# AI plans and your monthly AI allowance

Hero_Agent, Hero_Photo and your connected AI tools run on a monthly allowance. See what each plan includes, what uses an action, and how to get more from Billing.

Last checked: Oct 8, 2026 on the live app. Source: https://heropost.ai/docs/billing/ai-plans/

## Two kinds of AI

Heropost counts AI in two ways.

- **AI for writing is unlimited.** AI captions, hashtags and rewriting posts in the post editor have no monthly cap on the plans sold today. They don't use actions.
- **Hero_Agent, Hero_Photo and your connected AI tools run on monthly credits,** because every task uses AI that costs money each time. Hero_Agent and AI tools use **actions**; Hero_Photo uses **photo credits**.

## What each plan includes

Every plan includes 30 AI actions, 300 Hero_Agent messages and 3 connected AI tools a month, plus 10 Hero_Photo credits once. The Growth, Pro and Agency plans include more:

| Each month | Lifetime, older plans and the free trial | Growth | Pro | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI actions (Hero_Agent and AI tools together) | 30 | 2,000 | 10,000 | Unlimited (fair use) |
| Hero_Agent chat messages | 300 | 800 | 1,500 | Unlimited |
| Connected AI tools | 3 | 3 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Hero_Photo credits | 10 to try, once | 100 a month | 250 a month | 600 a month |
| AI tools can read your Social Inbox | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI tools can reply in your Social Inbox | No | No | Yes | Yes |

The **AI agents** add-ons sold to scheduler subscribers (**Agent Growth**, **Agent Pro** and **Agent Agency**) give the same AI as the Growth, Pro and Agency columns.

Hero_Agent and AI tools always use the plan of the **workspace owner**. Actions and chat messages are counted for the owner across all their workspaces, and connections count every workspace the owner has.

## What uses an action

| Uses 1 action | Free |
|---|---|
| Each post Hero_Agent or an AI tool creates (each post in a batch counts) | Editing, scheduling and publishing a post |
| Each inbox reply it sends | Reading your accounts, posts, calendar, inbox and analytics |
| | Writing copy in the chat window |
| | Uploading media, brand kit and workspace knowledge |
| | Images from Hero_Photo (these use photo credits instead) |

As Hero_Agent puts it on Home: "Each post I create and each reply I send is one action. Editing, scheduling, publishing, reading, analytics and writing copy here are free."

Actions and chat messages reset at the start of each calendar month (UTC). Unused ones don't carry over. When you reach a limit, nothing is charged: the action isn't carried out. More detail: [AI actions: what counts and your allowance](/docs/ai/actions-and-allowance/).

## Hero_Photo credits

- A photo uses 2 credits, a graphic 1 and a 5-second video 20. Hero_Photo shows the cost before you generate anything.
- Credits are used in this order: this month's credits, then the 10 credits to try, then pack credits.
- Monthly credits don't carry over to the next month.
- **Credit packs:** 100 credits for $15, one-time, for anyone with a Hero_Agent plan. "Pack credits never expire while you’re on a Hero_Agent plan." Buy them in **Billing → Add-ons → Photo credits**, or from **Get more** in Hero_Photo. Only the workspace owner can buy credits; other members see "Ask the workspace owner for more photo credits."
- If your Hero_Agent plan ends, pack credits are set aside. They come back if the plan returns within 30 days.

More: [Hero_Photo credits](/docs/ai/hero-photo-credits/).

## Get more AI

Open Billing: click your name at the bottom of the left menu, then **Billing**. Where the AI plans appear depends on what you have:

| What you have | Section in Billing | What you'll see |
|---|---|---|
| No subscription of your own (free trial, a lifetime plan, or no plan) | **Plans** | Growth, Pro and Agency. Lifetime Starter, Growth and Agency holders see their member price, with a line such as "Lifetime-holder price — normally $29/month." Others see "Billed monthly · cancel anytime". |
| A scheduler subscription (an older monthly or yearly plan) | **AI agents** | Agent Growth, Agent Pro and Agent Agency, with "Billed monthly, separate from your plan. Cancel anytime." |
| An AI agents add-on | **AI agents — {plan}** | Its renewal date and price, buttons to upgrade, and **Cancel add-on →** |
| An AI plan (Growth or Pro) | **Upgrade your plan** | The bigger plans, with "Upgrade instantly — pay only the prorated difference today." |

[Screenshot: The Plans section on the Billing page, with Growth, Pro and Agency cards]

1. In Billing, find the **Plans** or **AI agents** section.
2. Press **Get** on the plan you want (for example **Get Pro** or **Get Agent Pro**). The price on the card is what you'll pay each month.
3. Pay on the secure payment page.
4. Press **Proceed** when the confirmation appears. Your new allowance applies straight away.

Already on an AI plan or add-on? Press **Upgrade to {plan}** instead, check the amount in the confirmation window, then **Confirm upgrade**. See [Upgrade or change your plan](/docs/billing/upgrade-or-change/).

You can have one AI plan or one AI agents add-on at a time. To get more, upgrade the one you have rather than buying a second.

## When you reach a limit

| Where | Message | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Hero_Agent chat | "You've reached your action limit ({used}/{limit})." with an **Upgrade** button | Upgrade, or wait for the 1st of next month. |
| Home | "{used} of {limit} AI actions used this month — limit reached." | Same. |
| Hero_Agent chat | "That's all {N} Hero_Agent chat turns for this month — they reset on {date}. Your connected AI tools keep working, and everything you've created stays where it is. To carry on chatting here now, raise your Hero_Agent plan in Billing." | Upgrade, or use a connected AI tool until the reset. |
| Hero_Agent chat | "Hero_Agent chat isn't part of the plan on this workspace. Everything you've already created stays exactly as it is — open Billing to pick a plan and carry on here." | The workspace owner needs a plan. |
| Your AI tool | "An unexpected error occurred while processing your request." when it tries to create a post | Often the month's actions are used up. Check **Actions this month** under Home → **Connect your AI tools** → **Your tools**. |
| Hero_Photo | "This needs {N} photo credits — you have {M}." | Buy a pack or upgrade. |

Every other AI message is in the [error index](/docs/troubleshooting/error-index/#hero_agent).

## Questions

**Do unused actions roll over?**

No. Actions, chat messages and monthly photo credits reset at the start of each calendar month (UTC). Purchased photo pack credits stay while you have a Hero_Agent plan.


**A team member uses Hero_Agent in my workspace. Whose allowance is used?**

Yours, as the workspace owner. Hero_Agent and AI tools always use the plan of the person who owns the workspace. A team member buying a plan on their own login doesn't raise the allowance in your workspace.


**Do AI captions in the post editor use actions?**

No. AI captions, hashtags and rewriting are the AI for writing, included on every plan.


**I have a lifetime plan. What happens if I cancel my AI plan?**

You keep your scheduler and the monthly AI credits that come with lifetime: 30 AI actions, 300 Hero_Agent messages and 3 connected AI tools a month.


**Can I buy extra actions without changing plan?**

No. To get more actions, move to a bigger AI plan.


**Why can't I buy a photo credit pack?**

Packs are for Hero_Agent plan subscribers ("Photo credit packs come with a Hero Agent plan."). They're also paused while your plan is set to end: "Your Hero_Agent plan ends on {date}, and pack credits end with it — so packs are paused."