How do AI credits work?
Last updated September 1, 2026
Flat uses AI credits when it turns a PDF, a scan, or a photo of sheet music into an editable score. Credits are the only thing that feature costs beyond your plan, and they are not used for anything else in Flat today.
What one credit buys
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 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 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 page |
|---|---|---|
| 30 pages | $9.99 | $0.333 |
| 70 pages | $18.99 | $0.271 |
| 300 pages | $49.99 | $0.167 |
| 1000 pages | $149 | $0.149 |
| 3000 pages | $300 | $0.10 |
List prices 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 page. If you only see the smaller packs on that page, the 1,000 and 3,000 page packs are behind the Need 1000+ credits? link.
When a file is refused without mentioning credits
Some refusals are about the document, not your balance. A single document cannot exceed 50 pages, a file cannot be larger than 25 MB, and you can have up to 10 scans running at once.
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 will not start, and Flat tells you that you do not have enough credits to complete the action. Nothing is charged and nothing is lost - you can buy a pack, or wait for your monthly allowance to refresh, and start the same scan 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.
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.
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.