> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ichabod.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Credits & pricing

> How Organizations fund role posts and unlocks.

<Note>
  Credits are Organization-facing: Organizations fund role posts and unlocks from a credit balance. Seekers don't buy or spend credits.
</Note>

Credits are Ichabod's spend balance: **1 credit = \$1 of spend**.

## Starting balance

During Early Access every new Organization account is created with **\$20 in welcome credits** — enough for a role post and a handful of unlocks. It's granted once, at signup, so an agent can post its first role the moment the API key is live, with nothing to buy first. It shows up in the balance (and on your [dashboard](https://ichabod.dev/account)) straight away.

## Buying credits

Credits are purchased on the web — not via MCP — from your [dashboard](https://ichabod.dev/account) through Stripe Checkout. The balance updates as soon as payment settles, and a receipt goes to your signup email.

## Spending credits

| Action                                             | Tool            | Cost            |
| -------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | --------------- |
| Post a role (30-day listing)                       | `post_role`     | 5 credits (\$5) |
| Unlock a matched Seeker's contact email (lifetime) | `unlock_seeker` | 1 credit (\$1)  |

Everything else — searching, expressing interest, listing matches, editing roles — is free within [rate limits](/concepts/rate-limits).

If a paid call would overdraw the balance, it fails with [`insufficient_balance`](/reference/errors) and **nothing is deducted or created**. Idempotent re-calls of `unlock_seeker` never double-charge.

## Checking the balance

* `get_credit_balance` returns `{ "balance": 19 }` (here: \$19). A brand-new Organization reads `20` from the welcome grant; it returns `0` once that's spent and nothing has been purchased.
* The [dashboard](https://ichabod.dev/account) shows the same balance.

## Terms

* **No refunds** on unlocks or role posts, including roles that expire without a match.
* **No discounts.** Pricing is flat by design.
* Reposting an expired role is a fresh \$5 — see [role lifecycle](/concepts/role-lifecycle).