BeefAPIBilling and usage
Understand USD credit, token and media charges, reserved credit, failed tasks, and usage records.
Add USD credit
BeefAPI uses prepaid USD credit. Open Billing, choose an available checkout option, and wait for the confirmed credit to appear in your balance. Returning from checkout alone does not confirm payment.
Your global wallet and API keys belong to global.beefapi.com. Credit on the Chinese site is separate. An API key with an unlimited spending limit still needs enough account credit.
How requests are priced
| Request | Charge |
|---|---|
| Text | Input and output tokens at the model's USD rates per million tokens; cache tokens use the applicable cache rates. |
| Images | Generated image count × the model's USD price per image. |
| Grok video | Seconds × the USD rate for the chosen resolution, plus any reference-image charge. |
Cache usage is not automatically free. Where a model has long-context pricing, the applicable rates can rise for the request. Use the recorded token categories and any pricing details in Usage to understand the final charge; do not count cached tokens twice as both ordinary input and cache input.
Current prices as JSON
Pricing and pricing.usd.json read the same global USD pricebook:
curl --fail-with-body https://global.beefapi.com/pricing.usd.json| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
pricebook_id, pricing_version | Identify the pricebook and configuration version. |
models[].model_name | Exact model ID. |
input_usd, output_usd | Base USD rates per million text tokens. |
cache_read_usd, cache_write_usd | Cache rates when provided. Missing fields do not mean zero. |
per_request_usd, unit | Fixed price and what it buys: an image, a second at 480p, or a request. |
per_second_usd | Video rates keyed by output resolution; use this for 720p and 1080p. |
reference_image_usd | Additional price per video reference image. |
This is a current base-price catalog, not a quote for every possible request. Long-context adjustments and actual usage can affect the final text charge. The account's usage record is the final charge for that request.
The separate /pricing.json endpoint is a shared catalog with a different currency/schema contract. Use /pricing.usd.json for global USD integrations.
Reserved credit and settlement
BeefAPI may reserve credit before a request runs. A request can therefore be rejected for insufficient credit even when the displayed balance is above zero: it must cover the estimate and other work already in flight.
After the request is accounted for, the reservation is reconciled with its charge. Video jobs reserve their estimated cost at creation. A task recorded as failed releases its reservation through failure processing.
A client timeout or lost connection is not proof of cancellation or a refund. For a video or image job, poll the saved task/job ID. For a synchronous call with an uncertain outcome, check Usage before sending it again. A second generation is a separate request and can be charged separately.
Read your usage
Open Usage to inspect the model, time, request ID, and USD cost. Text calls may also show input, output, and cache token details. Keep the request or task ID if a charge needs investigation.
For programmatic account access, API reference explains the system access token and account fields. Raw quota fields are accounting units, not USD amounts; use the console's USD display rather than a guessed conversion.
Refunds and payment issues
For a payment refund, read Refunds and email support from your account email with the order reference shown in Billing. Payment refunds are reviewed against the original payment and are separate from releasing a failed API task's reservation.
If checkout reports success but credit has not appeared, keep the order reference and contact support before paying again.