How lifetime deals work in the new AI era

AI now powers more software tools than ever on AppSumo, which is great for getting real work done. It also means some new AI features come with an ongoing cost every time they run. 

That’s why the lifetime deals we’re known for now come with new payment structures for certain AI tools: credit bundles, annual refreshes, or an option to connect your own API key (think prepaid minutes vs. an all-you-can-eat buffet).

This guide breaks down what those structures mean in plain English. You’ll learn how credits work, how to read a deal page for usage and refills, and how to pick the setup that fits your workflow and budget. That way, we can continue to offer you the latest robust tools without any surprises.

What are AI credits?

AI credits are usage tokens. Whenever a product asks an AI service to work, it spends a few credits. Draft a blog outline, clean up audio, generate an image, translate a paragraph, summarize a call. Every action taps a small meter. Knowing how that meter works helps you balance your work process with your budget and keep costs predictable.

Why there’s a meter at all

Behind every AI feature are ongoing costs that scale with use:

• Model calls: Providers bill per token, image, or minute of audio
• Compute: Running models uses GPUs and memory that are priced by usage
• Data handling and quality: Storage, bandwidth, vector search, safety checks, and retries also consume resources

Some software costs little to nothing to serve once it’s built. AI-heavy software has a real per-use cost, so usage needs clear boundaries.

Why you often see credits or annual refreshes

When it comes to AI-heavy tools, our goal is to provide consistent output and quality without mystery charges. Credit bundles and annual refreshes give you a defined runway, simple top-ups when you need more, and steady performance for everyone. They also make sure partners can cover the real costs of AI. This way, features can stay fast and dependable instead of slowing down or disappearing later.

What a strong AI offer looks like

During the planning and negotiation stages, we aim to get as much clarity as we can from partners about their plans and pricing. We push for:

• Clear recurring limits: How many credits or tokens you get, typically in a monthly period. These credits usually don't roll over, so you should use them or lose them each month.
• Real examples: About how many posts, minutes of transcription, or images the bundle covers.
• Simple add-ons: On some deals, you have the option to buy top-up credit packs or other add-ons to enhance your plan
• Split the value: Lifetime access to non-metered features that don’t have usage based costs, credits only for AI-heavy actions
• BYOK (Bring your own API key) when possible: Power users can connect an external provider account and control their own spend

Note: Burn rates (how quickly credits are used) differ for each deal. Always check the product’s deal page for specifics.

The downside of “unlimited” lifetime AI

AppSumo is known for lifetime deals, which means paying once for lifetime access. 

Lifetime deals with unlimited AI sound great on paper, but this model can lead to slow tools, unclear limits, and unhappy users. Power users can burn through budgets, usage can spike overnight, and model prices can change. In the worst cases, this lack of sustainability could mean partners no longer being able to operate their tools.

Capped credits and scheduled refreshes protect your experience. They keep apps responsive, make costs predictable, and give you a clear path to scale.

Will AI get cheaper?

Parts of AI are getting cheaper because newer models are more efficient, which is good news! That said, per-use billing isn’t going away anytime soon. The fairest way to pass along savings is still through things like clear credit bundles, annual refreshes, and straightforward top-up pricing.

To keep deals sustainable as models evolve, some lifetime offers lock credits to the models available at launch, or to future models with similar costs. 

Think of it this way: 100 credits on a lightweight model today isn’t the same as 100 credits on a heavier, more expensive model tomorrow. If a partner upgrades to a pricier AI model, your original credits might not go as far. What used to take one credit on a lighter model could take two on a heavier one. In those cases, you’ll either see the credit burn rate adjusted or have the option to buy extra top-ups, so the deal stays fair and the product can keep running reliably.

Always check which models are included and how credits map, so you know exactly what you’re getting and can plan ahead.

The two-minute preflight checklist

Next time you buy an AI tool on AppSumo, go through this checklist:

1. Credit policy: How many credits do you get, which actions spend them, and how is usage tracked?
2. Coverage examples: About how many outputs can you expect for your typical workflow?
3. Refills: How easy and fairly priced are top-ups when you need more credits?
4. Non-metered value: Which features work without credits?
5. Bring your own key: Can you bring your own key and connect your own provider account if you’re a heavy user?
6. Roadmap and support: How does the partner communicate model changes, safeguard performance, and respond to issues?

Clear answers here will help you forecast better on your purchases.

A reality check on “lifetime,” framed for your success

When we first launched lifetime deals, ongoing AI costs weren’t even on the radar. Our original deals shined with low-cost maintenance and operation. Now the landscape has shifted, and we’re adapting right alongside it.

Healthy AI offers in this day and age tend to look like one of these:

• Lifetime plus capped credits: Own the license, buy refills as needed
• Annual plan with credits refresh: Predictable price, credits reset each year
• Hybrid: Lifetime access to the app and workflow features, with AI usage on metered credits or your own API key

When you buy an LTD, the product and deal terms reflect the status of the AI landscape today, from costs to quality of output. As AI products evolve, partners may release newer, higher-cost models that aren’t automatically included in their original lifetime deals. To keep things fair and sustainable, you might see changes to the credit consumption costs for product features to account for higher cost models. But you’ll also have options to stay current—like affordable top-ups or connecting your own API key—so you can keep up with the latest without losing the value of your LTD. The goal is to make sure your LTD keeps delivering consistent value without compromising quality.

Our promise

AppSumo exists to help entrepreneurs grow with great software. For AI products, that means clear usage details, realistic examples, sustainable pricing, easy refills, and bring-your-own options for power users. If any deal page leaves you guessing about credits or models, reach out to us at support@appsumo.com. We’ll work with the partner to clarify it so you can buy with confidence and plan accordingly.