Points System
Understanding AppHighway's transparent points-based billing
Overview
AppHighway uses a simple, transparent points-based billing system. Every API call consumes points based on its computational cost. No subscriptions, no feature limits - just pay for what you use.
Transparent Pricing
Every API clearly shows its point cost. No hidden fees or surprise charges.
Pay Per Use
Only pay for the API calls you make. Points never expire.
No Surprises
Points are deducted before processing. You always know the exact cost upfront.
Scalable
Start small with 100 points or go big with 1000+ points. Scale as you grow.
How It Works
The points system is designed to be simple and predictable:
Purchase Points
Buy point packages (100, 500, or 1000 points) using Polar.sh. Points are added to your balance immediately.
Points Deducted Before Processing
When you make an API call, the required points are deducted from your balance BEFORE the request is processed.
CRITICAL: Points are deducted before processing to ensure fair billing. This means failed requests still consume points because server resources were used.
API Processes Request
After successful point deduction, your request is processed and results are returned.
Track Usage
All point usage is logged for analytics. View detailed usage reports in your dashboard.
Technical Workflow Details
A detailed look at how points are deducted and tracked in our system:
API Request Received
Your application sends a request with authentication token and API-specific parameters
Balance Verification
System checks if your current balance >= required points for this API call
Atomic Points Deduction
Points deducted in a database transaction. If balance insufficient, request rejected with 402 error
Request Processing
API processes your request. Resources consumed regardless of success/failure
Usage Logging & Response
Transaction logged (API, points, success/fail, duration) and response returned to client
Atomic Transactions
Point deduction uses database transactions to ensure consistency. Either points are deducted and request proceeds, or transaction fails and no points are deducted.
Instant Balance Updates
Your points balance updates immediately when points are deducted. Check your current balance at any time via the dashboard or API.
Complete Audit Trail
Every transaction is logged with timestamp, API name, points cost, success status, error codes, and request duration for complete transparency.
No Automatic Refunds
Points are never automatically refunded. Failed requests still consumed resources (API calls, processing time, bandwidth) which have real costs.
Example API Call Flow
POST /api/v1/structify
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN
1. Check balance: 150 points available
2. API requires: 3 points
3. Deduct 3 points → Balance: 147 points
4. Process structify request
5. Return result + log transaction
If balance was 2 points:
→ 402 Insufficient Points Error
→ No deduction, no processingThis example shows a successful API call to the Structify API (3 points) and what happens when balance is insufficient. The balance check and deduction happen before any processing begins.
Point Costs by API
API calls cost between 1-7 points based on computational complexity:
Simple Utilities
Basic conversion and validation APIs
Data Processing
Data transformation and conversion APIs
AI Features
AI-powered content generation and analysis
Complex AI Operations
Advanced AI features with multiple model calls
Complete API Points Cost Table
Detailed breakdown of all 53 APIs with their exact point costs and descriptions.
🔄Data Transformation APIs
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Structify | Convert unstructured text to structured JSON | 3 |
| CSV to JSON | Parse CSV files with schema inference | 2 |
| XML to JSON | Convert XML to JSON format | 2 |
| JSON Validator | Validate JSON against schema | 2 |
| HTML Sanitizer | Remove malicious HTML tags | 2 |
🤖AI-Powered APIs
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Review Summarizer | Summarize customer reviews | 6 |
| Feature Generator | Generate feature ideas from feedback | 7 |
| Q&A Extractor | Extract question-answer pairs | 5 |
| Title Generator | Create engaging titles | 4 |
| Tone Rewriter | Rewrite text in different tones | 4 |
| Sentiment Analysis | Analyze text sentiment | 2 |
| Code Docstring | Generate code documentation | 6 |
| Business Name Generator | Creative business name suggestions | 4 |
| Text to Outline | Create structured outlines from text | 5 |
| Chatbot Completion | AI chat responses | 7 |
🛠️Utility APIs
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Currency Converter | Real-time currency conversion | 1 |
| Geo Locate | IP to location lookup | 1 |
| Email Validator | Verify email addresses | 1 |
| URL Metadata | Extract page metadata | 1 |
| QR Code Generator | Generate QR codes | 2 |
| Barcode Generator | Generate barcodes | 2 |
| Random Image | Generate placeholder images | 2 |
| Unit Converter | Convert between units | 1 |
| Time Zone Converter | Convert between time zones | 1 |
| Weather Forecast | Current weather data | 1 |
📝Content Processing APIs
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Translation | Translate between languages | 3 |
| Summarization | Condense long texts | 3 |
| Keyword Extraction | Extract key terms from text | 2 |
| Entity Recognition | Identify people, places, organizations | 2 |
| Data Anonymizer | Remove PII from text | 3 |
| Language Detector | Detect text language | 1 |
| Markdown to PDF | Convert markdown to PDF | 3 |
| PDF Merger | Combine multiple PDFs | 3 |
| Image Resize | Resize and format images | 2 |
| Image Caption | Generate image descriptions | 3 |
🔧Developer Tools
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Code Runner | Execute code snippets | 5 |
| Feedback Cluster | Group similar feedback | 4 |
| Pricing Page Parser | Extract pricing from websites | 5 |
| Webhook Normalizer | Standardize webhook payloads | 3 |
| Error Log Summarizer | Analyze error logs | 4 |
| Changelog Generator | Create changelogs from commits | 2 |
| Text Deduplication | Remove duplicate texts | 2 |
| Number Summarizer | Statistical analysis of numbers | 1 |
| Calendar Parser | Extract events from text | 3 |
| Rate Limiter Service | External rate limiting service | 1 |
🌐Integration APIs
| API Name | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Slack Webhook Proxy | Send Slack messages | 1 |
| Payment Fee Calculator | Calculate payment processing fees | 1 |
| Product Summary | Extract product info from URLs | 4 |
Point Packages
Choose the package that fits your needs. All packages include the same features - just different point amounts.
