> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getcara.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Usage-based Billing

> Understand the metered units on your Cara invoice and how to monitor them

Cara bills two components each month:

1. **Seats** — the number of Cara users assigned in your agency ([Manage subscription](/admin/subscription)).
2. **Usage** — three metered units that reflect how much work Cara is actually doing.

This page covers the usage side.

## Metered units

Every Cara invoice reports three usage counters:

| Unit            | What it measures         | Where it comes from                                                                                                                       |
| --------------- | ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `PLATFORM_UNIT` | Copilot workspaces       | One or more units per workspace, based on the complexity of the tools Cara ran (integration writes, document generation, code execution). |
| `VOICE_MINUTE`  | Voice AI airtime         | Per-minute meter on every inbound and outbound call handled by a Voice AI agent — matches the total on the Voice AI analytics dashboard.  |
| `KB_PAGE`       | Knowledge Base ingestion | Per-page meter every time a document is ingested or re-ingested into the Knowledge Base.                                                  |

<Note>
  Metered units are additive to your seat plan, not a replacement. Seats gate who can log in and use Cara; usage tracks how much they use her.
</Note>

## Where to see current usage

Navigate to **Settings → Subscription → Usage** to see:

* **Month-to-date** counters for each metered unit
* **Rolling 12-month** trend for each meter
* **Included allotment** vs **billable overage** for your plan

The same view is exposed to admins via the [Analytics](/admin/analytics) dashboards — Voice AI airtime aligns with `VOICE_MINUTE`, and workspace volume aligns with `PLATFORM_UNIT`.

## Alerts

You can configure alerts on any of the three meters:

* **Threshold alert** — email your admin team when a meter crosses a percentage of the included allotment.
* **Anomaly alert** — email when the daily rate on a meter is materially higher than the trailing average.

Alerts are configured under **Settings → Subscription → Usage → Alerts**.

## Reducing usage

If a meter is running higher than expected, the analytics dashboards show the underlying drivers:

* **`PLATFORM_UNIT` high** — check the preset mix in the Workspaces dashboard. High-volume custom presets are the most common cause; consider tightening the prompt so Cara does less redundant work.
* **`VOICE_MINUTE` high** — check the call volume trend and disconnection breakdown. Long, transfer-heavy calls are the most common cause; adjust Voice AI transfer settings or business hours.
* **`KB_PAGE` high** — check the Knowledge Base for large or frequently re-uploaded documents. Delete obsolete versions and prefer folders over duplicates.

For enterprise-plan pricing or a custom allotment, contact [support@getcara.ai](mailto:support@getcara.ai).