What to do when you hit your usage limit
Wait for the next 4-hour UTC session reset, start a Plus trial if eligible, or upgrade. Current Plus pricing and credit ladders.
Reaching your usage limit means you have used your plan's credit allocation for the current 4-hour UTC session window. You can wait for the automatic reset, start a Plus trial if eligible, or upgrade for a higher ladder.
What the limit message means
The app shows that you have used the allocation for this session, a countdown to the next fixed UTC bin, and an option to upgrade (or trial).
Resets are on fixed 4-hour UTC boundaries, not a timer that starts when you first send a message.
Option 1: Wait for the reset
At the next 4-hour UTC boundary:
- Credits refresh to your plan's full amount
- Free message caps refresh the same way
- You can send again immediately
Best for light, non-urgent work.
Option 2: Plus trial (eligible free accounts)
Eligible free accounts can start a 7-day Plus trial with no card: Think, Beyond, higher limits, and paid upload fair use for the week. One trial per account. Workspaces and history stay when it ends.
Option 3: Upgrade
How to upgrade
- Click Upgrade your plan (top bar) or the upgrade link on the limit card.
- Review plans (Plus, Standard, Pro; Business via view-all where shown).
- Choose monthly or annual billing.
- Complete Stripe Checkout.
- New limits apply after payment succeeds.
Current sold prices (PLANS_V2)
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Credits / 4h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus | $20 | $200 | 50 |
| Standard | $40 | $400 | 100 |
| Pro | $100 | $1,000 | 250 |
| Business | $200 | $2,000 | 500 |
Uploads on every paid plan: 500 / month fair use (not the old 25/50/150 ladder). Free stays at 10 uploads / month.
What Plus unlocks vs Free
- 50 credits per session (vs 10)
- Unlimited messages within credits (Free also caps at 10 successful messages / 4h)
- Think, Beyond, web research
- 500 uploads fair use
- Cancel anytime
Use capacity more efficiently
- Start fresh conversations for new tasks. Long threads cost more per message.
- Upload in a focused thread when analyzing large docs, not after 40 unrelated turns.
- Ask complete questions instead of many tiny clarifying messages.
- Use workspaces so client or project context is not crammed into one endless chat.
Comparing wait vs upgrade
| Factor | Wait for reset | Upgrade (e.g. Plus) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | From $20/mo (Plus) |
| Time to access | Until next 4h UTC bin | Immediate after payment |
| Capacity | Same plan ladder | Higher credit ladder |
| Best for | Light, non-urgent use | Active compliance projects |
If limits still look wrong
After upgrading or changing habits, contact support if capacity still looks incorrect. Possible causes: account calculation issues, extremely long threads, or needing a higher tier.