Customers & Automation
Understanding Spark (AI Credits)
Last updated 15 April 2026
Understanding Spark (AI Credits)
Spark is the credit system that powers all AI features in OpenChair, from Concierge chat messages and smart replies to style previews and campaign drafts. One Spark equals one cent, and every AI action has a transparent, fixed cost.
Where to find it. Web: Sidebar → Settings → Billing → Wallet & Usage card. Mobile: Settings → Billing → Wallet section.
TL;DR
- 1 Spark = 1 cent. PRO venues receive 500 Sparks per active staff per month (up to 3,500), pooled at venue level.
- Included Sparks are used first; wallet balance covers the rest. Sparks reset each billing period and do not roll over.
- When balance runs out, AI features degrade gracefully, conversations and history are preserved.
- Enable auto top-up from Settings → Billing to prevent interruptions during busy periods.
Overview
The Spark system is the credit model that powers all AI features in OpenChair, with a monthly included allowance for PRO venues and a prepaid wallet for additional usage:
- Powers every AI feature in OpenChair with a simple, transparent credit model
- Includes a monthly Spark allowance for PRO venues (500 per active staff member, up to 3,500)
- Consumes included Sparks first, then draws from your prepaid wallet balance
- Provides graceful fallbacks when balance runs out. AI features degrade rather than break
- Supports auto top-up so you never run out unexpectedly
Note
Spark credits are available to all plans. PRO venues receive an included monthly allowance. FREE venues can use Sparks by topping up their wallet.
How Spark pricing works
1 Spark = 1 cent. Every AI feature has a fixed Spark cost based on its complexity:
Action classes
| Action class | Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Light Generation | 1 Spark | Concierge chat messages, smart replies, service descriptions, client briefs |
| Concierge Outbound | 2 Sparks | Booking confirmations, follow-up messages, SMS/email outbound from Concierge actions |
| Heavy Orchestration | 10 Sparks | Style Match service recommendations, photo validation, Concierge action drafts |
| Image Generation | 25 Sparks | AI Style Preview hairstyle visualisations |
Common features and their costs
| Feature | Sparks per use |
|---|---|
| Concierge chat message | 1 |
| Smart reply suggestion | 1 |
| Service description generation | 1 |
| Storefront welcome message | 1 |
| Concierge outbound SMS/email | 2 |
| Concierge action draft | 10 |
| Style Match recommendation | 10 |
| AI Style Preview | 25 |
Included Spark allowance (PRO)
PRO venues receive a monthly Spark allowance based on team size:
| Team size | Included Sparks |
|---|---|
| 1 staff member | 500 |
| 2 staff members | 1,000 |
| 3 staff members | 1,500 |
| 4 staff members | 2,000 |
| 5 staff members | 2,500 |
| 6 staff members | 3,000 |
| 7+ staff members | 3,500 (maximum) |
Included Sparks are consumed before wallet balance. They are pooled at the venue level (not per staff member) and do not expire or roll over between billing periods.
FREE venues do not receive included Sparks, all AI usage draws from the wallet.
Wallet balance
The wallet is a prepaid credit balance that funds AI features beyond your included allowance (or all AI features on the FREE plan).
Topping up
On web:
- Go to Settings → Billing.
- In the Wallet & Usage card, find the wallet balance section.
- Choose a quick top-up amount: $10, $20, or $50.
- Or enter a custom amount.
- Click the top-up button to complete payment via Stripe.
On mobile:
- Go to Settings → Billing.
- Tap a quick top-up amount: $10, $20, or $50.
- You are redirected to the web payment page to complete the transaction.
Minimum top-up amounts:
| Plan | Minimum |
|---|---|
| FREE | $10 |
| PRO | $5 |
Auto top-up
Enable auto top-up to automatically recharge your wallet when the balance falls below a threshold:
- In the Wallet & Usage card, find the Auto Top-Up section.
- Toggle auto top-up on.
- Set the "When Below" threshold (e.g. $5).
- Set the "Top-Up Amount" (e.g. $20).
- Settings save automatically.
When your balance drops below the threshold, OpenChair charges your payment method on file and credits your wallet.
Tip
Enable auto top-up if you use Concierge or Style Preview regularly. This prevents AI features from being interrupted mid-conversation when your balance runs out.
Checking your usage
Check your Spark usage from Settings → Billing on web or the Billing screen on mobile.
On web
The Wallet & Usage card on the Billing page shows:
- Available Balance: your current wallet balance (with trial credit badge if applicable)
- Sparks used: total Sparks consumed this billing period, broken down by action class
- Emails used: email sends against your allocation
- SMS used: SMS sends against your allocation
Each action class shows an icon and usage count.
