What you’ll see
The message Chief shows depends on whose credits the task draws from:- Your own balance is empty. You’ll see “Out of credits” with your current balance and a Refill Credits button.
- You’re a guest (not signed in). You’ll be prompted to create an account to keep using Chief — and you can wait for credits to refill.
- You’re in a project paid for by an organization. You’ll see “This project is out of credits,” telling you which organization pays for it and who to contact to top it up. Your personal balance doesn’t apply to that project.
How to get going again

- When the message appears, select Refill Credits.
- You’re taken to the pricing page, returning you to the same place afterward. Enter an amount and complete checkout.
- When you return, your balance updates and you can resume. Your in-progress prompt was saved, so it’s still there.
On the Explore plan
If you’re on the free Explore plan, you don’t have to buy credits to continue — you can also wait for your daily refill to top up your balance. Buying credits just gets you working again immediately.FAQ
Did I lose the prompt I was writing when the modal appeared?
Did I lose the prompt I was writing when the modal appeared?
No. Chief saves your in-progress prompt before sending you to refill, so it’s restored when you come back.
I have personal credits, so why is this project blocked?
I have personal credits, so why is this project blocked?
Because this project is billed to an organization, not to you. Chief checks the balance that actually pays for the project. Your personal credits won’t unblock a project funded by someone else — the paying organization needs to refill.
I refilled but Chief still says I'm out.
I refilled but Chief still says I'm out.
The credit grant can lag the payment redirect by a few seconds while Stripe confirms. Chief refetches automatically; if it’s still stuck after a minute, refresh the page and try again.