ONA.UNO uses OpenRouter to access cloud AI models. This page provides real-world cost estimates based on actual usage.
> [!info] These are estimates
> Costs vary based on content length, model selection, and usage patterns. Use these figures as a guide, not a guarantee.
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## Initial Library Processing
When you first add sources to ONA.UNO in Online mode, every item needs:
- **Embeddings** — mathematical vectors for semantic search
- **Summaries** — bullet-point overviews
- **Titles** — descriptive names
- **Tags** — conceptual labels
This initial processing is the largest one-time cost.
| Library Size | Estimated Cost | Processing Time |
|--------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1,000 items | $0.30–0.40 | A few minutes |
| 10,000 items | $3–4 | ~10 minutes |
| 25,000 items | $8–10 | 20–30 minutes |
Processing time depends on OpenRouter's current load and your content complexity.
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## Ongoing Costs
After initial processing, you only pay for new content and interactive features.
### New Items
When new notes, emails, or clips arrive, ONA.UNO processes them automatically.
| Volume | Estimated Cost |
|--------|----------------|
| 100 new items | $0.04–0.06 |
| 1,000 new items | $0.40–0.60 |
### Chat Conversations
Chat costs depend on conversation length and which model you use.
| Usage | Estimated Cost |
|-------|----------------|
| Short conversation (a few exchanges) | $0.01–0.03 |
| Long conversation (many back-and-forth exchanges) | $0.05–0.15 |
### Full Summaries
Full summaries aggregate content across multiple items.
| Usage | Estimated Cost |
|-------|----------------|
| Single full summary | $0.003–0.006 |
| Daily summary habit (365 days) | $1–2 per year |
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## Monthly Estimates
Here's what typical usage patterns cost:
| Usage Pattern | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---------------|------------------------|
| Light (few new items, occasional chat) | $0.50–1 |
| Moderate (30–50 new items/day, regular chat) | $2–5 |
| Heavy (100+ new items/day, frequent chat and summaries) | $5–10 |
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## Cost Control
You're never at risk of surprise bills:
1. **Set a spending limit** on your API key in OpenRouter's dashboard
2. **Monitor spending** in ONA.UNO's status bar (current month + last request)
3. **Set Credits to not top-up automatically** — when they run out, requests simply stop
See [[060-FAQ/020-OpenRouter and BYOK|OpenRouter and BYOK]] for setup instructions and more details.
## Our Blog-Post on This Topic
[Read it on our homepage](https://ona.uno/blog/it-costs-less-than-you-think/)