On Famous.ai, your costs are broken down into two main categories: Build Credits (used when you ask the AI to write code) and Hosting (used when your app is live on the internet).
Additionally, API Gateway fees are charged based on tokens, images, or calls processed via Famous.ai managed APIs.
Here is your in-depth guide to tracking your usage, avoiding unexpected charges, and keeping your costs as low as possible.
1. Track Your Build Credit Costs in Real-Time
It is important to know that Famous.ai does not charge per message; it charges in credits. When you ask the AI to build or edit a project, the cost is calculated based on how much data the AI has to read and write to complete the task. Therefore, a simple request (like changing a button color) requires very few credits and costs almost nothing, while generating a massive, complex app from scratch requires many credits and costs more.
For instance, deep reasoning models cost input credits and output credits, while image generation is per image.
Instead of guessing how much a complex task costs, you can check it instantly:
Look just below the Preview button in your builder chat.
Click on the text showing the time it took to generate.
A dropdown will appear displaying your exact Build Usage cost in dollars and cents for that specific task.
Checking this regularly helps you understand exactly how much value you are getting out of your prompts and helps you budget your monthly credit allowance.
2. Manage Your 40 Free Hosting Hours
Every Famous.ai account gets 40 free hours of hosting every month. This is the "open" time when your app or website is live on the internet and accessible to the public.
Beyond the free 40 hours, hosting is charged at per additional hour.
If you leave multiple test projects awake in the background, they will quickly burn through those 40 free hours, and you will start being charged standard hourly hosting rates.
To prevent this, you need to use Sleep Mode.
3. How to Put a Project to Sleep (Stop Hosting Charges)
If you are done working for the day, or if you have old test projects you aren't actively sharing with users, you should put them to sleep. A sleeping project costs absolutely zero hosting hours.
Here is how to properly put a project to sleep:
Open Famous.ai in your web browser.
Click on your name located in the top right corner of the screen.
Select Dashboard from the dropdown menu to see all of your projects.
Find the specific project card for the build you want to pause.
Click the Settings button directly under that project.
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the settings page.
Click the Sleep mode button.
Your project is now sleeping! It is completely paused, so you do not need to worry about it racking up usage while you are away.
4. Best Practices for Saving Money
Famous,ai also provides more content in the Free Learning Hub with resources to help you optimize your app development and spending.
Consider Upgrading Your Subscription Tier: If your usage frequently exceeds the free allotment or you require more credits, upgrading to a higher subscription tier can provide additional credits and discounts on hosting, making it a cost-effective option in the long run.
To keep your account perfectly optimized, make these three steps a habit:
Plan Your Goal Before You Build: The best way to save credits is to know exactly what your project needs before you type. Take a few minutes to outline your core features. Asking for a complete, well-thought-out structure from the start is much cheaper than having the AI rewrite the entire foundation later.
Be Specific with Prompts: Craft precise and clear prompts to reduce retries and unnecessary AI generations. Fewer retries mean fewer credits consumed, helping you manage costs effectively.
Map Features to Costs: Outline your app’s core features and estimate their costs to optimize your spending effectively.
Optimize App Actions: Minimize costs by ensuring that AI actions such as text or image generation and API requests are only triggered when absolutely necessary. This reduces the frequency of high-cost operations and helps manage your credits effectively.
Be Intentional About Features: Every feature, scroll animation, and database connection you ask the AI to build costs credits to generate. Think critically about what your project actually needs to succeed. If you are building a simple portfolio, do you really need a heavy 3D animation or a user login portal? Being ruthless about your "must-haves" versus your "nice-to-haves" keeps your codebase clean and your credit usage low.
Start with Lower-Cost Outputs: Before using higher-cost features like APIs, begin with lower-cost outputs such as text or images. This approach allows you to test and refine your workflows without incurring significant expenses.
Audit Your Dashboard: Once a week, check your Dashboard and put any abandoned or completed-but-unlaunched projects into Sleep Mode.
Wake to Work: Remember that you cannot build, edit, or test a sleeping project. When you are ready to work on it again, simply go to your settings and wake it back up
Review Billing Details: Use the Billing page to track invoices, manage payment methods, and ensure you stay within your plan’s included limits. This proactive approach helps you avoid overages and unexpected charges.!
Monitor Usage Dashboard: Regularly check the billing dashboard to track your usage and identify areas where you can reduce expenses.