Base44 Credits Explained: How Message and Integration Credits Work

What a credit buys, why you run out, and how to make a month of credits last

Last updated Oct 2026 | By DoitWithAi

Quick answer

Base44 uses two kinds of credits. Message credits are spent when you ask the AI to build or change your app (a small edit costs about 0.5 credits, a complex feature about 2). Integration credits are spent when your live app sends emails, calls an AI model or generates images. Credits reset every cycle and do not roll over. The Free plan gives 25 message credits a month, capped at 5 per day; Starter gives 100 a month for $16/month billed annually or $20 monthly.

Credits decide what Base44 really costs you, and they are the number one reason people get stuck mid-build. This guide explains both credit types, what typical actions cost according to Base44's own documentation (checked October 2026), and how to stop burning credits on rework.

Exact costs vary with the action and the AI model, so treat the numbers below as Base44's published estimates, not a fixed price list.

Message credits vs integration credits

Message credits are used while you build: every prompt to the AI that creates, edits or fixes part of your app.
Integration credits are used while your app runs: sending an email, generating an image, calling a language model, uploading files, or using in-app AI agents.

The split matters because it explains two very different ways to run out. A builder who spends a weekend fixing bugs burns message credits. A finished app that is busy, like a booking tool sending confirmation emails, burns integration credits instead.

What each action costs

Action	Approx. credits	Credit type
Simple visual or text change	~0.5	Message
Improving a small feature	~1	Message
Adding a complex module	~2	Message
Large, app-wide change	~3 to 4	Message
Planning message in Discuss mode	~0.3	Message
Standard email sent by your app	~1	Integration
Email from a custom domain	~2	Integration
Image generation	~1	Integration
LLM call (Automatic model)	~1	Integration
LLM call (manually chosen model)	~3 or more	Integration
Video generation	~5 per second	Integration

Source: Base44's credits documentation. The pattern is simple: big, vague requests cost more than small precise ones, and choosing a specific AI model costs more than leaving it on Automatic.

How many credits each plan includes

Plan	Price	Message credits / mo	Integration credits / mo
Free	$0	25 (max 5 per day)	100
Starter	$16/mo annual, $20 monthly	100	2,000
Builder	$40/mo annual, $50 monthly	250	10,000
Pro	$80/mo annual, $100 monthly	500	20,000
Elite	$160/mo annual, $200 monthly	1,200	50,000

In practice, 100 message credits on Starter is roughly 100 small features or 200 small tweaks. The full plan breakdown is in our Base44 pricing guide.

Does Base44 have a daily credit limit?

On the Free plan, yes. Free workspaces get 5 message credits per day, up to 25 per month, and the daily allowance resets at midnight in the workspace owner's time zone. Paid plans have no daily cap: you get the monthly allowance and can spend it as fast as you like.

The daily cap is why free users often hit a wall after one productive session. If you build in long bursts, that limit matters more than the monthly total. See Is Base44 free? for what the free plan can realistically build.

Do Base44 credits roll over?

No. Unused credits expire when your allowance resets, and bonus credits do not carry over either. Paid plans reset on your subscription anniversary date each month, not on the 1st.

One exception worth knowing: if you upgrade mid-cycle, the new plan's credits are granted immediately, so upgrading the day you run out does not waste anything.

What happens when you run out of credits?

Out of message credits: the AI chat stops working until your credits reset or you upgrade. Your existing apps keep running.
Out of integration credits: actions that need integrations fail, and your app's users see a generic error. For a live business tool, this is the one to watch.

Base44's pricing page does not offer a pay-as-you-go credit pack. The documented way to get more credits is to upgrade to a higher plan, which you can do at any time.

See Base44 Plans

How to check your credit usage

In Base44, open your workspace settings and go to Credit usage. It shows message and integration credits used, a per-app breakdown and a daily usage chart, which is the fastest way to spot an app that is quietly burning integration credits.

7 ways to make your credits last

Plan in Discuss mode first (about 0.3 credits per message) before asking the AI to build.
Write one detailed opening prompt that lists every page, field and user role.
Leave the AI model on Automatic unless a task really needs a specific model.
Test after every change and fix one bug per message.
Make small visual tweaks in batches rather than one prompt each.
Use custom-domain email only when you need it; it costs about twice a standard email.
Check Credit usage weekly so a busy app never runs dry in front of users.

The rework rule

Credits are rarely wasted on building. They are wasted on rebuilding something a vague prompt got wrong. Ten minutes of planning saves more credits than any plan upgrade.

The honest verdict

Base44's credit system is fair once you understand it, but it punishes trial and error. Most solo builders working on one or two business tools are comfortable on Starter. If you are iterating every day, Builder's 250 message credits is the real upgrade. Not sure yet? Start free and watch your usage for a week.

Start Base44 Free

Frequently asked questions

How do Base44 credits work?

Base44 uses message credits for building with the AI and integration credits for actions your app performs, such as sending emails or calling AI models. Each plan includes a monthly allowance of both, and costs vary by action and AI model.

What is the difference between message credits and integration credits in Base44?

Message credits are spent when you prompt the AI to create or change your app. Integration credits are spent when your running app uses built-in services like email, image generation, file uploads or LLM calls.

How many free credits does Base44 give per day?

The Free plan gives 5 message credits per day, up to 25 per month, resetting at midnight in the workspace owner's time zone. Paid plans have a monthly allowance with no daily cap.

Do Base44 credits roll over to the next month?

No. Unused credits expire when your allowance resets. Paid plans reset on the subscription anniversary date each month.

Can I buy more Base44 credits?

Base44's pricing page does not list a pay-as-you-go credit pack. The documented way to get more credits is to upgrade to a higher plan; credits from the new plan are granted immediately.

What happens when I run out of Base44 credits?

Without message credits you cannot use the AI builder until reset or upgrade, but your apps keep running. Without integration credits, actions like sending emails fail and users see an error.

More Base44 guides

Know your credits, then build.

Start on the free plan, watch your usage for a week, and upgrade only when credits become the bottleneck.

Create a Free Base44 Account

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