Starting March 18th, 2026, Figma is enforcing AI credit limits on all plans. If you've been using Figma's AI features without worrying about usage, that's about to change. This article cuts through the noise and answers the 8 questions you're probably asking yourself right now.
Key Takeaways
- Not all Figma AI features cost credits, AI search, rename layers, and FigJam stickies are free, while generative features like First Draft and Make prototype cost 20 credits each.
- Credit allocations vary by plan and seat type: Full Seat users get 3,000-4,250 credits/month on paid plans, while Dev, Collab, and View seats are capped at 500.
- Credits are individual, not shared, unused credits from one team member cannot be redistributed, though admins can purchase a shared overflow pool starting March 11th.
- Both individual users and admins can track credit usage inside Figma, with admins on paid plans able to export full CSV usage history on Organization and Enterprise plans.
- Admins can currently monitor usage but cannot restrict access to AI features per user, per-user caps and feature-level restrictions are not yet available.
- When credits run out, paid AI features are disabled until the next monthly reset; free features remain accessible, and a shared admin pool can serve as a buffer.
- Admins can purchase additional shared credits via subscription (from $120/month for +5,000 credits) starting March 11th, with pay-as-you-go billing arriving in Q2 2026.
- March 18th, 2026 is the enforcement deadline, Full Seat credit limits go live then, with the add-on subscription available one week earlier on March 11th to give admins time to prepare.
Learn this hands-on
Learn to go from Figma to code with the Figma MCP Server course. Check out the Your AI-powered design-to-code process: Use Figma MCP Server to code features from Figma Frames.
When are credits used (and when are they not)?
Every time you run an AI action in Figma, it costs credits. But not every AI feature is equal in cost, and some are completely free.
Free AI features (no credits consumed):
- AI search
- Rename layers
- Summarize stickies, cluster stickies, update visual (FigJam)
Paid AI features and their credit cost:
| AI Feature | Credits per use |
|---|---|
| Generate templates and diagrams (FigJam) | 2-24 per prompt |
| Remove background | 1-5 per image |
| Vectorize image | 2-5 per use |
| Boost image resolution | 5-10 per image |
| Erase object | 5-10 per image |
| Isolate object | 5-10 per image |
| Expand image | 5-10 per image |
| Make image | 5-25 per image (varies by model) |
| Edit image | 5-25 per image (varies by model) |
| First Draft | 20 per use |
| Make prototype | 20 per use |
| Figma Make | Varies based on complexity |
For image features, the cost depends on the model you choose. Some models are cheaper but lower quality, others cost more but produce better results. For example, Make Image costs 5 credits with GPT Image 1 Mini but 25 credits with Gemini 3 Pro.
For agentic features like Figma Make, the cost varies based on complexity. If you're evaluating whether these AI prototyping tools are worth the credit spend, specialization often beats all-in-one platforms. If you're evaluating whether these AI prototyping tools are worth the credit spend, specialization often beats all-in-one platforms. If you're evaluating whether these AI prototyping tools are worth the credit spend, specialization often beats all-in-one platforms. If you're evaluating whether these AI prototyping tools are worth the credit spend, specialization often beats all-in-one platforms. If you're evaluating whether these AI prototyping tools are worth the credit spend, specialization often beats all-in-one platforms. A simple prompt might cost a handful of credits, while a complex task involving large files and multiple actions can consume significantly more. You can see the exact cost after a task completes by hovering over the AI credits icon.
Pro tip: If you're generating UI frames or prototypes, consider using the Figma MCP server with Claude Code instead of Figma Make. The AI generation happens in Claude Code, where credit limits are higher and cost is lower, and the designs get synced into Figma frames. You don't consume Figma AI credits when Figma acts as an MCP server. Plus, you vibe code directly on your codebase with your exact design system.
How many credits per Full Seat?
The number of credits you get depends on your plan and seat type. Here's the breakdown:
| Plan | Full Seat (monthly) | Dev, Collab, View Seats (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 500 (shared across all users) | , |
| Professional | 3,000 | 500 |
| Organization | 3,500 | 500 |
| Enterprise | 4,250 | 500 |
A few important details:
- Credits reset monthly and do not roll over. If you don't use them, you lose them.
- Starter plan users and View seat users also have a daily limit of 150 credits on top of the monthly cap.
- Full Seat users on paid plans get the largest allowance. Everyone else is capped at 500/month.
Until March 18th, 2026, Full Seat limits are not enforced, meaning you can technically exceed them. After that date, the limits are hard.
Are credits shared across the team?
