> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://helpcenter.paperguide.ai/llms.txt).
> Use it to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Credits

What each MCP action costs and how organization billing works for your assistant connections.

## What costs credits

MCP uses the same AI credits as the rest of Paperguide. There is no separate allowance.

| Action                                  | Credits     |
| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| Search all papers                       | 10          |
| Look up one paper's full details        | 2           |
| Search inside your PDFs                 | 10          |
| Read a paper's full text                | 10 per part |
| Add papers and attach PDFs              | Free        |
| Find, list, and browse saved references | Free        |
| Create, rename, and organise folders    | Free        |
| Attach PDFs to a systematic review      | Free        |
| Check your usage                        | Free        |

Long papers are read in parts. A typical paper is 2 to 4 parts.

After a PDF is attached to a systematic review, the paper is screened automatically. That screening uses credits in the same way as screening started in Paperguide.

<Callout kind="tip" collapsed="false">
  Failed calls are not charged. If a search returns nothing or a paper cannot be found, you keep your credits.
</Callout>

## Organization billing

If you belong to an organization, you choose which account pays when you connect each assistant: your personal plan or the organization's shared credits.

- **Per assistant.** One assistant can bill the organization while another bills your personal plan.
- **Fixed until you reconnect.** To switch, disconnect the assistant at **Settings → MCP** and connect it again.
- **Leaving the organization ends that connection.** Reconnect the assistant to bill your personal plan.

If you are not in an organization, your personal credits are used.

## Running out of credits

When the chosen account has no credits left, your assistant sees a message with the reset date. The connection stays active. It works again as soon as your credits reset or you upgrade. Anything free — such as browsing your library — keeps working.

Check usage at **Settings → MCP**, or ask your assistant. For how credits work across all of Paperguide, see [AI Credits](/ai-credits).