Your Synsci CLI subscription includes credits that cover the agent’s work. Every call reports its cost back to your dashboard, the balance is checked before each request, and the CLI blocks new prompts when credits hit zero. You don’t pick a provider, the credit envelope abstracts that away.

​
How credits work

Each call consumes credits proportional to the input and output tokens. The cost is computed from the active research mode and the work the agent performed. You see the cost in the dashboard and in synsc stats. Switching modes mid-session draws from the same balance. There is no per-mode wallet to manage.

​
Pre-call balance check

Before sending a request, the CLI calls the dashboard to confirm you have enough balance to complete the call. This protects against:
  • Surprise overruns when a long-context conversation suddenly demands a large completion.
  • Run-on agent loops where the agent keeps going past the budget you intended.
  • Shared accounts where another session is spending your credits at the same time.
If the balance check fails, the CLI returns an error and refuses to send the request. The session stays alive. You can buy more credits or end the session.

​
Per-call usage reporting

After every response, the CLI sends a usage record to the dashboard with:
  • Session ID and project (when applicable)
  • Active research mode
  • Input tokens and output tokens
  • Computed credit cost
The dashboard updates the running balance and the spend feed in real time.

​
Inspect spend from the CLI

synsc stats
stats aggregates usage across the current session and all prior sessions. It can break down by:
  • Session, per-session totals so you can spot a runaway loop
  • Mode, what each research domain has cost over a window
  • Time window, last hour, last day, last week
Use the --json flag to pipe stats into your own dashboards or scripts: 
synsc stats --json

​
Inspect spend from the dashboard

The full audit trail lives at cli.syntheticsciences.ai:
  • Balance with current credits and burn rate
  • Sessions for every session you’ve started, with mode, cost, and metadata
  • Top spenders showing which projects or modes consumed the most this billing cycle
  • Alerts that you can set to ping you when daily or session spend crosses a line

​
What happens when credits run out

When your balance hits zero:
  1. The pre-call balance check fails.
  2. The CLI prints a clear error: “Insufficient credits to complete this request.”
  3. Your session stays open, but new calls are paused until you top up.
You don’t get partial responses or unexpected charges. The balance check is the floor. To restore service, top up credits in the dashboard, then run synsc connect status (or restart the session) so the CLI picks up the new balance.

​
Plans and limits

Plans and per-month credit allowances are configured on the dashboard. Synsci offers individual, team, and enterprise tiers with monthly credit grants and the option to add more credits ad-hoc. Visit your dashboard’s billing tab for the current rates.
Unused credits from one billing period don’t roll over by default. If you regularly underspend, downgrade your plan to match actual usage rather than letting credits lapse.

​
What’s next

  • Web UI. Watch credit usage live in the recommended interface.
  • Dashboard. The full operational view: sessions, credentials, alerts, team management.