diff --git a/lib/emails/__tests__/sendEmailHandler.test.ts b/lib/emails/__tests__/sendEmailHandler.test.ts
index 3b5fa6e8..e488e45c 100644
--- a/lib/emails/__tests__/sendEmailHandler.test.ts
+++ b/lib/emails/__tests__/sendEmailHandler.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { sendEmailHandler } from "../sendEmailHandler";
 
 const mockValidateSendEmailBody = vi.fn();
 const mockProcessAndSendEmail = vi.fn();
+const mockEnsureCredits = vi.fn();
+const mockRecordCreditDeduction = vi.fn();
 
 vi.mock("@/lib/emails/validateSendEmailBody", () => ({
   validateSendEmailBody: (...args: unknown[]) => mockValidateSendEmailBody(...args),
@@ -13,6 +15,18 @@ vi.mock("@/lib/emails/processAndSendEmail", () => ({
   processAndSendEmail: (...args: unknown[]) => mockProcessAndSendEmail(...args),
 }));
 
+vi.mock("@/lib/credits/ensureCreditsOrShortCircuit", () => ({
+  ensureCreditsOrShortCircuit: (...args: unknown[]) => mockEnsureCredits(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/credits/recordCreditDeduction", () => ({
+  recordCreditDeduction: (...args: unknown[]) => mockRecordCreditDeduction(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/credits/const", () => ({
+  CREDIT_AUTO_RECHARGE_FALLBACK_SUCCESS_URL: "https://chat.recoupable.com/credits",
+}));
+
 vi.mock("@/lib/networking/getCorsHeaders", () => ({
   getCorsHeaders: vi.fn(() => ({ "Access-Control-Allow-Origin": "*" })),
 }));
@@ -41,6 +55,51 @@ describe("sendEmailHandler", () => {
       message: "Email sent successfully.",
       id: "resend-id-1",
     });
+    mockEnsureCredits.mockResolvedValue(null); // credits available → proceed
+    mockRecordCreditDeduction.mockResolvedValue({ success: true });
+  });
+
+  it("gates on credits then charges 1 credit on a successful send", async () => {
+    const response = await sendEmailHandler(createRequest());
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(mockEnsureCredits).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ accountId: "account-123", creditsToDeduct: 1 }),
+    );
+    expect(mockRecordCreditDeduction).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        accountId: "account-123",
+        creditsToDeduct: 1,
+        source: "api",
+        modelId: "POST /api/emails",
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("returns the 402 short-circuit and does not send when credits are insufficient", async () => {
+    mockEnsureCredits.mockResolvedValue(
+      NextResponse.json({ status: "error", error: "Insufficient credits" }, { status: 402 }),
+    );
+    const response = await sendEmailHandler(createRequest());
+    expect(response.status).toBe(402);
+    expect(mockProcessAndSendEmail).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockRecordCreditDeduction).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("does not charge when the send fails", async () => {
+    mockProcessAndSendEmail.mockResolvedValue({ success: false, error: "resend boom" });
+    const response = await sendEmailHandler(createRequest());
+    expect(response.status).toBe(502);
+    expect(mockRecordCreditDeduction).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("returns a controlled 500 with CORS when the credit gate throws", async () => {
+    mockEnsureCredits.mockRejectedValue(new Error("stripe down"));
+    const response = await sendEmailHandler(createRequest());
+    expect(response.status).toBe(500);
+    expect(response.headers.get("Access-Control-Allow-Origin")).toBe("*");
+    const json = await response.json();
+    expect(json.status).toBe("error");
+    expect(mockProcessAndSendEmail).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("sends to the validated recipients and maps chat_id to the footer link", async () => {
diff --git a/lib/emails/sendEmailHandler.ts b/lib/emails/sendEmailHandler.ts
index 006bd002..3ea92020 100644
--- a/lib/emails/sendEmailHandler.ts
+++ b/lib/emails/sendEmailHandler.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@ import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
 import { getCorsHeaders } from "@/lib/networking/getCorsHeaders";
 import { validateSendEmailBody } from "@/lib/emails/validateSendEmailBody";
 import { processAndSendEmail } from "@/lib/emails/processAndSendEmail";
+import { ensureCreditsOrShortCircuit } from "@/lib/credits/ensureCreditsOrShortCircuit";
+import { recordCreditDeduction } from "@/lib/credits/recordCreditDeduction";
+import { CREDIT_AUTO_RECHARGE_FALLBACK_SUCCESS_URL } from "@/lib/credits/const";
+
+/**
+ * Credits charged per email sent. 1 credit = $0.01. Resend's per-email cost is
+ * ≤ $0.0004 (cheapest paid tier: Pro $20 / 50,000 emails), which rounds up to
+ * the $0.01 minimum — so we charge 1 credit, no markup.
+ */
+export const EMAIL_CREDIT_COST = 1;
+
+/**
+ * Stamped onto the `usage_events.model_id` for each send so endpoint usage is
+ * queryable: `select count(*) from usage_events where model_id = 'POST /api/emails'`.
+ */
+export const EMAIL_USAGE_MODEL_ID = "POST /api/emails";
 
