diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.metering.test.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.metering.test.ts
index 9609f08ea..b579b8576 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.metering.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.metering.test.ts
@@ -434,6 +434,119 @@ describe('ChatCompletionDriver credit gate against real metering', () => {
     });
 });
 
+describe('ChatCompletionDriver credit gate with an AI cost factor', () => {
+    const FACTOR = 1.3;
+    let seenKeys: string[];
+    const listener = (key: string, event: { factor: number }) => {
+        seenKeys.push(key);
+        event.factor = FACTOR;
+    };
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        seenKeys = [];
+        server.clients.event.on('ai.cost.factor.*', listener as never);
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+        server.clients.event.off('ai.cost.factor.*', listener as never);
+    });
+
+    const okResult = {
+        message: { role: 'assistant', content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'ok' }] },
+        usage: { input_tokens: 1, output_tokens: 1 },
+        finish_reason: 'stop',
+    } as never;
+
+    // Usage is recorded at cost × factor, so a cap sized at the bare cost
+    // lets a completion spend past what's left.
+    it('caps output at the factored price', async () => {
+        const actor = freeUser() as never;
+        const metering = server.services.metering;
+        const allowance = (await metering.getActorSubscription(actor))
+            .monthUsageAllowance;
+        await metering.incrementUsage(
+            actor,
+            'test:prior-spend',
+            1,
+            Math.floor(allowance * 0.9),
+        );
+        const remaining = await metering.getRemainingUsage(actor);
+        const completeSpy = vi
+            .spyOn(FakeChatProvider.prototype, 'complete')
+            .mockResolvedValueOnce(okResult);
+
+        await withTestActor(
+            () =>
+                driver.complete({
+                    model: 'priced',
+                    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'go' }],
+                    max_tokens: 100_000,
+                }),
+            actor,
+        );
+
+        const passed = completeSpy.mock.calls[0]![0] as { max_tokens: number };
+        expect(passed.max_tokens * 2000 * FACTOR).toBeLessThanOrEqual(
+            remaining,
+        );
+        expect(passed.max_tokens).toBeGreaterThan(
+            remaining / (2000 * FACTOR) - 10,
+        );
+    });
+
+    it('reserves the factored worst case', async () => {
+        const actor = freeUser() as never;
+        const reserve = vi.spyOn(server.services.metering, 'reserveCredits');
+        const completeSpy = vi
+            .spyOn(FakeChatProvider.prototype, 'complete')
+            .mockResolvedValueOnce(okResult);
+
+        await withTestActor(
+            () =>
+                driver.complete({
+                    model: 'priced',
+                    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'go' }],
+                    max_tokens: 10,
+                }),
+            actor,
+        );
+
+        const passed = completeSpy.mock.calls[0]![0] as { max_tokens: number };
+        expect(passed.max_tokens).toBe(10);
+        const [, held] = reserve.mock.calls[0]!;
+        // At least the 10 capped output tokens at 2000 × factor.
+        expect(held).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(10 * 2000 * FACTOR);
+    });
+
+    // The factor is looked up by the key the provider records under, or a
+    // per-model factor would price the gate and the charge differently.
+    it('asks for the factor under the metering key the provider records with', async () => {
+        const proto = FakeChatProvider.prototype as unknown as {
+            meteringModelKey?: (id: string) => string;
+        };
+        proto.meteringModelKey = (id) => `fake-recorded:${id}`;
+        try {
+            vi.spyOn(
+                FakeChatProvider.prototype,
+                'complete',
+            ).mockResolvedValueOnce(okResult);
+            await withTestActor(
+                () =>
+                    driver.complete({
+                        model: 'priced',
+                        messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'go' }],
+                    }),
+                freeUser() as never,
+            );
+            expect(seenKeys).toContain(
+                'ai.cost.factor.ai-chat.fake-recorded:priced',
+            );
+        } finally {
+            delete proto.meteringModelKey;
+        }
+    });
+});
+
 describe('ChatCompletionDriver credit gate on multimodal prompts', () => {
     it('prices attachments into the pre-flight affordability check', async () => {
         const actor = freeUser() as never;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.ts
index 65f939b2b..005f8c4f6 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/ChatCompletionDriver.ts
@@ -948,11 +948,21 @@ export class ChatCompletionDriver extends PuterDriver {
         // A prompt estimated past a long-context threshold pays the raised
         // rates on input and output alike.
         const multipliers = longContextMultipliers(model, promptTokenEstimate);
+        // Recorded costs pass through the AI cost factor; the gate prices at
+        // the same rate or it under-reserves on every request.
+        const costFactor = await this.#aiMetering.costFactor(
+            actor,
+            this.#meteringModelKey(model),
+        );
         // `|| 0` also catches NaN from a malformed cost table.
         const inputTokenCost =
-            (Number(model.costs?.[inputKey] ?? 0) || 0) * multipliers.input;
+            (Number(model.costs?.[inputKey] ?? 0) || 0) *
+            multipliers.input *
+            costFactor;
         const outputTokenCost =
-            (Number(model.costs?.[outputKey] ?? 0) || 0) * multipliers.output;
+            (Number(model.costs?.[outputKey] ?? 0) || 0) *
+            multipliers.output *
+            costFactor;
         const approximateInputCost = promptTokenEstimate * inputTokenCost;
         const minimumCredits = Number(model.minimumCredits || 1);
 
