How do AI credits work?
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI credits pay for the features in Flat that run on artificial intelligence: turning a PDF, a scan, or a photo of sheet music into an editable score, and the notation assistant in the editor.
Why Flat uses credits
AI features cost far more to run than the rest of Flat. Each scan is processed on GPUs that we pay for every time they run, so the cost grows with every page processed. The notation assistant runs on frontier AI models that are billed for the text they read and write, so each request has its own cost.
Building that cost into a single subscription price would force us to either cap these features tightly or raise the price for everyone, including people who never use them. Credits avoid both:
- Every Flat Power subscription includes an allowance of credits.
- If you need more, you can buy additional credits and only pay for what you use.
Features that use credits:
- Scanning sheet music from a PDF, a scan, or a photo - one credit per page.
- The notation assistant - the cost depends on the request, from a few hundredths of a credit for a quick edit to about one credit for writing a harmonization.
What one credit buys when scanning
One credit covers one page. A 12-page PDF costs 12 credits. Each photo counts as one page, so photographing three pages costs 3 credits, and a scan that mixes a 12-page PDF with three photos costs 15 credits in total.
Credits are taken when the scan starts, not when you upload. Adding files and then closing the window without starting costs you nothing.
What the notation assistant costs
Not available in Flat for Education.
The assistant is charged once per message, when the reply ends. The cost depends on the work the request takes: answering a quick question or adding a marking costs a few hundredths of a credit, while writing new music costs more. See how much use you get per credit for typical costs.
- What each reply cost is shown under it, with the credits you have left.
- One message never costs more than 2 credits. A request that needs more work than that stops part way, keeps the changes made so far, and tells you what is left so you can ask for it next.
- When your balance is too low, the request does not start and nothing is charged. When you have less than half a credit left, the panel warns you that it is enough for a few questions, but not for writing new parts.
- A reply that fails without changing anything is not charged, up to 2 credits a day. If it had already made changes before the error, or if you stop it, the steps completed until then are charged.
What your plan includes
| Plan | Credits included | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Free | None included | Not applicable |
| Flat Power, billed monthly | 10 credits | Every month |
| Flat Power, billed yearly | 20 credits | Every month |
| Flat Power Lifetime | 20 credits | Once, does not renew |
A yearly Flat Power subscription grants its credits every month, not once for the year. Flat Power Lifetime is the exception: its credits are granted once and do not renew.
Do unused credits roll over?
The credits included with your subscription do not roll over. Your allowance refreshes on the same day each month - the monthly anniversary of your billing date - and anything you did not use before that day is gone. You cannot save several months of allowance for a busy period.
Credits you bought in a pack behave the opposite way. They are yours until you spend them and do not expire while your account is active, so they do accumulate.
When you have both, a scan or an assistant reply spends your monthly allowance first and only touches your purchased credits once the allowance is used up. That way your packs are drawn down last.
If you know you have a heavy month coming, buy a pack rather than trying to save your monthly allowance - saving it is not possible, and packs never expire.
Buying more credits
You can top up at any time from your AI credits page.
| Pack | Price | Price per credit |
|---|---|---|
| 30 credits | $9.99 | $0.333 |
| 70 credits | $18.99 | $0.271 |
| 300 credits | $49.99 | $0.167 |
| 1000 credits | $149 | $0.149 |
| 3000 credits | $300 | $0.10 |
Prices are listed in USD, excluding any local tax. Your own currency and the tax that applies to you are shown at checkout.
The larger packs are better value per credit. If you only see the smaller packs on that page, the 1,000 and 3,000 credit packs are behind the Need 1000+ credits? link.
What does a credit pack include?
A credit pack only adds AI credits to your account. You spend them on scanning sheet music and, with Flat Power, on the notation assistant. A pack does not unlock Flat Power features such as the transposition tool or MusicXML and MIDI export: those need a Flat Power subscription, which also gives you credits every month.
If you just want to turn a PDF or photo into a file for another music program, Opuscan is our standalone scan-to-score app: it exports MusicXML and MIDI for your favorite music software. Opuscan has its own credits, separate from your Flat account.
How can I pay for credits?
On the website you can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. Depending on your country, the checkout also offers local methods such as iDEAL, Bancontact or Klarna, see the payment methods we accept. In the iOS and Android apps, you pay with your App Store or Google Play account.
When a file is refused without mentioning credits
Some refusals are about the document, not your balance. A single document cannot exceed 50 pages, and a file cannot be larger than 100 MB.
If you see one of those messages your credits are untouched - split the document into smaller files and try again.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when I run out of credits?
The scan or the assistant request will not start, and Flat tells you that you do not have enough credits. Nothing is charged and nothing is lost - you can buy a pack, or wait for your monthly allowance to refresh, and start again.
Where can I see how many credits I have left?
On your AI credits page, which shows your current balance and lets you top up.
My scan failed. Was I charged?
No. If a scan ends in an error, the credits are returned to your balance automatically, whatever the cause. The same applies if you cancel a scan before it finishes, including one you set up but never started. You can retry without paying twice for the failed attempt.
An assistant reply failed. Was I charged?
Not if it failed without changing anything: those replies are not charged, up to 2 credits a day. If the reply had already changed your score before the error, or if you stopped it, the steps it completed are charged and the changes are kept. You can undo them with the Undo button under the reply.
The scan worked but the result is wrong. Can I get those credits back?
Not automatically. Credits are returned for scans that fail, not for scans that finish but transcribe the music poorly - the work was done either way. If a result is bad enough that it was not worth the credits, contact us and we will look at it. Please get in touch before running a large batch rather than after.
Do I have separate credits on the web, mobile, and desktop apps?
No. Your Flat account has a single credit balance, shared by the website, the desktop app, the mobile apps, and the API. Buy credits anywhere and you can spend them anywhere you are signed in to the same account. The notation assistant itself is only available in the editor on the Flat website.
I bought credits in Opuscan. Why can't I use them in Flat?
Opuscan is a separate app with its own credits, tied to the app store account that bought them. Those credits cannot be used on your Flat account, and credits on your Flat account do not appear in Opuscan. Buying in one does not top up the other.
What happens to my credits if my payment fails?
A subscription with an unpaid or suspended payment does not receive a new monthly allowance until billing is back in order. Credits you have already bought in a pack are unaffected and stay on your account.
I cancelled my subscription. Do I lose my credits straight away?
No. If you cancel but are still inside the period you have paid for, you keep your allowance until that period ends. Purchased credits stay on your account regardless.
Still stuck? Contact us - we are always one message away.