 /**
  * Handler for POST /api/emails.
@@ -13,36 +29,69 @@ import { processAndSendEmail } from "@/lib/emails/processAndSendEmail";
  * Body validation, auth, and the recipient restriction all live in
  * `validateSendEmailBody`.
  *
+ * Charges `EMAIL_CREDIT_COST` credits: gate first (402 if the account can't
+ * cover it; auto-recharges via a card on file), then deduct only on a
+ * successful send (atomic `credits_usage` + `usage_events` via
+ * `recordCreditDeduction`).
+ *
  * @param request - The request object.
  * @returns A NextResponse with the send result.
  */
 export async function sendEmailHandler(request: NextRequest): Promise<NextResponse> {
-  const validated = await validateSendEmailBody(request);
-  if (validated instanceof NextResponse) {
-    return validated;
-  }
+  try {
+    const validated = await validateSendEmailBody(request);
+    if (validated instanceof NextResponse) {
+      return validated;
+    }
+
+    const { to, cc = [], subject, text, html = "", headers = {}, chat_id, accountId } = validated;
+
+    const short = await ensureCreditsOrShortCircuit({
+      accountId,
+      creditsToDeduct: EMAIL_CREDIT_COST,
+      successUrl: CREDIT_AUTO_RECHARGE_FALLBACK_SUCCESS_URL,
+    });
+    if (short) {
+      return short;
+    }
+
+    const result = await processAndSendEmail({
+      to,
+      cc,
+      subject,
+      text,
+      html,
+      headers,
+      room_id: chat_id,
+    });
 
-  const { to, cc = [], subject, text, html = "", headers = {}, chat_id } = validated;
+    if (result.success === false) {
+      // No charge — credits are deducted only on a successful send.
+      return NextResponse.json(
+        { status: "error", error: result.error },
+        { status: 502, headers: getCorsHeaders() },
+      );
+    }
 
-  const result = await processAndSendEmail({
-    to,
-    cc,
-    subject,
-    text,
-    html,
-    headers,
-    room_id: chat_id,
-  });
+    // Charge on success (best-effort: recordCreditDeduction never throws).
+    await recordCreditDeduction({
+      accountId,
+      creditsToDeduct: EMAIL_CREDIT_COST,
+      source: "api",
+      modelId: EMAIL_USAGE_MODEL_ID,
+    });
 
-  if (result.success === false) {
     return NextResponse.json(
-      { status: "error", error: result.error },
-      { status: 502, headers: getCorsHeaders() },
+      { success: true, message: result.message, id: result.id },
+      { status: 200, headers: getCorsHeaders() },
+    );
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Anything unexpected (e.g. a Stripe error inside the credit gate) returns a
+    // controlled 500 with CORS headers instead of an uncaught error.
+    console.error("[sendEmailHandler]", error);
+    return NextResponse.json(
+      { status: "error", error: "Internal server error" },
+      { status: 500, headers: getCorsHeaders() },
     );
   }
-
-  return NextResponse.json(
-    { success: true, message: result.message, id: result.id },
-    { status: 200, headers: getCorsHeaders() },
-  );
 }