> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cloud-docs.orbi.build/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> What are the common questions about how Orbi Cloud works?

Short answers to the questions that come up most, with links to the full explanation.

## Getting started

**Do I need to pay before trying it?**
No. Sign-in, App installation, connecting a repository, provisioning and your first **3 merged deliveries** are all free, with no card. See [billing](/billing).

**Do I need to configure a model or an API key?**
No. A subscription includes 300M tokens a month and deliveries use the platform channel by default. Configuring your own key is optional — see [model configuration](/model-configuration).

**Do I have to install anything?**
No. Everything happens in your browser and in GitHub. You never get a shell on the runner and nothing runs on your machine.

**Can I use it on a private repository?**
Yes. The GitHub App works on private repositories you authorize.

**Can I connect more than one repository?**
Not at the moment — one active repository at a time. You can change which one whenever no delivery is in flight. See [connect a repository](/connect-repository#changing-the-connected-repository).

**Does it work on an organization's repository?**
Yes. Install the App on the organization; that creates a separate tenant for the organization with its own subscription and usage.

## Running deliveries

**How do I give Orbi work?**
Create an Issue in your connected repository and add the `ai-ready` label — or use **Let Orbi try this one** on the status page. See [file your first Issue](/first-issue).

**How long until it starts?**
Up to five minutes. Pickup runs on a timer rather than instantly.

**How long does a delivery take?**
It depends entirely on the size of the task. Small, well-specified changes finish quickly; large or vague ones take longer and go through more repair rounds.

**Can I change my mind while it is working?**
Yes. Comment on the Issue or edit its body — the running session restarts with your correction. It accepts 3 such restarts, and only trusted repository roles can steer. See [steering a delivery](/delivery-lifecycle#steering-a-delivery-that-is-already-running).

**Can I stop a delivery?**
Close the Issue. If it was an unsubscribed delivery that never merged, closing it refunds the free-allowance slot.

**Will Orbi review its own code?**
The review runs in a separate session that did not write the code, and it repairs what it finds before anything reaches the merge gate. It is not the same session marking its own work — though it is still Orbi, so your own CI is what makes the guarantee concrete.

**Does it merge without my approval?**
Yes, when the review verdict is clean and the merge gate passes — that is the point of an unattended loop. If you want a human approval on every delivery, set your branch protection to require one; see [security](/security#branch-protection).

**What is `ai-blocked`?**
A deliberate stop meaning a person has to decide the next step, not a crash. Fix the cause, then re-apply `ai-ready`. See [troubleshooting](/troubleshooting#ai-blocked).

## Limits and cost

**What does it cost?**
3 merged deliveries free, then US\$79/month including 300M tokens. No per-token overage — deliveries pause at the cap instead. See [billing](/billing).

**Do failed deliveries use up my free allowance?**
No. A delivery that ends blocked or is closed without merging refunds its slot.

**How many deliveries does 300M tokens cover?**
Roughly 85 to 400 merged deliveries depending on task size, assuming your provider supports prompt caching.

**What happens when I hit the monthly cap?**
Newly labelled Issues have `ai-ready` removed with an explanatory comment. In-flight deliveries are untouched. Wait for the next month or switch to your own key — then re-apply the label yourself. See [limits and quotas](/limits-and-quotas).

**My quota is draining fast. Why?**
Check the cache hit rate on the status page. Cache-miss tokens cost about 50× more, so a rate below 90% burns quota much faster.

## Releases

**Does Orbi release automatically?**
No, never. You cut a release by typing a version into **Cut a release**, or by opening a Release Issue with the `ai-release` label yourself. See [releases](/releases).

**Does it pick the version number?**
No. You type it — the next version is a product decision Orbi will not make for you.

**Why did my release stop at scope derivation?**
The scope comes from a milestone titled exactly like the version. Orbi does not create that milestone for you.

## Security and access

**What can Orbi see?**
Only the repositories in your GitHub App installation, and it works on one connected repository. See [security](/security).

**Where does my API key live?**
Encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM, shown back to you masked only, never logged.

**How do I revoke access?**
Uninstall the GitHub App from GitHub. Access ends immediately. Cancelling a subscription is separate.

**Can a platform upgrade interrupt my delivery?**
No. Deployments cannot restart a delivery that is already executing.

## Product

**Is this the same as self-hosted Orbi?**
Same delivery engine; the difference is who operates the runner. The engine is open source and self-hosting it is free — [orbi.build](https://orbi.build/?ref=cloud-docs-faq).

**Is it stable?**
Orbi Cloud is in Private Beta. This documentation describes what currently ships, not a roadmap.

**Where do I get help?**
The Telegram group, linked with a QR code from the **Technical support** card at the bottom of the status page. See [troubleshooting](/troubleshooting#getting-help).