@@ -1021,7 +1031,8 @@ export class ChatCompletionDriver extends PuterDriver {
         // What this attempt can cost at worst: the prompt, plus output run to
         // the cap just set. Capped output is what makes the number finite —
         // for a model with no output price the output term is zero and the
-        // prompt estimate stands alone.
+        // prompt estimate stands alone. Already factored, so it's held through
+        // the plain service rather than scaled a second time.
         const worstCaseCost =
             approximateInputCost + (args.max_tokens ?? 0) * outputTokenCost;
         return this.services.metering.reserveCredits(
@@ -1030,6 +1041,14 @@ export class ChatCompletionDriver extends PuterDriver {
         );
     }
 
+    /** The key `model`'s usage is recorded and cost-factored under. */
+    #meteringModelKey(model: IChatModel): string {
+        return (
+            this.#providers[model.provider!]?.meteringModelKey?.(model.id) ??
+            `${model.provider}:${model.id}`
+        );
+    }
+
     /**
      * Charge a stream that produced output but never reported usage.
      *
@@ -1085,7 +1104,7 @@ export class ChatCompletionDriver extends PuterDriver {
                 [`estimated_${outputKey}`]: outputTokens,
             },
             actor,
-            `${model.provider}:${model.id}`,
+            this.#meteringModelKey(model),
             {
                 // Undefined when the model has no cost table: the entry is
                 // recorded unpriced rather than free.
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/alibaba/AlibabaProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/alibaba/AlibabaProvider.ts
index 0ab886afb..61b0999f8 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/alibaba/AlibabaProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/alibaba/AlibabaProvider.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ export class AlibabaProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `alibaba:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ export class AlibabaProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `alibaba:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureChatProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureChatProvider.ts
index bbc92c4af..9e55e0345 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureChatProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureChatProvider.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ export class AzureChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return this.#defaultModel;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string | undefined): string {
+        return `azure-openai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -275,7 +280,7 @@ export class AzureChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `azure-openai:${modelUsed?.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed?.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureResponsesProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureResponsesProvider.ts
index 2d24a4c92..ee97209fd 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureResponsesProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/azure/AzureResponsesProvider.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ export class AzureResponsesProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return this.#defaultModel;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string | undefined): string {
+        return `azure-openai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         model,
@@ -262,7 +267,7 @@ export class AzureResponsesProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `azure-openai:${modelUsed?.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed?.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/byteplus/BytePlusProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/byteplus/BytePlusProvider.ts
index b6f2a9921..31bd1f2d1 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/byteplus/BytePlusProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/byteplus/BytePlusProvider.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,11 @@ export class BytePlusProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `byteplus:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -151,7 +156,7 @@ export class BytePlusProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `byteplus:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/claude/ClaudeProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/claude/ClaudeProvider.ts
index ff88f533c..8dd181278 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/claude/ClaudeProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/claude/ClaudeProvider.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ export class ClaudeProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `claude:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -669,7 +674,7 @@ export class ClaudeProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     usageSum,
                     actor,
-                    `claude:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 chatStream.end(usageSum);
@@ -696,7 +701,7 @@ export class ClaudeProvider implements IChatProvider {
             this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                 usage,
                 actor,
-                `claude:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                 costsOverrideFromModel,
             );
 