No. Credits are assigned to individual users. They cannot be shared, transferred, or pooled within a team or organization.
If one team member barely uses AI features and another burns through their allocation in a week, there's no way to redistribute. Each person gets their own bucket.
However, starting March 11th, 2026, admins will be able to purchase a shared pool of additional credits through the AI credits subscription. These shared credits kick in only after a user has exhausted their individual seat credits. So while base credits remain individual, the overflow can be shared.
If you're on multiple teams or organizations, your credits don't stack either. You have one credit balance tied to your seat.
How can I track my usage?
Tracking works differently depending on your role.
As an individual user:
- Open the main menu in any Figma file
- Select the AI balance option
- You'll see credits used, credits remaining, and when they reset
As an admin (paid plans only):
- Go to figma.com and open the file browser
- Click Admin
- In the AI credits section, click View usage
From the admin dashboard, you can:
- See which users are consuming AI credits and how many
- Filter results by seat type
- Track how many users have reached their seat credit limits
- Estimate how many additional credits your team would need once limits are enforced
- Export a full CSV of AI credit usage history (Organization and Enterprise plans)
For Figma Make specifically: After a Figma Make task completes, hover over the AI credits icon above the prompt box. It shows exactly how many credits that specific task consumed. There's no way to preview the cost before running a prompt.
Can admins control access?
As of now, admins can monitor AI credit usage across their plan, but they cannot restrict or disable AI features for specific users.
What admins can do:
- View team-wide usage in the admin dashboard
- Track which users are heavy consumers
- Purchase additional shared credits
- Set spending limits on pay-as-you-go billing (coming Q2 2026)
What admins cannot do yet:
- Block specific users from accessing AI features
- Set per-user credit caps
- Restrict access to specific AI features
This is likely something Figma will iterate on, but for now, the controls are focused on visibility and purchasing, not restriction.
What happens when credits run out?
When you hit your credit limit, you lose access to AI features until your credits reset at the start of the next billing cycle.
There are two scenarios:
If your admin has purchased additional shared credits: Once your individual seat credits are exhausted, you'll automatically start drawing from the shared pool. If the shared pool is also empty, you're out until the reset.
If there are no additional credits available: You simply can't use paid AI features until the next monthly reset. If you're looking for alternatives, our roundup of the best AI coding assistants covers tools with more generous limits. If you're looking for alternatives, our roundup of the best AI coding assistants covers tools with more generous limits. If you're looking for alternatives, our roundup of the best AI coding assistants covers tools with more generous limits. If you're looking for alternatives, our roundup of the best AI coding assistants covers tools with more generous limits. If you're looking for alternatives, our roundup of the best AI coding assistants covers tools with more generous limits. Free features (AI search, rename layers, etc.) remain available.
For Starter plan users and View seat holders, remember there's also a daily limit of 150 credits. If you hit the daily cap, you can resume the next day even if you haven't exhausted your monthly allocation.
How to pay for additional credits?
Admins have two upcoming options to purchase more credits:
Option 1: AI Credits Subscription (available March 11th, 2026)
A monthly subscription that provides a shared pool of credits for your team. Available tiers:
| Tier | Monthly Credits | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | +5,000 | $120/month |
| Mid | +7,500 | $180/month |
| Large | +10,000 | $240/month |
Additional tiers are available through Figma's sales team. These shared credits reset monthly and are available to approved users once they've exhausted their individual seat allocation.
Option 2: Pay-as-you-go billing (coming Q2 2026)
For teams without predictable usage patterns, admins can enable pay-as-you-go billing. Key details:
- You can set a spending limit to control costs
- Credits are billed at a flat per-credit rate
- Charges appear on your next invoice
- Can be used alongside the subscription or standalone
This gives you a safety net: the subscription covers your baseline, and pay-as-you-go handles the spikes.
What is the release plan?
Here's the timeline for everything rolling out:
| Date | What's happening |
|---|---|
| Now | AI credit usage tracking is available in Figma |
| March 11, 2026 | AI credits subscription becomes available for purchase |
| March 18, 2026 | All seat credit limits are enforced |
| Q2 2026 | Pay-as-you-go billing rolls out to all plans |
The key date is March 18th. That's when the free ride ends for Full Seat users who have been exceeding their credit allocation. The subscription option launches a week earlier on March 11th, giving admins a window to set up additional credits before enforcement kicks in.
My advice: if you're an admin, use the time between now and March 18th to review your team's AI usage in the dashboard. Estimate how many additional credits you'd need, and have the subscription ready to go before enforcement day.
Related Course on Vibe Coding Academy
