What Are API Credits?

API credits are how developers prepay (or receive a grant) for calling an AI API with a key. Your app sends requests; the provider measures tokens, images, or seconds; the wallet goes down. That wallet lives on the API platform — OpenAI Platform, Anthropic Console, Google AI Studio / Cloud billing — not inside ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro chat.

If you are typing in a hosted assistant, you are probably on a consumer plan. If you are shipping software, you need API credits or pay-as-you-go on the developer console. The two invoices do not refill each other.

Most labs let you add a prepaid balance and optionally auto-recharge. When the balance hits zero, API requests fail unless another payment method is enabled. OpenAI documents prepaid billing here: OpenAI prepaid billing setup and OpenAI prepaid billing guide. Anthropic: Anthropic API payment guide. Google Gemini API billing: Gemini API billing documentation. Last verified: 2026-08-18.

Promo credits are time-boxed balances from events, workshops, or console signup. They can expire, exclude some models, and disappear without converting to cash. Always read Status, Eligibility, Region, and Expires on the official page — and ignore third-party “free GPT key” listings that are not the lab.

Startup credits are application-based grants, often via OpenAI for Startups, Anthropic partners, or Google for Startups / Cloud. They fund API or cloud spend under program rules. See AI Startup Credits. They are not a consumer gift card and not Google Play balance.

Tokens = usage meter. Requests = call count / rate limits. Subscriptions = ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Gemini app seats. API credits = developer money or grant sitting on the API bill. Full comparison: AI Credits vs Tokens.

Open the Console or Platform billing page for the organization that owns the key. App store receipts and chat-plan screens will not show API prepaid credits. Manage API Credits covers budgets, keys, and alerts.

A free Gemini API tier or limited trial is a quota, not always a dollar credit. Free API Credits lists $0 developer paths. Free OpenAI API Credits covers OpenAI-specific trials and expired-offer traps.

API Credits is the parent hub for official vs relay model prices across OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini. Brand pages stay underneath it: OpenAI API Credits, Claude API Credits, Gemini API Credits. This definition page does not try to rank every model.