# What uses a credit and when does it come back?

> A finished build uses one credit. A failed build gives it back. Assigning, publishing and retrying images are free.

A finished build uses one credit, whatever the page type. A running build holds its credit. If the build fails, the credit comes back by itself.

## What uses a credit

- Any finished build: a full product page, a buy box, sections, a home page, any other page or an imported product.
- A retry of a failed build. The failed build's credit already came back, so you pay for the page once.
- A finished page you don't like. It stays spent, even if you never assign it.
- A finished page with missing images. Retrying those images is free.

## What doesn't use a credit

- A failed build. This includes "Check your product template", "This theme is full" and "Our AI is slow right now".
- A description we refuse.
- The "Add a product first" message.
- **Retry** on missing images.
- Assigning, publishing, renaming, **Add to main menu**, **Use as home page** and **Restore**.
- Edits in the theme editor.
- Clicking Generate twice for the exact same page while it's running.

## When a credit comes back

- As soon as the build fails.
- For a build that never starts, after 20 minutes.
- For a build that stops making progress, after an hour.

## Why is my balance lower than I expected?

- A running build holds a credit.
- Older **Set up with AI** runs count too.

If the count still looks wrong, open the chat bubble in the Section Store app or email help@section.store.

## Related

- [How many pages can I build with AI Pages?](https://section-store.orka.help/a/how-many-pages-can-i-build)
- [Why can't I build a page? It says I'm out of credits](https://section-store.orka.help/a/why-does-it-say-im-out-of-credits)
- [Why did my AI page build fail?](https://section-store.orka.help/a/why-did-my-ai-page-build-fail)
- [My AI page build seems stuck](https://section-store.orka.help/a/my-ai-page-build-seems-stuck)

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