How to Purchase Points
Follow these simple steps to add points to your account and start using our APIs:
Sign In to Your Account
Log in to your AppHighway account. If you don't have an account yet, create one using Google OAuth or email/password authentication.
Navigate to Points Dashboard
Go to your dashboard and click on the 'Points' section in the sidebar, or visit /dashboard/points directly.
Choose Your Package
Select one of the three available packages based on your needs: Starter (100 points), Professional (500 points), or Enterprise (1000 points).
Complete Checkout via Polar.sh
Click the 'Purchase' button to be redirected to our secure payment provider, Polar.sh. Complete your payment using credit card or other supported payment methods.
Points Added Instantly
After successful payment, points are automatically added to your balance within seconds. You can start making API calls immediately.
Verify Your Balance
Check your points balance in the dashboard to confirm the purchase. You'll see your total balance, total purchased, and total used points.
Pro Tips
Best Value
The Professional package (500 points for $40) offers the best value at $0.08 per point compared to $0.10 per point for the Starter package.
Points Never Expire
Your purchased points remain in your account forever. Buy in bulk to save money without worrying about expiration dates.
Secure Payments
All payments are processed securely through Polar.sh, a trusted payment platform. We never store your payment information.
Instant Activation
Points are added to your account instantly after payment confirmation. No waiting period or manual activation required.
Accepted Payment Methods
We accept all major payment methods through Polar.sh:
- Credit & Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Digital Wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Bank Transfers (for Enterprise customers)
All transactions are processed in USD. Your bank may apply currency conversion fees for non-USD transactions.
Usage Monitoring & Analytics
Track your points consumption and API usage with detailed analytics and real-time monitoring.
AppHighway provides comprehensive usage monitoring tools to help you track points consumption, analyze API usage patterns, and optimize your costs. Access detailed analytics through your dashboard to understand exactly how your points are being used.
Real-Time Balance Tracking
Your points balance updates instantly after every API call. View your current balance, total purchased, and total used points at a glance in your dashboard.
Interactive Usage Analytics
Visualize your points consumption over time with interactive charts. Switch between 7-day, 30-day, and 90-day views to identify trends and patterns.
Per-API Breakdown
See exactly which APIs consume the most points. View detailed statistics including call counts, points used, and average cost per API.
Success Rate Monitoring
Track success rates for each API to identify issues early. Monitor failed calls and optimize your implementation to reduce wasted points.
How to Access Usage Analytics
Navigate to Points Dashboard
Go to /dashboard/points in your AppHighway account. This page displays your current balance and detailed usage analytics.
Select Time Range
Choose between 7 days, 30 days, or 90 days to view usage data for different time periods. The default view shows the last 30 days.
Explore Detailed Metrics
Switch between Time Series view (usage over time) and Top APIs view (ranked by consumption). Hover over charts for detailed tooltips with breakdowns.
Available Metrics
Total Points Used
Total points consumed across all APIs in the selected time period, with trend indicators showing increases or decreases.
API Call Count
Number of API calls made, broken down by API. See which APIs you use most frequently.
Time Series Analysis
Daily/weekly points usage trends with interactive bar charts. Identify peak usage periods and plan your point purchases accordingly.
Top Consuming APIs
Ranked list of APIs by points consumption. See exact statistics including points used, call count, success rate, and average cost per call.
Success Rate Analytics
Per-API success rates to help you identify failing calls. Optimize your implementation to reduce wasted points on failed requests.
Important Notes
No Refunds on Failed Requests
Points are deducted before processing, so failed requests still consume points. This is because server resources (API calls, AI models, processing time) are consumed regardless of success.
Points Deducted Before Processing
We check your balance and deduct points BEFORE processing your request. This ensures transparent, predictable billing.
Complete Usage Tracking
Every API call is logged with success status, error codes, and response times. View detailed analytics in your dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I run out of points?
API calls will fail with a 402 'Insufficient Points' error. You can purchase more points at any time, and they're added to your balance immediately.
Do points expire?
No, points never expire. Use them whenever you need them.
Can I get a refund if an API call fails?
No. Points are deducted before processing because server resources (API calls, AI models, processing time) are consumed regardless of whether the request succeeds or fails.
How do I see my point usage history?
Visit your dashboard at /dashboard/points to see detailed analytics including usage per API, success rates, and historical trends.
Can I purchase custom point amounts?
Currently we offer three standard packages (100, 500, 1000 points). For enterprise needs requiring more than 1000 points, contact our support team.