Guide: AI credits for DM answers
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/ai-credits-for-dm-answers
Topic: Automation
Time: about 2 minutes
Who can do it: Owner or Administrator
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/account
Result when done: You know what an AI answer in a DM costs, where to see what is left, and what happens when credits run out.
Context: AI credits count what the AI writes. An AI answer or a draft in a DM uses 5; an answer it could not give uses none, and a flow's AI agent answers step charges only once the answer reached the person. Each month brings AI credits equal to the plan's comment pool (Starter 1,000, Growth 3,000, Pro 10,000, Elite 25,000; 250 on the trial), with no rollover. Bought credits never expire and are used after the monthly ones. Out of credits, nothing goes silent: the agent stops answering and the chat waits for a person.

Before you start:
1. Only the owner buys credits.
2. Try it on the agent's page uses 1 AI credit per answer.
3. Auto top-up is offered, never switched on for you.

Steps:
Step 1 of 4: Find what an answer costs, and cap it.
Where: In the agent automation's editor, under Hand to a person when: Cap per day, with 100, 500 and No cap, and beside it (under it on a phone) the cost: Each answer or draft uses 5 AI credits. Usage, at the end of that line, opens your balance.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-recipe-agent-more.en.webp (Cap per day, and what each answer uses.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-recipe-agent-more-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The cap you chose, and the cost of an answer beside it.

Step 2 of 4: See what is left this period.
Where: Settings, then the Account tab: under Usage this period, the AI credits tile.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/account (Open Account)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-ai-credits.en.webp (The AI credits tile under Usage this period.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-ai-credits-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The credits used out of the period's allowance, any bought credits beside it (+ … bought), and Where it went for the breakdown.

Step 3 of 4: Know what happens when they run out.
Where: The agent stops answering, the message waits for a person, and the owner gets one email. In a flow, the AI agent answers step takes its Didn't run way and nothing is sent; with nothing connected there, it follows Couldn't answer, and with that open too your team is asked. The run is marked as out of AI credits. Nothing else stops.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-agent.en.webp (The AI agent answers step: its four ways out, Answered, Wants a person, Couldn't answer and Didn't run.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-agent-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Chats wait for your team instead of going unanswered.

Step 4 of 4: Top up, or switch on auto top-up.
Where: On the AI credits tile, Buy credits: 1,000 for $10, 5,000 for $45 or 20,000 for $160, never expiring. On the same tile, Auto top-up off with Set up beside it: once set up, it buys a pack when you fall below the line you set, up to the times a month you allow, and emails every charge.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-ai-credits.en.webp (Buy credits, on the AI credits tile.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-ai-credits-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The bought credits on the tile; the agent answers again at once.

If something is off:
Problem: You are out of AI credits
Fix: Buy a pack, switch on auto top-up, or wait for the next period; meanwhile chats go to a person.
Problem: Buy credits is not there
Fix: Only the owner buys credits, and a trial, an ended plan or an open payment dispute cannot buy.
Problem: Credits went faster than expected
Fix: Each answer or draft uses 5. Set a Cap per day on the agent automation, or answer in drafts and send only the good ones.

Common questions:
Question: How many AI credits does a DM answer use?
Answer: 5 for an answer or a draft. An answer the agent could not give (not enough knowledge) uses none, and a flow's agent step charges only once the answer was sent.
Question: Do unused AI credits roll over?
Answer: Monthly AI credits do not roll over. Credits you buy never expire and are used after the monthly ones.
Question: Do other DMs and contacts use credits?
Answer: No. Contacts and DMs are not metered on any plan; only moderated comments and what the AI writes are.
Question: What happens to my chats when AI credits run out?
Answer: The agent stops answering and each message waits for a person; the owner gets one email. Your other automations keep running.

Related guides:
- What the AI agent answers in DMs, and when it hands over: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/what-the-ai-agent-answers-in-dms-and-when-it-hands-over
- Let your AI agent answer messages: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/let-your-ai-agent-answer-messages
- What a credit is and how it is spent: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/account/what-a-credit-is-and-how-it-is-spent

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/ai-credits-for-dm-answers.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt