What to do when you hit your usage limit
Continue on a faster model with overflow, wait for the next 4-hour UTC session reset, start a Plus trial if eligible, buy Extra usage on capped teams, or upgrade.
Inhalt auf Englisch
Reaching your usage limit means you have used your plan's credit allocation for the current 4-hour UTC session window. Solo accounts on Plus through Business can continue on a faster model with overflow in the web app, wait for the automatic reset, start a Plus trial if eligible, or upgrade. Team owners on Plus through Business can also buy Extra usage for the rest of the UTC month.
Unlimited does not have a commercial token cap, so you should not see that session-empty card for chat tokens. Extra usage is not available on Unlimited. Solo overflow is off on Unlimited. Availability limits (concurrent generations, Beyond attempts, MCP request rate, workspace files) can still apply.
Unlimited is the $1,000/month self-serve top chat plan. Buy it in the app. This page is not a checkout.
Free conversation limit is different. A Free conversation stops accepting messages once it reaches 300,000 tokens in total. That limit does not reset at the 4-hour boundary, and overflow or waiting does not lift it: start a new conversation, or upgrade (paid plans have no per-conversation cap).
What the limit message means
The app shows that you have used the allocation for this session, a countdown to the next fixed UTC bin, and an option to upgrade (or trial).
Resets are on fixed 4-hour UTC boundaries, not a timer that starts when you first send a message.
Option 1: Wait for the reset
At the next 4-hour UTC boundary:
- Credits refresh to your plan's full amount
- Free message caps refresh the same way
- You can send again immediately
Best for light, non-urgent work.
Option 2: Continue on a faster model (overflow)
Solo accounts on Plus through Business (not Essential, Advanced Data Protection, Slack, or team pools) can continue when the limit card offers a Continue button: your turn finishes on a faster model, drawing from the same up-to-2x overflow the app offers, for the rest of the session (until the next reset). Workspace members hitting an org cap see the team story instead. Overflow is off on Unlimited.
- A banner shows overflow is active until the reset time.
- You choose each time; overflow never starts automatically. A Settings → Overflow routing toggle controls whether the offer appears.
- When the overflow budget is used too, the card shows that the extended limit is used, with the reset time. Waiting for the reset is then the no-cost option.
Overflow keeps the session going on a faster model; it does not add credits on your standard model ladder.
Option 3: Extra usage (team owners on capped plans)
If you own a team on Plus, Standard, Pro, or Business and the shared session is empty, the limit card can offer Extra usage · +50 credits · $25 (EUR 25 where Stripe presents euros). That pack is chat tokens only, until the end of the UTC month (through the next month if you buy in the last 24 hours). Members cannot buy it; they wait or ask the owner. Uploads and Agent Tasks are separate meters.
Extra usage is not available on Unlimited. The Extra CTA is hidden, and checkout refuses it. Unlimited's shared pool is not capped at a token limit.
Option 4: Plus trial (eligible free accounts)
Eligible free accounts can start a 7-day Plus trial with no card: Think, Beyond, higher limits, and paid upload fair use for the week. One trial per account. Workspaces and history stay when it ends.
Option 5: Upgrade
How to upgrade
- Click Upgrade your plan (top bar) or the upgrade link on the limit card.
- Review plans (Plus, Standard, Pro; Business and Unlimited via view-all where shown). Unlimited is self-serve in the app, the same way Business is. The free-to-paid grid stays Plus / Standard / Pro.
- Choose monthly or annual billing.
- Complete Stripe Checkout.
- New limits apply after payment succeeds.
Plan prices and availability
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Credits / 4h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus | $20 | $200 | 50 |
| Standard | $40 | $400 | 100 |
| Pro | $100 | $1,000 | 250 |
| Business | $200 | $2,000 | 500 |
| Unlimited | $1,000 | $10,000 | Unlimited |
$1,000 = €1,000. Uploads on Plus through Business: 500 / month fair use. Unlimited uploads are unlimited (upload top-up is hidden). Free stays at 10 uploads / month.
Unlimited is self-serve in the app upgrade dialog or billing portal. This help page is not a checkout.
What Plus unlocks vs Free
- 50 credits per session (vs 10)
- Unlimited messages within credits (Free also caps at 10 successful messages / 4h)
- Think, Beyond, web research
- 500 uploads fair use
- Cancel anytime
Use capacity more efficiently
- Start fresh conversations for new tasks. Long threads cost more per message.
- Upload in a focused thread when analyzing large docs, not after 40 unrelated turns.
- Ask complete questions instead of many tiny clarifying messages.
- Use workspaces so client or project context is not crammed into one endless chat.
Comparing overflow, wait, and upgrade
| Factor | Continue (overflow) | Wait for reset | Upgrade (e.g. Plus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Included for solo Plus through Business | Free | From $20/mo (Plus) |
| Time to access | Immediate, faster model | Until next 4h UTC bin | Immediate after payment |
| Capacity | Up to 2x, rest of the session | Same plan ladder | Higher credit ladder |
| Best for | Finishing the current turn | Light, non-urgent use | Active compliance projects |
Overflow is off on Unlimited. Extra usage is not available on Unlimited.
If limits still look wrong
After upgrading or changing habits, contact support if capacity still looks incorrect. Possible causes: account calculation issues, extremely long threads, or needing a higher tier.