How tokens work and what they cost

<p>Tokens are the in-app currency that powers everything you create on Moonshine Story.</p>

<h3>What tokens are used for</h3>

<table><thead>

<tr><th>Action</th><th>Cost</th></tr></thead>

<tbody>

<tr><td>Generating a full story (text only)</td><td>1 token</td></tr>

<tr><td>Generating an illustration</td><td>10 tokens</td></tr>

<tr><td>Regenerating an illustration</td><td>10 tokens</td></tr>

<tr><td>Editing text or layout</td><td>Free</td></tr>

</tbody></table>

<p>A typical book has 10–15 illustrated pages, so a full illustrated book usually costs around 90–140 tokens depending on length.</p>

<h3>How you get tokens</h3>

<ul>

<li><strong>Free tokens on signup</strong> — every new account starts with a small grant of free tokens, enough to try out a book</li>

<li><strong>Top up</strong> — buy tokens directly from your account billing page when you need more</li>

<li><strong>Included with hardcover orders</strong> — purchasing a hardcover unlocks the full book without spending extra tokens</li>

</ul>

<h3>Why we use tokens instead of a flat fee</h3>

<p>Token pricing means you only pay for what you generate. If you write a story but only illustrate half the pages, you're not charged for the rest. It also lets you experiment — regenerate an illustration you don't love without committing to a whole new book.</p>

<h3>Tokens never expire</h3>

<p>Once tokens are in your account, they stay there. There's no monthly reset, no "use it or lose it." Buy a top-up today, use them next year — they'll still be waiting.</p>

<h3>Where to see your balance</h3>

<p>Your token balance is shown in the top right of every page when you're logged in, and on your <a href="https://moonshinestory.com/account/billing">billing page</a>.</p>

<h3>I bought tokens but my balance didn't update</h3>

<p>Token purchases process within a few seconds. If your balance hasn't updated after a couple of minutes:</p>

<ol>

<li>Refresh the page</li>

<li>Check your email for the receipt — if you got one, the purchase went through and the balance will catch up</li>

<li>If it's still not there after 10 minutes, <a href="https://moonshinestory.com">reach out via chat</a> and we'll fix it</li>

</ul>

<p>Stripe occasionally takes a bit longer to confirm the charge on their end, especially for international cards. We've never lost a token purchase — if your card was charged, you'll get the tokens.</p>

Updated on: 20/05/2026