Session mode metering and billing rules
Introduction to session mode
A session consists of a complete sequence of user operations in the web user interface (UI).
Session mode billing calculates fees based on the session duration for each user (TOKEN) in your account. Two billing methods are available: pay-as-you-go and subscription.
With the pay-as-you-go method, the total session usage for all your users from the previous calendar month is calculated on the first day of each month. Usage is measured by the second, converted to hours, and then multiplied by the applicable tiered price to determine your total bill. This is the default billing method after you activate AI Creation Workshop, and no extra steps are required.
With the subscription method, you can purchase resource plans for 3,000, 8,000, or 12,000 hours. These resource plans are valid for six months from the date of purchase. At the end of each month, the system deducts usage from your resource plan first. If the resource plan is exhausted, any remaining usage is billed using the pay-as-you-go method. Purchase a subscription resource plan
Pay-as-you-go pricing
Your price tier is determined by your total usage for each calendar month. The tiered pricing is as follows:
Tier | Duration (hours) | Unit Price |
Tier 0 | (0, 1,000] | CNY 5.50/hour |
Tier 1 | (1,000, 2,700] | CNY 4.50/hour |
Tier 2 | (2,700, 5,000] | CNY 3.50/hour |
Tier 3 | >5,000 | CNY 2.80/hour |
Billing formula
Duration (hours) = Total session usage for the month (seconds) / 3,600
Determine the price tier based on the duration.
Session mode fee = Unit price for the tier × Duration (hours)
For example, if your usage in March is 1,200 hours, your usage is in Tier 1. The total session mode fee for March is:
1,200 × 4.5 = CNY 5,400
Resource plan pricing
Three resource plans are available: 3,000 hours, 8,000 hours, and 12,000 hours. You can purchase multiple resource plans.
Resource Plan | Resource Plan Specifications | Resource plan pricing |
3,000-hour session mode resource plan | Includes 3,000 deductible hours of session mode usage | CNY 12,500 |
8,000-hour session mode resource plan | Includes 8,000 deductible hours of session mode usage | CNY 32,000 |
12,000-hour session mode resource plan | Includes 12,000 deductible hours of session mode usage | CNY 40,000 |
Resource plan activation rules
A resource plan becomes active on the date of purchase and is valid for six months. The plan can cover the usage for the entire month in which it is purchased. However, it cannot be used to cover usage from its final month of validity because the plan expires before the billing for that month is settled. In effect, the plan covers usage for six full calendar months.
If your resource plan has insufficient hours to cover your usage for a month, the overage is billed using the pay-as-you-go method. The pay-as-you-go price tier is based on your total session usage for that month, before any deductions from the resource plan.
For example, if your total session usage in April is 1,400 hours and your resource plan has only 800 hours remaining, the resource plan covers the first 800 hours. The remaining 600 hours are billed as overage. The price tier is based on your total usage of 1,400 hours, which is in Tier 1 (CNY 4.50/hour). Therefore, your overage charge is 600 × 4.50 = CNY 2,700.