How to estimate Sidekick credit usage for a workflow
Plain cannot forecast Sidekick credit usage before you build a workflow. Credits are calculated after each session ends, so run Sidekick on a sample of real threads and measure what it uses.
For how allowances, resets and add-on credits work, see How Sidekick credits work.
How credits are calculated
Each session is charged:
- A flat base fee of $0.10, added once per session that incurs any cost.
- The cost of all AI model calls in the session, multiplied by 1.2.
- The USD total multiplied by 50. 50 credits equal $1.
Cost depends on how much context Sidekick reads, how many tools it calls and how long its responses are. A workflow that reads a thread, queries tools such as Sentry, Linear or PostHog, and writes a note back uses more credits than simple triage.
Measure a sample
- Enable Sidekick on 5 to 10 representative threads your workflow would handle.
- When those sessions complete, check Settings, then Billing, for a per-day credit breakdown, or use the
sidekickCreditUsageByDayGraphQL query, which requires thebilling:readpermission. - Divide total credits by the number of sessions for an average cost per run.
- Multiply that average by your expected monthly thread volume.
Track usage
The billing dashboard also shows credits used and remaining in the current billing period, and projected end-of-period spend based on your daily usage trend. Usage is tracked per session, with no per-tool-call or per-integration breakdown.