On mobile
The Billing screen shows:
- Wallet balance with status indicator:
- Normal: balance above threshold
- Low: balance below threshold (pulsing warning)
- Empty: balance at zero (red badge)
- Trial: trial credit active (blue badge)
- Spark pricing card with all four action classes and their costs
- Quick top-up buttons ($10, $20, $50)
What happens when Sparks run out
OpenChair uses graceful degradation. AI features fall back to simpler alternatives rather than failing entirely:
| Feature | Fallback behaviour |
|---|---|
| Concierge chat | Chat input disables. Message: balance indicator shows 0 remaining. |
| Concierge action drafts | Falls back to hardcoded message templates (no AI personalisation) |
| SMS auto-response | Sends: "Thanks for your message. Our AI assistant is temporarily unavailable, so the venue will follow up shortly." |
| Smart replies | Feature unavailable until balance restored |
| Style Preview | Shows: "Insufficient Spark balance. Please top up your wallet." |
No data is lost when Sparks run out. Conversations, drafts, and history remain accessible.
Low balance warning
When your wallet balance drops below $5 (500 cents):
- Web: A "Balance running low" banner appears on the Wallet & Usage card with a prompt: "Top up to keep your AI features running smoothly."
- Mobile: The wallet balance card shows a pulsing warning indicator.
- Concierge: A "Top up Sparks" button appears below the chat input.
Trial credit
New venues receive a $5 wallet credit when they create their account. This trial credit:
- Works exactly like regular wallet balance
- Is displayed with a "Trial credit" badge and gift icon
- Cannot be used with auto top-up (auto top-up is disabled while trial credit is active)
- Is non-refundable
Role access
Only owners can top up the wallet and configure auto top-up; all roles can use AI features.
| Action | Owner | Manager | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| View wallet balance and usage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Top up wallet | Yes | No | No |
| Configure auto top-up | Yes | No | No |
| Use AI features (consume Sparks) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Platform differences
Wallet management and usage details differ between web and mobile.
| Feature | Web | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Wallet balance display | Wallet & Usage card in Settings → Billing | Billing screen in Settings |
| Top-up | Inline Stripe payment | Redirects to web for payment |
| Auto top-up configuration | Toggle + threshold + amount fields | Not available (configure on web) |
| Usage breakdown | Full breakdown by action class | Spark pricing reference card |
| Trial credit badge | Gift icon + "Trial credit" label | Blue "Trial credit" badge |
Troubleshooting
The following covers common issues with Spark credits and wallet management.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Wallet balance shows $0 but I just topped up | Stripe payments take a few seconds to process. Refresh the page after 10 seconds. If the balance still shows $0, check your email for a Stripe receipt confirming the charge. |
| AI features stopped working | Check your Spark balance on Settings → Billing. If your balance is zero and auto top-up is not enabled, top up manually. |
| Auto top-up not triggering | Verify that auto top-up is toggled on, the threshold is set correctly, and your payment method on file is valid. Auto top-up is disabled while trial credit is active. |
| "Insufficient Spark balance" error on Style Preview | Style Preview costs 25 Sparks per generation. Ensure your wallet has at least $0.25 (or 25 remaining included Sparks). |
| Cannot find the top-up option on mobile | Mobile top-up redirects to the web payment page. Tap a quick top-up amount ($10, $20, $50) and complete payment in your browser. |
FAQ
What does 1 Spark cost?
1 Spark = 1 cent. A $10 top-up gives you 1,000 Sparks. All AI feature costs are fixed and transparent, see the action classes table above for a full breakdown.
Do included Sparks roll over to the next month?
No. Included Sparks reset at the start of each billing period. Unused included Sparks do not carry over. Wallet balance (prepaid top-ups) does carry over indefinitely.
Can I get a refund on unused wallet balance?
Wallet balance is non-refundable.
Do staff members consume from the same Spark pool?
Yes. Included Sparks and wallet balance are shared across the entire venue, all staff draw from the same pool.
What if I downgrade from PRO to FREE?
You lose the included Spark allowance. Any remaining wallet balance stays available for AI features on the FREE plan.
Does the Concierge auto top-up if I run out mid-conversation?
Only if auto top-up is enabled and your balance drops below the configured threshold. Otherwise the chat input disables until you top up manually.
Are Sparks the same as SMS or email credits?
No. Sparks power AI features only. SMS and email have separate allocations. See SMS & Email Allocation and Limits.