FAQ
Can I run Use Brian self-hosted?
Yes. The core is open source under AGPLv3 and runs locally with one Gemini API key: clone the repo, pnpm install, pnpm dev. See Open source & self-hosting for the quickstart and what the hosted product adds on top.
Which models do you use?
Four tiers. Standard (1 credit per message, Gemini Flash 3 on a tighter tool budget) handles routine queries; Pro (2 credits, the same Gemini Flash 3 with full headroom) is the default; Max (10 credits, Gemini Flash 3.5) is the premium tier for hard reasoning and deep agentic work; Research (20 credits, Gemini Pro 3.1 on a deep multi-step budget) powers deep web synthesis. The tier picker lives in the chat header. See Pricing for the full menu.
Does my data train any model?
No. Use Brian doesn't train on your conversations. Inference goes through Google's Gemini API under terms that prohibit model training on customer data.
What happens when I hit my plan budget?
Billing is monthly per workspace. Run out of credits and further messages are served on the Standard tier for the rest of the cycle; nothing is blocked. Need full speed back before the reset? The workspace owner can buy a one-time extra usage pack: $100 for 2,500 credits, applied to the current billing cycle. There is no automatic overage billing. A workspace with no active plan (trial ended, no plan picked) is blocked with 429 until a plan is chosen.
Can I export my data?
An export tool is on the roadmap. In the meantime, the database schema is documented; if you self-host, you have direct access. For hosted users, contact us for a one-off export.
How is memory different from the knowledge base?
Memory is per-(user, assistant): facts about you. The knowledge base is per-workspace: facts about the world. Memory is auto-extracted from chat; the KB is curated by you or synced from a GitHub repo. The assistant uses both, but they answer different questions.
Can the API stream responses?
Not in v1. We return one JSON body when the assistant turn completes. SSE is on the roadmap.
Can the public API call my Google Calendar?
It can read, not write. The API path strips every tool that requires confirmation (send, create, delete) because there's no human in the loop to approve them; read-only tools (web search, fetch, knowledge, read-only connector reads) remain. Per-key tool allowlists are on the roadmap.