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Prepaid Usage Model

Ardie uses a prepaid usage model. When you purchase access to a knowledge base, you select a plan that includes a fixed number of queries per billing period.
This model ensures transparent pricing with no surprise bills. You always know exactly how many queries you have available.

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How Plans Work

Each knowledge base publisher sets their own pricing tiers. A typical knowledge base might offer:
PlanPriceQueries IncludedBest For
Starter$29/mo100 queriesTesting and evaluation
Professional$99/mo500 queriesRegular usage
Enterprise$299/mo2,000 queriesHigh-volume applications

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What Counts as a Query?

A query is a single API call to the /kb/{kb_id}/query endpoint. Each query:
  • Counts as 1 against your plan’s query limit
  • Returns an answer with citations
  • Reports tokens_used in the response
Failed requests (4xx/5xx errors) do not count against your query limit.

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Monitoring Usage

Track your usage in real-time from the Dashboard:
  • Queries Used — How many queries you’ve made this period
  • Queries Remaining — How many queries are left
  • Usage Percentage — Visual progress toward your cap

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What Happens at the Cap?

When you reach your query limit:
  1. API requests return 429 Too Many Requests
  2. The response includes your current usage and cap
  3. You can upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing period
{
  "error": "query_cap_exceeded",
  "message": "You have exceeded your monthly query cap of 500 queries.",
  "usage": {
    "used": 500,
    "cap": 500
  },
  "upgrade_url": "https://ardie.ai/billing"
}

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Upgrading Plans

You can upgrade your plan at any time:
  1. Go to your Dashboard
  2. Find the knowledge base subscription
  3. Click Upgrade Plan
  4. Select a higher tier
Upgrades take effect immediately. Your new query limit is available right away.

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Next Steps

Purchase Access

Learn how to buy access to a knowledge base

Rate Limits

Understand rate limiting and caps