Understanding Maestro’s billing model and managing costs.

​
Billing Model Overview

Maestro uses a subscription + credit-based system: Monthly subscription:
  • Base platform access
  • Included credit allocation
  • Feature tier access
Credits:
  • Consumed by usage (models, sandbox, storage)
  • Top-up when needed
  • Optional auto-reload

​
Plan Tiers

​
Basic Plan

Best for:
  • Individual developers
  • Learning Maestro
  • Small projects
  • Occasional usage
Includes:
  • Access to core models
  • Standard sandbox (2 vCPU, 7 GB RAM)
  • File storage (up to limit)
  • Community support
  • Monthly credit allocation

​
Pro Plan

Best for:
  • Professional developers
  • Regular usage
  • Medium to large projects
  • Team collaboration
Includes:
  • All Basic features
  • Access to advanced models
  • Higher sandbox resources
  • Increased storage
  • Priority support
  • Larger monthly credit allocation
  • Advanced features (custom sandboxes, etc.)

​
Ultimate Plan

Best for:
  • Power users
  • Large-scale projects
  • Intensive usage
  • Enterprise needs
Includes:
  • All Pro features
  • Access to all models (including newest)
  • Maximum sandbox resources
  • Unlimited storage (fair use)
  • Priority support + SLA
  • Largest monthly credit allocation
  • All advanced features
  • Custom integrations (if needed)
Visit https://igent.ai/ for current pricing and plan details.

​
How Credits Work

​
Credit Consumption

Credits are consumed by:
  • Model API calls (varies by model)
  • Sandbox compute time
  • Storage (beyond included amount)
  • Bandwidth (large file operations)
Consumption rates:
  • Different models have different costs
  • Longer responses cost more (more tokens)
  • Reasoning-heavy tasks cost more
  • Sandbox execution billed per minute
  • Storage billed per GB-month
Real-time tracking:
  • Credit balance visible in UI
  • Per-session usage tracking
  • Detailed usage breakdown available

​
Credit Top-Up

Manual top-up: 
Use /topup command:
1. Shows current balance
2. "Top Up Credits" button
3. Redirects to Stripe checkout
4. Select credit amount
5. Complete purchase
6. Credits added immediately
Top-up amounts (example):
  • 100 credits: $10
  • 500 credits: $45 (10% bonus)
  • 1000 credits: $80 (20% bonus)
Bulk discounts: Larger purchases receive more credits per dollar.

​
Auto-Reload

What it is: Automatic credit purchase when balance drops below threshold. Configuration: 
Settings → Billing → Auto-Reload:
- Enable/disable auto-reload
- Set threshold (e.g., when balance < 50 credits)
- Set auto-reload amount (e.g., add 200 credits)
- Set maximum monthly auto-reload (safety limit)
Advantages:
  • Never interrupted mid-session
  • Seamless usage experience
  • Predictable costs
Safety limits:
  • Maximum per reload
  • Maximum total monthly
  • Email notifications
  • Can disable anytime
Recommendations:
  • Enable for uninterrupted work
  • Set conservative limits initially
  • Monitor usage patterns
  • Adjust based on needs

​
Understanding Costs

​
Model Costs

Cost tiers by model:
  • Basic models: Lower cost, faster, good for simple tasks
  • Standard models: Balanced cost/capability
  • Advanced models: Higher cost, better reasoning, complex tasks
  • Specialized models: Variable (vision, code-specific, etc.)
Maestro optimizes:
  • Routes tasks to appropriate models
  • Uses cheaper models when sufficient
  • Uses expensive models when necessary
You control via settings:
  • Model selection preferences
  • Cost vs capability trade-offs

​
Sandbox Costs

Billed per minute of active sandbox time:
  • Default sandbox: Standard rate
  • Custom resource sandboxes: Higher rate (based on CPU/memory/GPU)
  • Paused sandboxes: No charge
Optimization strategies: 
Reduce sandbox costs:
- Use sandbox only when needed (don't leave idle)
- Stop long-running servers when done
- Close unused terminal windows
- Pause session when not actively working
Sandbox pricing (example):
  • Default (2 CPU, 7 GB): $0.02/minute
  • High-memory (8 CPU, 32 GB): $0.08/minute
  • GPU (A100): $0.50/minute

