Additional usage explained

Additional usage is extra capacity you can buy on top of your Handler’s Standard plan. It is measured in multiples of a Full-time Handler’s capacity, so you can size the extra work without translating it into another unit.

Unused purchased additional capacity rolls over between months. You do not need to use the entire purchase in the month you buy it.

Full-time capacity is the reference

One Full-time Handler’s monthly capacity is the reference amount. Full-time 4X gives one Handler four times that capacity, not four separate Handlers.

Additional usage comes in three sizes:

Additional usage	Extra capacity
½× Full-time	Half of one Full-time Handler’s capacity
1× Full-time	The same capacity as one Full-time Handler
2× Full-time	Twice the capacity of one Full-time Handler

These are capacity purchases, not additional Handlers or another monthly plan. Your Handler keeps its base plan, with the purchased capacity added on top. For current AUD amounts, see plans and additional-usage prices.

How rollover works

Buy extra capacity when your Handler needs to take on more work. Any unused additional capacity carries into the next month, rather than being lost at the month boundary.

For example, if you buy 1× Full-time capacity and use half of that additional purchase this month, the unused half carries into the next month.

Rollover refers to purchased additional capacity. It does not change the included capacity in your base plan. Standard capacity remains per Handler, with no pooling, and work is subject to available capacity and system load. See Handler Capacity for the distinction between Standard and Enterprise.

What uses capacity?

Capacity accounts for the resources a Handler uses to do its work. There is no fixed number of tasks per Full-time capacity amount: a short request can involve more processing than a long one.

Language-model usage

A Handler uses language models to understand requests, read context, reason about the job and produce outputs. Different work can require different amounts of context and model capability, so not every operation uses the same capacity.

Handle manages its model mix to balance capability and cost. For the model-focused explanation, see What LLMs can I use?.

Serverless tools and storage

Capacity also accounts for metered resources used while the Handler does its work, including:

• code-tool compute time;
• integration and API calls;
• file reads, writes and storage; and
• Handler database storage.

These are contributors to capacity use, not a promise of a separate visible charge for every operation.

Handle runs these capabilities on demand, rather than giving every Handler a dedicated, always-on computer. Resources scale with the work instead of sitting idle between tasks.

Annual billing and additional usage

Annual billing saves 10% on Standard capacity plans. It does not apply to additional usage: additional-capacity purchase prices are the same whether your base plan is billed monthly or annually.

A credit card is required for Standard subscriptions.

Additional usage is also separate from the optional Managed Handler service. That service pays for human training, ongoing management and process improvements; it does not replace your capacity plan or purchase extra capacity.

Frequently asked questions

Does buying 1× capacity add another Handler?

No. It adds capacity to your existing Handler. It does not create another Handler or change its base plan.

Do similar tasks always use the same capacity?

No. Complexity, context, model capability, tool calls, file activity and compute time can all change how much capacity a task uses.

Do I have to use additional capacity in the month I buy it?

No. Unused purchased additional capacity rolls over between months.