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More thinking costs more credits

Chief runs on credits, and your response mode is the biggest lever on how many a prompt uses. The deeper the mode, the more work Chief does — and the more credits that prompt consumes. Picking the right mode for the job keeps your credits going further.

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How each mode compares

The response modes with their credit multipliers — Expert about 3x and Deep Intelligence about 5x
  • Fast — the lightest mode. Standard credit usage for a quick answer.
  • Automatic — routes each prompt to Fast, Expert, or Deep Intelligence, so cost depends on the depth Chief selects.
  • Expert — deeper reasoning, so it uses roughly 3x the credits of a standard response.
  • Deep Intelligence — runs a fleet of agents in parallel, so it uses roughly 5x the credits. It’s also a paid-plan feature.
You’ll see the multiplier noted on the heavier modes in the mode selector — for example, “Uses ~3x the credits” on Expert and “~5x” on Deep Intelligence.
Pro-Tip: Automatic can choose any available depth, including Deep Intelligence at roughly 5x standard usage. If your plan or credit balance caps Automatic at Expert, Chief tells you when Deep Intelligence would suit the request better. Select Fast yourself when keeping credit use low matters more than depth.

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Keep an eye on your balance

A completed response showing its mode and the total credits it used
Heavier modes draw down credits faster. You can see your Credits Balance and Usage This Month in your account, and refill or upgrade when you’re running low. Each completed response also shows the total credits it used.
Important: If a project runs out of credits, prompts in that project can’t run until someone tops it up — even if your personal balance still has credits. Project credits and personal credits are separate.

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FAQ

The mode is usually the reason. A Deep Intelligence prompt (~5x) or an Expert prompt (~3x) costs more than a Fast one. Adding an agent mention does not change the intelligence level, so it does not automatically move the prompt to the Deep Intelligence rate.
They’re approximate — the selector shows “~3x” and “~5x.” Actual usage varies with the size and complexity of the work, so treat the multipliers as a guide, not a fixed price.
Chief stops processing until credits are topped up. Refill your personal credits, or — for a shared project — have the project owner top up the project’s credits, since personal balance doesn’t apply to project work.