---
title: Usage & Billing | Keycard
description: Understanding Keycard's billing model
---

A **transaction** is recorded each time Keycard is involved in a tool call - issuing a credential, validating a request, or handling a step-up approval. Every plan includes a monthly allocation of transactions. See [Pricing](https://www.keycard.ai/pricing) for plan details.

## When Keycard is involved

How often Keycard participates in the request path depends on how your resources are connected.

### Protected resources

Keycard is involved in both issuing and validating the agent’s credential, providing per-request policy enforcement and real-time telemetry. Each tool call generates a transaction.

This applies to resources protected via the [SDK](/sdk/mcp/index.md), the [gateway](/admin/deployment/index.md), or the [CLI](/guides/secure-agentic-coding/index.md).

### Brokered resources

Keycard issues a credential that the agent uses to directly access a downstream application. Once the credential is issued, Keycard is no longer involved in the request path. Only the initial issuance generates a transaction - subsequent calls go straight to the service.

This is the pattern for third-party services like GitHub, Slack, and Google Workspace, connected via [access credential providers](/concepts/providers/index.md).

Note

Identity federation (e.g., authenticating users via Okta or apps via AWS) is part of the authentication flow and doesn’t generate transactions.

### Step-up authentication

When policy requires human approval for a sensitive action, that approval generates a transaction. Routine actions proceed without interruption.

## Estimating usage

| Pattern                                                                                                      | Transactions             |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------ |
| Agent calls tools on a **protected** resource                                                                | 1 per tool call          |
| Agent accesses a **brokered** resource                                                                       | 1 at issuance, then none |
| Agent [exchanges](/concepts/credentials/#delegation-chaining/index.md) a credential for a different resource | 1 per exchange           |
| Sensitive action triggers **human approval**                                                                 | 1 per approval           |