Pricing & Billing
What it costs, how billing works, and how to manage your balance.
Written By pvdyck
Last updated 7 days ago
What It Costs {#cost}
Every run has up to three costs. They're separate and transparent.
Total Cost = Platform Fee + Builder Fee + AI Costs
API Cost Note: When a Builder provides their own API keys, they may apply a cost multiplier (0% to 300%). At 100% (default), you pay actual cost. At 0%, the Builder absorbs all API costs. When you bring your own keys, there is zero markup.
Example: Agent generates marketing copy.
- Platform: $0.0001 + Builder: $0.10 + AI: $0.04 = $0.14 per run
- 100 runs = $14.01. Compare to a $50/month SaaS you'd barely use.
How Billing Works {#billing}
TL;DR: We hold the max, you pay the actual, excess is refunded instantly. You never pay for uncompleted work.
The Cycle
What If a Run Fails?
Managing Your Balance {#balance}
indie.money uses inUSD -- a platform stablecoin pegged 1:1 to USD.
Depositing
Click balance in top nav > Deposit tab > Enter USDC amount > Swap > Confirm.
Your inUSD balance updates in seconds.
Where Your Balance Shows
Low Balance
When your balance is too low, the Execute button is disabled and an "Add Funds" link appears. Top up and retry.
Cost Transparency {#breakdown}
Every run shows a complete breakdown in your run history:
Key promise: You never pay more than the authorized amount.
Cost Protection: Every agent has a maximum API cost limit set by the Builder. If costs would exceed this limit, the run stops immediately. You only pay for completed work.