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/deepseek/DeepSeekProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/deepseek/DeepSeekProvider.ts
index c750b2321..e188cca7d 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/deepseek/DeepSeekProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/deepseek/DeepSeekProvider.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ export class DeepSeekProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `deepseek:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -131,7 +136,7 @@ export class DeepSeekProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `deepseek:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/gemini/GeminiChatProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/gemini/GeminiChatProvider.ts
index a70a5c813..572890fe6 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/gemini/GeminiChatProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/gemini/GeminiChatProvider.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ export class GeminiChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(await this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string | undefined): string {
+        return `gemini:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -156,7 +161,7 @@ export class GeminiChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `gemini:${modelUsed?.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed?.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
 
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/groq/GroqAIProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/groq/GroqAIProvider.ts
index 690ca2e82..8f1fd8e7b 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/groq/GroqAIProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/groq/GroqAIProvider.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ export class GroqAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `groq:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         model,
@@ -99,7 +104,7 @@ export class GroqAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `groq:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/hoonify/HoonifyProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/hoonify/HoonifyProvider.ts
index e07d799b6..9325b76ff 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/hoonify/HoonifyProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/hoonify/HoonifyProvider.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ export class HoonifyProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelIds;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return modelId;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -149,7 +154,7 @@ export class HoonifyProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    modelUsed.id,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/infron/InfronProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/infron/InfronProvider.ts
index 90f43123f..ab6360074 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/infron/InfronProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/infron/InfronProvider.ts
@@ -223,6 +223,11 @@ export class InfronProvider implements IChatProvider {
     }
 
     /** AI Chat completion method. See AIChatService for more details. */
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return modelId;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -311,7 +316,7 @@ export class InfronProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     billedTrackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    modelUsed.id,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costOverwrites,
                 );
                 (billedTrackedUsage as Record<string, number>).usd_cents =
@@ -331,7 +336,7 @@ export class InfronProvider implements IChatProvider {
             this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                 trackedUsage,
                 actor,
-                modelUsed.id,
+                this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                 costOverwrites,
             );
             return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/meta/MetaProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/meta/MetaProvider.ts
index c5d0e36ae..b4a21825e 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/meta/MetaProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/meta/MetaProvider.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ export class MetaProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `meta:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -227,7 +232,7 @@ export class MetaProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `meta:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/minimax/MiniMaxProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/minimax/MiniMaxProvider.ts
index bdf0871c8..53939f43d 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/minimax/MiniMaxProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/minimax/MiniMaxProvider.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ export class MiniMaxProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `minimax:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -111,7 +116,7 @@ export class MiniMaxProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `minimax:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/mistral/MistralAiProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/mistral/MistralAiProvider.ts
index 83d6256cb..c9addfce8 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/mistral/MistralAiProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/mistral/MistralAiProvider.ts
@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ export class MistralAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
         });
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `mistral:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -396,7 +401,7 @@ export class MistralAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `mistral:${selectedModel.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(selectedModel.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/moonshot/MoonshotProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/moonshot/MoonshotProvider.ts
index ebb26de62..1d656bdb7 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/moonshot/MoonshotProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/moonshot/MoonshotProvider.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ export class MoonshotProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `moonshotai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -107,7 +112,7 @@ export class MoonshotProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `moonshotai:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/neuralwatt/NeuralwattProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/neuralwatt/NeuralwattProvider.ts
index f72dedde3..a548e994b 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/neuralwatt/NeuralwattProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/neuralwatt/NeuralwattProvider.ts
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ export class NeuralwattProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return undefined;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return modelId;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -305,7 +310,7 @@ export class NeuralwattProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     billedTrackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    modelUsed.id,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costOverwrites,
                 );
                 const result = annotate(billedTrackedUsage);
@@ -327,7 +332,7 @@ export class NeuralwattProvider implements IChatProvider {
             this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                 trackedUsage,
                 actor!,
-                modelUsed.id,
+                this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                 costOverwrites,
             );
             return annotate(trackedUsage);
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/ollama/OllamaProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/ollama/OllamaProvider.ts
index 4a2affda0..3e6a060b5 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/ollama/OllamaProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/ollama/OllamaProvider.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ export class OllamaChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
         }
         return model_names;
     }
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return modelId;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatCompletionsProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatCompletionsProvider.ts
index 9237df7db..de9da5349 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatCompletionsProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatCompletionsProvider.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ export class OpenAiChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return this.#defaultModel;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string | undefined): string {
+        return `openai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -247,7 +252,7 @@ export class OpenAiChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `openai:${modelUsed?.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed?.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatResponsesProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatResponsesProvider.ts
index 7a4f444c7..57396f41c 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatResponsesProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openai/OpenAiChatResponsesProvider.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ export class OpenAiResponsesChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return this.#defaultModel;
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string | undefined): string {
+        return `openai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         model,
@@ -280,7 +285,7 @@ export class OpenAiResponsesChatProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `openai:${modelUsed?.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed?.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openrouter/OpenRouterProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openrouter/OpenRouterProvider.ts
index be20cb48c..ce2299ce8 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openrouter/OpenRouterProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/openrouter/OpenRouterProvider.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ export class OpenRouterProvider implements IChatProvider {
     }
 
