> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://archer-bot.gitbook.io/archer.bot/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://archer-bot.gitbook.io/archer.bot/for-builders/pricing.md).

# Pricing & Fees

Archer uses two separate billing mechanisms that serve different purposes. Understanding the distinction is important for managing costs.

## Two Fee Types

|                      | Compute Credits (CU)                          | TVR Fee                                                |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **What it covers**   | AI inference, tool execution, infrastructure  | On-chain transaction value routed through Archer       |
| **Charged from**     | Credit balance (deposited via Stripe or USDC) | Deducted from the swap/bridge output by the aggregator |
| **When charged**     | Every API/MCP tool call                       | Only on executed swaps and bridges                     |
| **Rate varies by**   | Tier (CU rate per unit)                       | Tier (basis points on routed value)                    |
| **Applies to sends** | Yes (prepare\_send\_tx costs 25 CU)           | No                                                     |

### Compute Credits (CU)

Every operation consumes Compute Units. Your credit balance is pre-funded via Stripe or USDC deposit.

**How it works:**

1. You deposit credits (Stripe card or USDC transfer)
2. Each API call reserves estimated CU cost from your balance
3. After execution, actual CU is settled (refund or extra charge)
4. If balance is insufficient, the call is blocked with `INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS`

**CU costs include two components:**

* **Infrastructure CU** — fixed cost per tool (e.g., `resolve_token` = 5 CU, `prepare_swap_tx` = 60 CU)
* **AI CU** — LLM inference cost, varies by model tier (economy \~40 CU/request, standard \~145 CU, premium \~350 CU)

**CU rate by tier** (same admin source of truth — `/admin/tier-pricing`):

| Tier         | Monthly CU Included | Effective Rate |      Overage Rate     |
| ------------ | :-----------------: | :------------: | :-------------------: |
| Free         |        2,500        |  $0.000200/CU  | N/A (blocked at zero) |
| Vibe Builder |       150,000       |  $0.000127/CU  |      $0.00025/CU      |
| Pro          |      1,000,000      |  $0.000079/CU  |      $0.00020/CU      |
| Enterprise   |        Custom       |   Negotiated   |       Negotiated      |

### TVR Fee (Total Value Routed)

A separate fee on the USD value of transactions that settle on-chain through Archer's swap and bridge aggregation.

**How it works:**

1. When you execute a swap or bridge, Archer passes your TVR rate to the aggregator API (Bungee, Jupiter)
2. The aggregator deducts the fee from the swap output and routes it to Archer's treasury wallet
3. This happens at the protocol level — no separate transaction, no extra gas
4. The fee is taken from the transaction value itself, not from your credit balance

**TVR rate by tier** (configured in the Archer admin portal at `/admin/tier-pricing`; values below are the current defaults):

| Tier         |    TVR Rate    | Example: $500 Swap |
| ------------ | :------------: | :----------------: |
| Free         | 0.20% (20 bps) |        $1.00       |
| Vibe Builder | 0.15% (15 bps) |        $0.75       |
| Pro          | 0.10% (10 bps) |        $0.50       |
| Enterprise   |  Set in admin  |     Negotiated     |

**What operations incur TVR:**

* Swaps (EVM via Bungee, Solana via Jupiter)
* Bridges (cross-chain via Bungee)

**What does NOT incur TVR:**

* Token sends/transfers
* Read-only operations (price checks, balance queries, token lookups)
* Quotes without execution

### How They Work Together

A typical swap costs both CU and TVR:

**Example: "Swap 100 USDC to ETH on Base" (Vibe Builder tier)**

| Component                         | Cost         |
| --------------------------------- | ------------ |
| `get_token_price` (5 CU)          | $0.0006      |
| `check_feasibility` (8 CU)        | $0.0010      |
| `get_swap_quote` (30 CU)          | $0.0038      |
| `prepare_swap_tx` (60 CU)         | $0.0076      |
| AI inference (standard, \~145 CU) | $0.0184      |
| **Total CU cost**                 | **\~$0.031** |
| TVR fee (0.15% of $100)           | **$0.15**    |
| **Total cost to user**            | **\~$0.18**  |

The CU cost comes from your credit balance. The TVR fee is deducted from the swap output by the aggregator — you receive slightly less ETH.

## Managing Costs

### Credit Balance

* View in **Settings → Billing & credits** or the dedicated [Billing page](https://app.archerprotocol.com/billing)
* Top up via "+ Add Credits" (Stripe or USDC)
* Monitor CU usage and remaining allowance
* Set up tier upgrade for better rates

### TVR Fees

* Automatically applied — no action needed
* Upgrade tier for lower TVR rates
* View fee history in transaction records
* Enterprise tier available for high-volume routing (custom TVR)

## API Error: Insufficient Credits

When your credit balance is too low for an operation:

```json
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "code": "INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS",
  "balanceUsd": "0.12",
  "requiredUsd": "0.45",
  "topUpUrl": "https://app.archerprotocol.com/billing?modal=topup"
}
```

Add credits via the Billing page or the deep link in `topUpUrl`.


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