ProteinIQ
Getting started

Credits

Credits are ProteinIQ's usage currency. Every computational job consumes credits based on tool complexity and resource requirements.

How credits work

Credits function like a prepaid balance:

  • Each account includes a monthly credit allowance
  • Jobs draw from your credit balance
  • When credits run out, job submission pauses
  • Credits reset monthly on your billing date
  • Unused credits don't roll over

What costs credits?

Simple conversions File format changes typically use 1-5 credits. Convert between FASTA, PDB, GenBank, and other formats.

Complex analyses Computational tools and ML models use 10-100+ credits depending on complexity and input size.

Exact credit costs vary by tool, input size, and computational requirements. Check the "Run" button before submitting to see the cost for your specific job.

Credit calculation

The exact credit cost depends on:

  • Tool complexity: Simple conversions vs ML models vs molecular docking
  • Input size: Number of sequences, protein size, molecule library size
  • Computational resources: CPU tools cost less than GPU-accelerated tools
  • Processing time: Longer jobs may cost proportionally more

The cost is calculated before you submit and shown on the "Run" button. A tooltip explains the calculation for your specific input.

Checking your balance

Your current credit balance appears in the sidebar. Click it to see:

  • Remaining credits this month
  • Credit reset date
  • Recent credit usage
  • Plan details

View detailed usage history at Settings → Usage.

When jobs fail

If a job fails due to invalid input or processing errors, credits are refunded automatically. Check the job history to verify refunded credits.

Free tier limits

The free tier includes 100 credits per month. This covers:

  • 20-100 simple conversions (1-5 credits each)
  • 1-10 complex analyses (10-100 credits each)
  • Mix of simple and complex jobs

Actual numbers depend on which tools you use and input sizes.

Running out of credits

When your balance reaches zero:

  • Jobs requiring credits show "Insufficient credits"
  • You can upgrade to a paid plan for more credits
  • Credits reset monthly on your billing date

Best practices

  • Optimize input size: Smaller inputs use fewer credits. For large molecule libraries, consider splitting into batches.
  • Use appropriate tools: Choose the simplest tool that meets your needs. Don't use ML predictions when basic analysis suffices.
  • Preview before running: Check the credit cost before submitting. Adjust parameters if the cost is higher than expected.
  • Monitor usage: Check your balance regularly to avoid running out mid-experiment. Plan larger jobs around your credit reset date.
  • Download results: Save job outputs locally. Re-running the same analysis consumes credits again.

Next steps