How Credits Work
Understand VoxScriber's cycle system: how much each engine costs, when credits are deducted, how they accumulate on renewal, and when they expire.
All usage in VoxScriber is measured in cycles: 1 cycle = 15 seconds of audio on the default engine, so 1 minute = 4 cycles. "Credits" and "cycles" are the same thing — the balance shown in your dashboard.
How much each engine costs
The same minute of audio consumes different amounts of cycles depending on the engine chosen:
| Engine | Cost | Yield of 1,000 cycles |
|---|---|---|
| Nano (in-browser) | 0 cycles | unlimited within the plan's quota |
| Normal (Whisper) | 1 cycle/min | ~16h40 of audio |
| Premium (AssemblyAI, default) | 4 cycles/min | ~4h10 of audio |
| Ultra (ElevenLabs) | 10 cycles/min | ~1h40 of audio |
Fractional cycles are rounded up. Example: a 2min30s audio on Premium costs 10 cycles; on Normal, 3 cycles.
For high volume at the lowest cost, use the Normal engine (1 cycle/min). Premium is the default because it has the best precision/features balance in Portuguese; save Ultra for when speaker separation needs to be flawless.
When cycles are deducted
Your balance is checked before transcription starts, but it's only deducted after it completes successfully — billing and delivery happen together, in the same operation. A failed transcription consumes no cycles.
Every transaction (purchase, renewal, usage, refund) creates an immutable record in your statement — see Statement and history.
Renewal: your cycles accumulate (with a cap)
On subscription renewal, the plan's cycles are added to what's left over, with a cap of 2× the plan's cycles. Your balance is never reduced at renewal, and bonuses granted above the cap are preserved.
Examples with a 4,800 cycles/month plan (cap 9,600):
| Balance before renewal | Balance after |
|---|---|
| 500 | 5,300 |
| 8,000 | 9,600 (hit the cap) |
| 12,000 | 12,000 (preserved, nothing is cut) |
- Upgrade mid-cycle: you immediately receive the difference in cycles between the new and old plan (with the 2× cap of the new plan).
- Downgrade: neither credits nor removes cycles when switching.
- Free Plan: the 120 cycles renew every 30 days counted from the last reset (not on the 1st of every month).
- Subscriptions: renew for the contracted period — 30 days on monthly, 365 on yearly.
What expires and what doesn't
Subscription cycles follow the cap rule above. Meanwhile, cycles from hour packages and custom balance never expire — and they even survive subscription cancellation: if you go back to the Free plan, your active one-time purchases are preserved, in addition to the Free plan's 120-cycle floor.
Frequently asked questions
Leftover balance this month — will I lose it at renewal?
No. Renewal adds the plan's cycles to what's left over, capped at 2× the plan's cycles. Above that, your balance stops growing, but it never decreases.
The transcription failed — was I charged?
No. Deduction only happens when the transcription completes successfully. If it fails, the system even tries again automatically at no extra cost.
I canceled my subscription — do I lose the cycles from the hour package I bought?
No. One-time purchases never expire and are preserved on downgrade to the Free plan.
Why did my 10-minute file cost 40 cycles?
Because it was transcribed on the Premium engine (4 cycles/min). The same file on Normal would cost 10 cycles, and on Nano, zero.
How do I track my usage?
On the billing page of the dashboard, you can see your current balance and the complete transaction history.
Keep learning
- Plans and pricing - How many cycles each plan includes
- Renewal and lifecycle - What happens at each charge
- Statement and history - Auditing every transaction
- Changing plans - Upgrade with immediate delta credit
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