Usage
AI actions and JSON operations are unlimited on Pro; AI credits cover the five generative tools, with a monthly allowance on both plans.
Prism keeps the rules deliberately simple: on Pro the everyday work you do with AI is unlimited, and only the generative work draws from a prepaid AI credits wallet. This page explains exactly what counts, how the Free plan's allowance behaves, and why a paid call is never blocked by billing.
What counts as an AI action
An AI action is one tool call your AI client makes through the MCP panel — a single request that reads or changes your composition. Asking Prism to retime a layer, add keyframes, read the active comp, or apply an effect each counts as one AI action. Every tool across animation, layers, timeline, effects, and the rest falls under this single bucket.
Because you bring your own AI and pay your model provider directly, Prism has no model bill to pass on — that is why AI actions are unlimited on Pro.
What counts as a JSON operation
A JSON operation is one export or one import through the JSON pipeline. Serializing your whole project to structured JSON is one operation. Importing the modified structure back as real layers is one operation. So a full round trip — export, then import — counts as two JSON operations.
What is metered
Three things are measured. AI actions and JSON operations are governed by your plan's caps — unlimited on Pro, and capped on Free. The generative AI draws from a separate prepaid AI credits wallet.
| Metered | What it covers | How it is counted |
|---|---|---|
| AI actions | One tool call: a single request from your AI client that reads or changes your composition | 200/month on Free, unlimited on Pro |
| JSON operations | One export (serialize a project to structured JSON) or one import (bring the modified structure back as real layers) | 3/month on Free, unlimited on Pro |
| AI credits | The prepaid wallet for the five generative tools — image, music, sound effects, transcription, and beat detection | 200/month on Free, 300/month on Pro; top up anytime |
Everything else — every native tool call, every read of your live comp — is an AI action, and on Pro it is unlimited.
AI credits
You spend AI credits to use the generative AI tools — image generation, music, sound effects, transcription, and beat detection. These are Prism AI's generative tools; each draws from your credits. Each plan includes a monthly allowance (Free 200, Pro 300); when it runs out, you purchase more in the License Portal — a pay-what-you-want top-up of any amount from $5. Purchased credits never expire.
1 credit = $0.01 (USD). Your everyday AI actions do not cost credits; only the generative, credit-charging tools draw from the wallet:
| Credit-charging tool | Cost |
|---|---|
| Image generation — a picture from a prompt | 8 credits per image |
| Music generation — an instrumental track from a prompt | 40 credits per minute |
| Sound-effect generation — an effect from a prompt | 2 credits per second (10 minimum) |
| Transcription — audio → timestamped subtitles | 5 credits per minute of audio |
| Beat / BPM detection → timeline markers | 1 credit per analysis |
When your credit balance hits 0, a credit-charging action stops until you top up. Everyday AI actions and JSON operations are unaffected — they are governed by your plan caps, not by credits.
How Free works
Free gives you 200 AI actions, 3 JSON operations, and 200 AI credits per month, on the same tools as Pro — it is a real plan, not a feature-limited trial, so you can evaluate the full read → reason → write loop on real projects. Counters reset at the start of each billing month.
At a cap, the next request is blocked with an upgrade notice. On Pro the AI-action and JSON caps disappear; only a credit-charging tool pauses, and only at a balance of 0, until you top up.
Fail-open billing
If a usage check is ever slow or unreachable, Prism lets the call through. A paid request is never blocked by billing.
The caps enforced strictly are Free's 200 AI actions and 3 JSON operations, since that is the boundary between Free and Pro, along with a credit balance reaching 0. On Pro, AI actions and JSON operations are unlimited — they never gate your work mid-session. You will not lose an edit because a counter could not be reached.
Related
- Plans and pricing — the Free-vs-Pro comparison and headline prices
- Bring your own AI — why AI actions never run out
- The JSON pipeline — what one JSON operation is
- How Prism works — how a single request flows through Prism
Pricing
Compare Prism plans: Free and Pro. Pro has unlimited AI actions and unlimited JSON operations for a flat $6/mo; both plans include monthly AI credits for generative AI.
License Portal
Prism's Polar customer portal: copy your license key, manage or cancel your plan, download the After Effects panel, and free a device slot in one place.