> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.boundlessfi.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Credits

> What Credits are on Boundless, how you earn and spend them, and how monthly refills and tiers work.

> **TL;DR:** Credits are a platform currency used **only for bounties**. You spend them to take part in a bounty, you get a monthly refill based on your tier, and you can earn extra Credits by completing a few one-time tasks. Hackathons, grants, and crowdfunding do not use Credits.

## What you'll learn

* What Credits are and what they're for
* How you get Credits (welcome grant, monthly refill, earn tasks)
* How your tier sets your monthly refill

***

## What Credits are for

Credits exist to keep bounties fair and spam-free. You spend Credits **only on bounties**: to apply to a bounty that requires an application, and to submit your work. The base cost is **1 Credit**, though an organizer can set a higher cost on their own bounty. The cost is always shown before you confirm.

<Note>
  Credits are not used for hackathons, grants, or crowdfunding. Those are funded and paid in USDC.
</Note>

***

## How you get Credits

* **Welcome grant:** new users start with **6 Credits**, so you can begin right away.
* **Monthly refill:** on the **1st of each month**, your balance resets to your tier's refill amount. A refill is a reset, not a top-up, it does not stack on Credits you already hold.
* **Earn tasks:** a few one-time actions add Credits to your balance.

You can hold at most **12 Credits** at any time.

### Earn extra Credits (one-time)

| Task                                                                              | Credits |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| Complete your profile (name, bio, and at least one skill)                         | +2      |
| Connect your GitHub account                                                       | +3      |
| Complete your first opportunity (a won bounty or hackathon, or an approved grant) | +5      |

Earned Credits still can't push you past the cap of 12.

***

## Tiers and monthly refills

Your tier is set by your [reputation](/concepts/reputation) score, and your tier sets how many Credits you refill to each month.

| Tier     | Reputation needed | Monthly refill |
| -------- | ----------------- | -------------- |
| Bronze   | 0+                | 3              |
| Silver   | 100+              | 5              |
| Gold     | 400+              | 8              |
| Platinum | 1,000+            | 12             |

<Note>These amounts are the current policy and may be tuned over time. Your live balance, tier, and next refill date are always shown on your Credits page.</Note>

***

## Next steps

* [Earn and spend Credits](/contributors/get-paid/credits)
* [Apply to a bounty](/contributors/bounties/apply)
* [Reputation](/concepts/reputation)

***

## Need help?

* [Discord](https://discord.gg/cNabHsV7PN) · [Support](mailto:support@boundlessfi.xyz)