​
Storage Costs

Included storage per plan:
  • Basic: 10 GB
  • Pro: 50 GB
  • Ultimate: Unlimited (fair use)
Overage charges:
  • $0.10 per GB-month beyond included amount
What counts:
  • Session checkpoints
  • File iterations
  • Element storage (images, uploads)
Optimization: 
Reduce storage costs:
- Delete old sessions
- Use /refresh to reduce iterations
- Avoid storing large binaries
- Download and delete old projects

​
Cost Optimization

​
Session-Level Optimization

Capacity management reduces costs: 
Smaller token counts per turn:
- Lower model API costs
- Faster responses
- Better quality

Techniques:
- /refresh regularly
- /compact for long sessions
- /forget unnecessary turns
- Activate only needed files
Efficient tool use: 
Use lighter tools when appropriate:
- Google Search (fast) vs Perplexity Search (deep)
- Simple Execute Command vs Complex Coding
- View Files vs analyzing entire codebase

Match tool to task complexity

​
Project-Level Optimization

Organized approach saves credits: 
Inefficient:
- Exploratory wandering
- Repeated false starts
- Insufficient planning
- Late validation (costly rework)

Efficient:
- Clear requirements upfront
- Systematic planning
- Incremental validation
- Early error detection
Example cost comparison: 
Unplanned approach:
- 50 turns of exploration
- 30 turns of implementation
- 20 turns of debugging and rework
Total: 100 turns, high model usage

Planned approach:
- 10 turns of requirements and research
- 5 turns of design
- 25 turns of implementation
- 10 turns of validation
Total: 50 turns, focused model usage

Savings: 50% fewer turns, much lower cost

​
Tool Selection for Cost Efficiency

Research tasks: 
Quick lookup: Google Search (cheap, fast)
Deep research: Perplexity Search (moderate cost)
Specific URL: Visit URL (cheap)

Choose based on information need
Code generation: 
Simple tasks: Standard models (cheap)
Complex features: Advanced models (expensive but worth it)
Optimization: Use Complex Coding only when truly needed
Validation: 
Unit tests: Fast execution, cheap
Integration tests: Moderate
Performance benchmarks: Can be expensive (sandbox time)

Run all, but be aware of costs

​
Billing Management

​
Monitoring Usage

Real-time tracking:
  • Current credit balance (always visible)
  • Per-session usage
  • Detailed breakdown available
Usage analytics:
  • Credits consumed per day/week/month
  • Cost by category (models, sandbox, storage)
  • Trend analysis
  • Projected monthly cost
Access: Settings → Billing → Usage Statistics

​
Billing Statements

Monthly statements include:
  • Subscription fee
  • Credit purchases
  • Usage breakdown
  • Remaining balance
  • Next billing date
Download: PDF invoices for accounting

​
Payment Methods

Supported:
  • Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
  • Debit card
  • ACH (some plans)
  • Wire transfer (enterprise)
Updates: Manage payment methods in Settings → Billing Auto-reload: Uses default payment method.

​
Customer Portal

Access: Settings → Billing → Customer Portal Manage:
  • View current plan
  • Upgrade/downgrade plan
  • Update payment methods
  • View invoices
  • Cancel subscription
  • Manage auto-reload
Powered by Stripe: Secure, industry-standard billing.

​
Managing Your Subscription

​
Upgrading Plans

When to upgrade:
  • Need higher resource limits
  • Want access to advanced models
  • Require better support
  • Need enterprise features
Process:
  • Settings → Billing → Upgrade Plan
  • Select new tier
  • Pro-rated charge
  • Immediate access to new features
Credits: Keep existing balance, get new allocation.

​
Downgrading Plans

Restrictions after downgrade:
  • May lose access to some models
  • Resource limits reduced
  • Feature access restricted
Credits: Keep balance, new allocation on next billing Recommendation: Download important sessions before downgrading.

