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How usage is measured

Every call to Alchemist is attributed to your API key and broken down into two layers:
LayerWhat it tracks
RequestsTop-level actions: a search, a document fetch, a chat turn
Token eventsThe underlying LLM and embedding calls that power each request
You’re billed at the request level — not per token. Tokens are tracked internally for cost transparency and displayed in your usage dashboard.

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What counts as a request

OperationTriggered by
searchPOST /api/insights/search or search_insights MCP tool
explore_messageChat turns in the Alchemist console or search_web MCP fallback
Fetching documents (GET /api/documents, GET /api/documents/{id}) does not currently count against your search quota.

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Checking your usage

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Via the API

curl "https://api.askalchemist.com/console/content/me/usage?days=30" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <clerk_jwt>"

{
  "days": 30,
  "start_date": "2026-05-17",
  "end_date": "2026-06-16",
  "total_input_tokens": 124800,
  "total_output_tokens": 38200,
  "total_tokens": 163000,
  "total_requests": 412,
  "daily": [
    {
      "date": "2026-06-16",
      "input_tokens": 3200,
      "output_tokens": 980,
      "total_tokens": 4180,
      "request_count": 11
    }
  ],
  "operations": [
    {
      "operation": "search",
      "input_tokens": 98000,
      "output_tokens": 12000,
      "total_tokens": 110000,
      "request_count": 380
    }
  ]
}

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Via the app

Go to app.askalchemist.com/settings/usage for a visual breakdown by day and operation type.

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Free tier limits

The free tier includes a generous monthly allowance for building and testing.
Specific free-tier limits are shown in the app under Settings → Usage. Contact hello@askalchemist.com for higher limits or custom plans.

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Rate limits

Requests are rate-limited per API key, not per account. See the API Keys page for current limits and rate limit headers.

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Cost-free operations

The following operations are tracked but do not consume your search quota:
  • GET /api/documents/filters — listing available sources
  • GET /api/documents — browsing document metadata
  • GET /api/documents/{doc_id} — fetching a document and its insights
  • list_filter_options MCP tool
  • list_documents MCP tool
  • get_document MCP tool