That said, the credit based billing sounds like a real headache. I had not realized the cost difference between models could be that wide and the fact that credits expire monthly feels unnecessary. The agent going silent when credits run out is the part that worries me the most. A support bot that stops working at a bad time could create a really frustrating experience for customers. I can already imagine getting a flood of complaints because the bot went quiet during a busy sales period.

I have not taken the plunge into production yet but your breakdown gives me a lot to think about. It seems like Chatbase is a great fit for simpler use cases but the pricing model needs some careful planning. I would love to hear from others too about what their actual credit usage looks like in the real world. Thanks for sharing such a balanced take on this. It is helpful to hear both the wins and the warnings before making a decision.