     /** AI Chat completion method. See AIChatService for more details. */
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return modelId;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -194,7 +199,7 @@ export class OpenRouterProvider implements IChatProvider {
                     this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                         trackedUsage,
                         actor,
-                        modelUsed.id,
+                        this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                         costOverwrites,
                     );
                     (trackedUsage as Record<string, number>).usd_cents =
@@ -221,7 +226,7 @@ export class OpenRouterProvider implements IChatProvider {
                     this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                         trackedUsage,
                         actor,
-                        modelUsed.id,
+                        this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                         costOverwrites,
                     );
                     return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/together/TogetherAIProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/together/TogetherAIProvider.ts
index 5278b4376..617edcf2f 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/together/TogetherAIProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/together/TogetherAIProvider.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ export class TogetherAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(await this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `togetherai:${modelId.replace(/^togetherai:/, '')}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -174,7 +179,7 @@ export class TogetherAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `togetherai:${modelIdForParams}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/xai/XAIProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/xai/XAIProvider.ts
index e09b2ffe1..2a39b6d5c 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/xai/XAIProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/xai/XAIProvider.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ export class XAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `xai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete({
         messages,
         stream,
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ export class XAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor,
-                    `xai:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverride,
                 );
                 return metered;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/zai/ZAIProvider.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/zai/ZAIProvider.ts
index c1eac5006..eea785d06 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/zai/ZAIProvider.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/providers/zai/ZAIProvider.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ export class ZAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
         return modelLookupNames(this.models());
     }
 
+    /** The model key this provider records usage under. */
+    meteringModelKey(modelId: string): string {
+        return `zai:${modelId}`;
+    }
+
     async complete(
         params: ICompleteArguments,
     ): ReturnType<IChatProvider['complete']> {
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ export class ZAIProvider implements IChatProvider {
                 this.#meteringService.utilRecordUsageObject(
                     trackedUsage,
                     actor!,
-                    `zai:${modelUsed.id}`,
+                    this.meteringModelKey(modelUsed.id),
                     costsOverrideFromModel,
                 );
                 return trackedUsage;
diff --git a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/types.ts b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/types.ts
index 0d8bf5c3f..937abc256 100644
--- a/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/types.ts
+++ b/src/backend/drivers/ai-chat/types.ts
@@ -173,4 +173,10 @@ export interface IChatProvider {
      * attempt.
      */
     readonly resolvesPuterPaths?: boolean;
+    /**
+     * The model key usage is recorded under, which is also what the AI cost
+     * factor is looked up by. The driver assumes `<provider>:<model id>` when
+     * absent.
+     */
+    meteringModelKey?(modelId: string): string;
 }