# How do I manage credits and thinking effort in Work and Code?

> Work and Code runs are paid for with credits. See how to check your balance, pick a model and thinking effort, and use your own ChatGPT plan in the desktop app.

Source: https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/20001516-how-do-i-manage-credits-and-thinking-effort-in-work-and-code
Section: Code
Last updated: 2026-10-07

Work and Code runs are paid for with credits, and heavier models and longer tasks use more of them. You control the spend with four things: the model you pick, the thinking effort you set, how closely you watch your balance, and where the credits come from. Work and Code have no daily run cap, so your limit is your credit balance. On Plus and higher personal plans, some fast models are included and use no model credits in interactive runs, although paid tools and media still use credits.

## Check your balance

- **In a chat.** In an open chat, select the circular context indicator in the message box. Its popover shows the context window and, under **Plan usage**, your **Auto requests**, your **Monthly credits** (a Free account sees **Free credits**) and any purchased credits as **Usage credits**. The indicator is on by default. You can turn it off with **Show context window usage** in **Settings** > **General**.
- **In Settings.** Open **Settings** > **Usage**. **General usage limits** shows your **Monthly credits** meter and when it resets, **Auto usage limits** shows the **Auto requests** meter, and **Credits** shows your purchased credits.
- **Over time.** **Settings** > **Analytics** breaks credits down by model, product or activity. See [Where can I review my Work and Code usage in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/20001478-where-can-i-review-my-work-and-code-usage-in-zerotwo)

## Pick the model

In the model picker, hover the coin icon on a model to see its estimated credit cost per 1,000 tokens. The icon appears only on models that use credits on your plan. A model with a lower estimate costs fewer credits for each token it uses.

Choose **Auto** to let ZeroTwo send Work and Code requests to a fast, low-cost model. Paid plans include a monthly count of free Auto requests, and after you use them Auto is charged in credits like any other model. Free accounts have no free Auto requests. For the models themselves, see [Which GPT-5.6 and GPT-6 models can I use in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/20001354-which-gpt-5-6-and-gpt-6-models-can-i-use-in-zerotwo)

## Set the thinking effort

Next to the model in the message box, the **Thinking effort** control sets how much the model reasons. Select it to choose a level. In Work and Code it lists the model's own levels and has no Off option, and it appears only for models that offer more than one level. The levels differ by model. For GPT 5.6 Sol they are **Low**, **Medium**, **High**, **X-High** and **Max**.

## When your credits run out

A notice titled "You're out of credits" appears above the message box when your balance cannot cover the model you picked. You can switch to a cheaper model, buy credits from the account menu or **Settings** > **Usage** > **Add more**, or upgrade your plan. In an organization workspace the notice reads "Your workspace is out of credits". A Free account without purchased credits is limited in Work and Code to Auto and a short list of models. See [How do credits work in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/12642688-how-do-credits-work-in-zerotwo) and [Why can't I use a model or feature in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/10258669-why-can-t-i-use-a-model-or-feature-in-zerotwo)

## Use your own ChatGPT plan instead of credits

In the desktop app you can connect a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan that you already pay for. Model usage on a connected plan is billed to your own provider account, not to your ZeroTwo credits, although paid tools and media in those runs can still use credits. To connect, open **Settings** > **Providers** in the desktop app and select **Connect** on the **ChatGPT** row. The steps are in [Which ZeroTwo plans can use Code, and how is it billed?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/11369540-which-zerotwo-plans-can-use-code-and-how-is-it-billed)