Credit System

Transparent pay-per-page pricing for all PDF processing operations. No subscriptions, no hidden fees - only pay for what you use.

Pricing Structure

Pay-Per-Page Model

All endpoints are charged per page processed, not per API call. Multi-page documents are automatically calculated based on page count, ensuring fair and predictable pricing.

Complete Processing

$0.02/page

Full PDF filling pipeline: field extraction, OCR, mapping, and filling

Document OCR

$0.01/page

Text extraction and structured analysis using Google Document AI

Field Mapping

$0.01/page

AI-powered field analysis and mapping to document content

Free Tier Included

New accounts receive 20 free pages to get started. No credit card required for signup.

Pricing Examples

Cost Calculation Examples

// 5-page employment form
Complete Processing: 5 pages × $0.02 = $0.10

// 12-page contract
OCR Processing: 12 pages × $0.01 = $0.12

// 3-page application
Field Mapping: 3 pages × $0.01 = $0.03

// Mixed workflow (100 pages)
OCR: 100 pages × $0.01 = $1.00
Field Mapping: 100 pages × $0.01 = $1.00
Total: $2.00

Volume Pricing

For high-volume usage (10,000+ pages/month), contact us for custom enterprise pricing and dedicated support.

Credit Management

How Credits Work

Credits are deducted from your balance for each page processed
No expiration - credits remain in your account until used
Automatic calculation based on document page count
Real-time balance tracking via API response headers

Purchasing Credits

Credits can be purchased in flexible packages through your dashboard. All transactions are processed securely via Stripe with support for major credit cards and payment methods.

Starter Pack$5.00

500 credits ($0.01 per credit)

Professional Pack$20.00

2,500 credits ($0.008 per credit)

Business Pack$75.00

10,000 credits ($0.0075 per credit)

Credit Response Headers

Response Headers

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/pdf
X-Credits-Used: 0.02
X-Credits-Remaining: 5.48
X-Credits-Currency: USD

Insufficient Balance Response

HTTP/1.1 402 Payment Required
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "error": "Insufficient balance",
  "message": "Not enough credits to process this request",
  "details": {
    "code": "INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE",
    "amountRequired": 0.02,
    "currentBalance": 0.01,
    "pageCount": 1,
    "purchaseUrl": "https://pdfmage.app/dashboard/credits"
  },
  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
  "requestId": "req_abc123"
}

Usage Tracking

Real-Time Monitoring

Track your credit usage in real-time through response headers and your dashboard. Every API response includes detailed credit information to help you monitor consumption.

X-Credit-Cost

Credits deducted for the current operation

X-Credit-Balance

Remaining credit balance after operation

X-Pages-Processed

Number of pages processed in this request

Dashboard Analytics

Access detailed usage analytics through your dashboard including daily/monthly breakdowns, endpoint usage patterns, and cost projections.

Current Balance$12.45

This Month$3.24

Pages Processed187

Best Practices

Cost Optimization

• Use specific endpoints for targeted operations

• Implement balance checks before processing

• Monitor usage patterns to predict costs

• Use field mapping to validate before full processing

• Consider batch processing for efficiency

Error Handling

• Handle 402 errors gracefully with balance checks

• Implement retry logic for failed operations

• Monitor response headers for balance warnings

• Set up alerts for low balance thresholds

• Provide clear user feedback for payment required

Frequently Asked Questions

Do credits expire?

No, credits never expire. They remain in your account until used, providing flexibility for variable usage patterns.

What happens if a request fails?

Credits are only deducted for successfully processed pages. If a request fails due to invalid input or system errors, no credits are charged.

Can I get a refund for unused credits?

Credits are non-refundable, but they never expire so you can use them whenever needed. For exceptional circumstances, contact our support team.

How accurate is page counting?

Page counting is exact and based on the actual PDF page count. The X-Pages-Processed header shows exactly how many pages were charged for each request.