​
Cancellation

Process:
  • Settings → Billing → Cancel Subscription
  • Confirm cancellation
  • Access until end of billing period
  • Credits valid until expiration
Data retention:
  • Sessions preserved per retention policy (30-90 days typically)
  • Download before cancellation to ensure preservation
  • Can request immediate data deletion
Reactivation:
  • Can reactivate anytime
  • New credit allocation
  • Preserved data may still be available

​
Enterprise Billing

​
Custom Plans

For organizations with special needs: Features:
  • Custom credit allocations
  • Dedicated resources
  • SLA guarantees
  • Priority support
  • Custom integrations
  • Team management
  • Usage analytics
  • Consolidated billing
Contact: sales@igent.ai for enterprise pricing

​
Team Billing

Multi-user accounts:
  • Shared credit pool
  • Individual usage tracking
  • Centralized billing
  • Admin controls
Administration:
  • Add/remove team members
  • Set usage limits per user
  • Monitor team usage
  • Allocate budgets

​
Invoicing and Payment

Enterprise payment options:
  • Net-30 terms (approved customers)
  • Purchase orders
  • Wire transfer
  • Annual prepayment discounts

​
Cost FAQs

​
Why does Maestro charge for API calls?

Transparency: We pass through model provider costs (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) with no markup. Benefit: You don’t need separate accounts with each provider. Maestro handles orchestration, you pay actual costs. Platform fee: Covers Maestro infrastructure (sandboxes, storage, orchestration).

​
Can I estimate costs before starting?

Rough estimates:
  • Simple session (10 turns): 10-50 credits
  • Medium session (30 turns with testing): 50-200 credits
  • Complex session (100+ turns with heavy sandbox): 200-1000 credits
Variables:
  • Model choices
  • Testing thoroughness
  • Research depth
  • Sandbox usage
Best practice: Monitor first few sessions to understand your patterns, then estimate accordingly.

​
What if I go over my credit allocation?

Soft limit: Low balance warnings appear Out of credits:
  • Session paused
  • Can add credits via /topup
  • Or enable auto-reload
  • Session resumes after credits added
No surprise charges: Never charged without authorization (unless auto-reload enabled, which you control).

​
How do I reduce costs?

Session efficiency:
  • Clear requirements (fewer iterations)
  • Proactive validation (catch errors early)
  • Capacity management (reduce token usage)
Tool selection:
  • Use appropriate tools for task
  • Avoid complex tools for simple tasks
  • Minimize unnecessary web research
Sandbox optimization:
  • Stop processes when done
  • Use /reset-sandbox judiciously
  • Close unused terminal windows
  • Pause sessions when not working
Storage management:
  • Delete old sessions
  • /refresh to reduce iteration storage
  • Download and delete completed projects

​
Are there hidden fees?

No hidden fees:
  • Model costs: Passed through at actual cost
  • Sandbox usage: Per published rates
  • Storage: Per published rates
  • No surprise charges
  • No markup on model costs
Transparency: All costs disclosed upfront.

​
Billing Support

​
Questions about billing?

Self-service:
  • Settings → Billing → FAQ
  • Usage analytics and breakdowns
  • Invoice history
Support contact:
  • Email: billing@igent.ai
  • Response time: 24-48 hours (business days)
  • Priority support for Pro/Ultimate plans
Common issues:
  • Payment failed → Update payment method
  • Unexpected charges → Review usage analytics
  • Billing questions → Contact billing support

​
Disputes

Process:
  1. Email billing@igent.ai with:
    • Account email
    • Invoice/charge in question
    • Detailed explanation
  2. Support reviews within 3-5 business days
  3. Resolution provided
  4. Refund if error confirmed
Common dispute reasons:
  • Duplicate charges (rare, system issue)
  • Unexpected auto-reload (verify settings)
  • Usage discrepancy (review analytics together)

​
Next Steps

Billing understood:
  • Models: Understand AI models and costs
  • Glossary: Technical terms explained