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Understand API usage and billing

Your OpenAI project · separate API billing · provider records

Listen Orb is bring-your-own-key software. The Mac app sends requests directly to OpenAI using the API key stored in macOS Keychain. OpenAI bills that API project separately from the one-time Listen Orb license. A ChatGPT subscription does not include OpenAI API usage.

What creates API usage

1. Transcription. When you finish a dictation, the committed microphone audio is processed by OpenAI to produce text.
2. Optional polish. Standard and Contextual polish can make an additional OpenAI request to edit the transcript. Off makes no polish request. A brief phrase can also bypass polish when no edit is needed.

Turning polish Off removes the optional polish request, but transcription still uses the API.

Check actual usage and billing

Use OpenAI's own records for the API project associated with your key:

• OpenAI Usage dashboard
• OpenAI billing overview
• Current OpenAI API pricing

Those provider pages—not Listen Orb—are the source of truth for current rates, credits, and account totals. Listen Orb does not resell OpenAI usage and does not require a Listen Orb account.