What free-tier limit keeps my AI costs sustainable?
Pricing an AI feature means working backwards from cost, and this tool helps teams running a freemium model set a sustainable free-tier usage limit. It ties your per-request AI spend to the price and margin you set, so you can see the trade-off before you publish a price.
Start here: Sessions Per Budget Calculator
Results update automatically as you type.
- Budget
- $100.00
- Cost / session
- $0.00180
- Sessions in budget
- 55,555
Then: AI Cost Per User Calculator
Results update automatically as you type.
- Monthly AI cost
- $2,000.00
- Active users
- 5,000
- Cost per user
- $0.4000
Why this isn't trivial
The part people underestimate: free users are pure cost until they convert, so the limit must reflect your conversion rate and cost per use. In practice the biggest savings come from tuning the limit to conversion economics and using a cheap model for free users, so it is worth modelling before you commit.
How it's calculated
We estimate this by budgeting acceptable free-user cost and dividing by per-use cost to set the limit. Every figure uses the current provider prices baked into the site (reviewed daily), and you can override any input to match your own assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick the limit?+
Base it on conversion — a generous limit only pays if enough free users upgrade.
Should free users get the top model?+
Usually not — a budget model stretches the free allowance affordably.
Are these prices up to date?+
Yes. The model prices behind this calculator are refreshed and reviewed daily, so your estimate reflects current provider rates rather than a stale snapshot.
Related
Estimates for planning. Pricing data last reviewed 28 July 2026.