gabrielmoreira Windsurf Rate Limits & Credits
Overview
Windsurf uses a credit-based system for AI features. Each prompt to Cascade consumes credits, with different models costing different amounts. Understanding the credit system prevents mid-session interruptions and optimizes your AI budget.
Prerequisites
- Windsurf account (Free, Pro, or Teams)
- Access to account dashboard at windsurf.com/account
Instructions
Step 1: Understand Credit Allocation by Plan
| Plan | Monthly Credits | Unlimited Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 25 | Supercomplete (SWE-1 Lite), Tab completions | $0 |
| Pro | 500 | Supercomplete, Tab, Commands, Previews | $15/mo |
| Teams | 500/user | All Pro features + admin controls | $30/user/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | All features + SSO, RBAC, audit | Custom |
Step 2: Credit Cost per Model
Different models consume different credit amounts per prompt:
| Model | Credits/Prompt (approx) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| SWE-1 Lite | 0 (unlimited) | Quick questions, simple tasks |
| SWE-1 | 1 | Standard coding tasks |
| SWE-1.5 | 2 | Complex multi-file tasks |
| Claude Sonnet | 2 | Nuanced reasoning, architecture |
| GPT-4o | 2 | General purpose |
| Gemini Pro | 2 | Large context windows |
Step 3: Monitor Credit Usage
In-IDE: Click the Windsurf widget (status bar) > shows remaining credits
Dashboard: windsurf.com/account > Usage tab shows:
- Credits consumed today/this month
- Credits remaining
- Per-model breakdown
- Usage trend over time
Step 4: Credit Conservation Strategies
1. Use SWE-1 Lite for simple tasks (free, unlimited):
- Quick questions about syntax
- Simple completions
- Code explanations
2. Use premium models for complex tasks:
- Multi-file refactoring
- Architecture decisions
- Debugging complex issues
3. Write better prompts to reduce back-and-forth:
- Include file paths, constraints, and expected output
- Reference files with @ mentions instead of describing them
- One well-structured prompt > five vague ones
4. Use Workflows for repetitive tasks:
- Workflows consume credits but eliminate wasted retry prompts
- A 5-step workflow costs less than 5 separate conversations
5. Leverage free features:
- Supercomplete (Tab) is unlimited on all plans
- Command mode (Cmd+I) is unlimited on Pro
- Only Cascade Write/Chat consumes credits
Step 5: Handle Credit Exhaustion
When credits run out mid-session:
1. Switch to SWE-1 Lite (unlimited) for basic tasks
2. Use Supercomplete (Tab) for inline coding -- always free
3. Buy additional credits: windsurf.com/account > Buy Credits
4. Wait for monthly reset (credits renew on billing date)
5. Upgrade plan if consistently running out
Step 6: Team Credit Management (Teams/Enterprise)
# Admin Dashboard > Analytics > Credit Usage
team_monitoring:
total_credits: 5000 # 10 users x 500
consumed_this_month: 3200
top_consumers:
- dev_a: 800 credits (power user)
- dev_b: 600 credits (heavy Cascade use)
- dev_c: 50 credits (underutilizing)
actions:
- Offer training to dev_c (low usage = not getting value)
- Review dev_a's usage (is it productive or wasteful?)
- Consider upgrading if team consistently hits limit
Error Handling
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "No credits remaining" | Monthly allocation exhausted | Switch to SWE-1 Lite or buy more |
| "Model not available" | Not on required plan tier | Upgrade from Free to Pro |
| Unexpected credit drain | Complex prompts using premium models | Check per-model credit costs |
| Team budget exceeded | No usage monitoring | Enable admin analytics alerts |
Examples
Check Credits Quickly
Click the Windsurf widget in the bottom-right status bar.
It shows: model name, credits remaining, and authentication status.
Cost-Effective Prompt Strategy
Instead of:
1. "What does this function do?" (1 credit)
2. "Can you add error handling?" (1 credit)
3. "Also add tests" (1 credit)
Total: 3 credits
Do this:
1. "Explain this function, add error handling, and write unit tests
for both success and error paths" (1 credit)
Total: 1 credit
Resources
Next Steps
For security configuration, see windsurf-security-basics.