primary currency. One or more screen credits are consumed each time you create a screen (candidate invitation). The exact cost per screen depends on the sage's configuration.

Sage Credits

Sage credits are consumed when you create a new custom sage. Building a sage from your role context, cultural alignment inputs, and evaluation framework requires sage credits. Sage credits are tracked separately from screen credits and have their own balance and expiration.

Both credit types appear on your billing page with current balances, usage history, and expiration dates.

What Determines Screen Cost

The cost of a screen is not fixed. It depends on the sage's level and any active add-ons.

Sage level is the primary cost factor. Sages are built at different tiers (Lite, Core, Advanced), each representing a different interview duration and depth. Higher-tier sages cost more credits per screen.

When Credits Are Consumed

Screen credits are consumed at screen creation, not when the candidate completes the interview. The moment you create a screen and send an invitation, the credit cost is deducted from your balance.

Sage credits are consumed when you initiate a sage build. The cost is deducted when the build process starts.

Important

Credits are never consumed retroactively or on a delayed basis. The charge happens at the point of action.

Refund Conditions

Screen credits are refunded automatically when a screen does not proceed to an active interview. The following conditions trigger a credit refund.

Condition	Refund	Explanation
Screen cancelled (before candidate starts)	Yes	Full credit cost returned
Screen expired (invitation not accepted)	Yes	Full credit cost returned
Screen abandoned (candidate never returned)	Yes	Full credit cost returned
Sage set to Inactive (draft/invited screens cancelled)	Yes	Associated screen credits returned
Screen completed (any completion state)	No	Credits consumed regardless of outcome
Screen in progress (candidate actively interviewing)	No	Credits consumed once interview begins

Note

Refunded credits are added back as a new ledger entry. They retain the expiration date of the original batch they were consumed from, not the date of the refund.

Zero-Credit Behavior

When your screen credit balance reaches zero and you attempt an operation that requires credits, the system responds based on your subscription status.

Active subscription with auto-renewal: the system automatically attempts to renew your subscription through Stripe. If the payment succeeds, credits are provisioned and the operation proceeds without interruption. If payment fails, you are redirected to the out-of-credits page.
Cancelled subscription: no auto-renewal is attempted. You are redirected to the out-of-credits page, where you can purchase a new credit pack or contact your account representative.
Cancel-pending subscription (set to cancel at end of current period): no auto-renewal is attempted. You are redirected to the out-of-credits page.

The out-of-credits page explains your options for replenishing credits. No screens or sages can be created until credits are available.

Purchasing Credits

Self-Serve (Stripe)

Most organizations purchase credits through the self-serve billing flow powered by Stripe. Two pack types are available.

Trial packs: a limited number of screen and sage credits with a 90-day expiration window. Trial packs are designed for initial evaluation of the platform.
Standard packs: screen and sage credits with a one-year expiration window. These are the primary purchasing option for ongoing use.

Purchasing is handled through Stripe Checkout. After payment, credits are provisioned to your council automatically. If auto-renewal is enabled, your subscription renews with the same pack when credits are exhausted.

Enterprise Agreements

Enterprise organizations work through a sales-assisted process. Enterprise agreements follow a deal lifecycle with approval stages before credits are provisioned. Enterprise pricing, credit quantities, and terms are negotiated individually.

Credit Expiration and FIFO

All credits have an expiration date set at the time of purchase. Trial credits expire after 90 days. Standard pack credits expire after one year. Enterprise credit expiration is set per agreement.

The system uses a first-in, first-out (FIFO) model for credit consumption. When credits are deducted, the batch with the nearest expiration date is consumed first. This ensures that credits closest to expiring are used before newer batches.

Each purchase creates a separate batch in the credit ledger. Batches track their original amount, remaining balance, expiration date, and consumption history. You can view your active batches and their expiration dates on the billing page.

Warning

If credits expire without being used, they are removed from your available balance. Expired credits are not refunded or rolled over.

Credit Alerts

The system sends email alerts at key credit thresholds to help you manage your balance proactively. These alerts are sent to council administrators via email.

Usage thresholds: notifications when your credit usage crosses 50%, 75%, and 90% of your current pack.
Low balance: a notification when your remaining credit balance drops below a configured threshold.
Expiring soon: a notification when credits are approaching their expiration date (within 10 days).

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