{
  "billing_concept": {
    "id": "bil_credit_consumption",
    "name": "How prepaid credits are consumed",
    "category": "prepaid_credits",
    "description": "Credits are consumed continuously as API calls are made — each call's token-based cost (input + output tokens at that model's rate) is deducted from the account's remaining credit balance in near-real-time.",
    "how_it_works": "Because consumption is metered per-call rather than in large discrete steps, an account's remaining balance reflects actual usage closely, which is why usage dashboards typically show near-real-time (not batch-delayed) balance figures.",
    "source_note": "General mechanism description, consistent with a standard prepaid-credit billing model; no specific numeric example given.",
    "created_at": "2026-07-02 08:30:40",
    "cite_as": "https://subagentcredits.com/api/billing-concepts/bil_credit_consumption"
  }
}