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How usage works#

The simple idea behind Nabu's usage model — what the meter shows, where you see it, and what happens if you run low.

When Nisaba does AI work for you — drafting a scene, reading your script for coverage, answering a question in chat — that work uses part of your plan. Nabu shows usage as a percentage: a filling bar that tells you how much of your plan you've used this cycle. Bigger jobs use more; small jobs use less.

Where you see your usage#

Your usage meter lives in two places:

  1. The footer, on every screen. Look at the bottom-left corner, beside your account menu. You'll see a filling bar with a percentage — something like 62% used. Hover over it to see a tooltip like "62% used · resets October 1."
  2. The account menu. Click your avatar and you'll see the same meter alongside your plan. Click it to open Usage & billing.

Note: Your usage belongs to your workspace, not to any single screenplay. Switching projects doesn't change the number — it's one shared pool.

What uses your plan#

Plan usage covers the AI work, and only the AI work. Typing in the editor, dragging scene cards around, reading the script, exporting a PDF — none of that uses your plan.

Roughly, from lightest to heaviest:

  • A chat message to Nisaba is a small fraction of your plan.
  • Writing or rewriting a scene is a moderate amount.
  • A full coverage report can use a substantial share because it reads your whole script; the cost varies with script length.

For the full picture, see What uses your plan.

Note: Costs are approximate, not fixed percentages. The exact charge depends on which AI model does the work and how big the job turns out to be. For jobs that show an estimate, the final amount can be less than the quote.

Cost confirmations#

Some larger jobs show a confirmation card before the work begins, with an estimate like "Estimated cost: up to N% of your plan (settled to actual)". Other actions — including coverage, which starts straight away when you click Run Coverage — don't show a confirmation. Smaller actions run without a prompt. Some wizard steps say "Estimate unavailable — uses your plan usage, billed to actual usage."

When a wizard step drafts from your story on file, its estimate includes reading that story as well as writing the draft. If the estimate cannot be prepared, try again; the work does not start.

What happens if you run low#

If you ask for a job that needs more than you have left, Nabu tells you with a panel before it starts. Click Not now to close it and carry on with anything that doesn't need AI.

Tip: The usage bar's colour warms as you approach your limit. A notice appears beside the meter when your plan is used up.

If the launch allowance is awaiting review, Usage & billing says Credits arrive after review.

Plans and extra usage#

When you want more, you have two options:

  • A subscription plan gives you a fresh allowance every billing cycle.
  • Extra usage is extra usage you can buy on its own.

Both live on the Usage & billing screen. Plans are under Plans; Buy extra usage sits under Your plan, beside the extra you hold. Extra usage is for subscribers.

After checkout, including a return from Stripe, Usage & billing updates when the payment is confirmed; no reload is needed. If confirmation is delayed, the page keeps checking for about ten minutes and shows the plan and usage already confirmed.

Payment & receipts lists each payment, upgrade, refund and cancellation on one line, newest first, with a link to its receipt.

Each plan card lists what that plan includes or adds. Compare plans opens the full table, What each plan includes; a row marked Coming soon isn't available on that plan yet. For Enterprise, Contact us writes to sales@nabu.page.

Good to know#

  • You may be able to earn extra usage. If referral sharing is open on your account, a writer who signs up with your link and starts a plan earns extra usage for both of you. See Referrals.
  • Importing without AI is free. Import only uses none of your plan. See Importing a script.