diff --git a/libretranslate/app.py b/libretranslate/app.py
index 7e58f9b..5f7cabf 100644
--- a/libretranslate/app.py
+++ b/libretranslate/app.py
@@ -205,6 +205,8 @@ def create_app(args):
                 args.req_limit, args.hourly_req_limit, args.daily_req_limit, api_keys_db
             ),
             storage_uri=args.req_limit_storage,
+            default_limits_deduct_when=lambda req: True, # Force cost to be called after the request
+            default_limits_cost=lambda: getattr(request, 'req_cost', 1)
         )
     else:
         from .no_limiter import Limiter
@@ -515,6 +517,7 @@ def create_app(args):
                   type: string
                   description: Error message
         """
+        print("/translate")
         if request.is_json:
             json = get_json_dict(request)
             q = json.get("q")
@@ -550,6 +553,9 @@ def create_app(args):
                     description=_("Invalid request: request (%(size)s) exceeds text limit (%(limit)s)", size=batch_size, limit=args.batch_limit),
                 )
 
+        if batch:
+            request.req_cost = max(1, len(q))
+
         if args.char_limit != -1:
             chars = sum([len(text) for text in q]) if batch else len(q)
 
@@ -755,6 +761,14 @@ def create_app(args):
 
             file.save(filepath)
 
+            # Not an exact science: take the number of bytes and divide by
+            # the character limit. Assuming a plain text file, this will
+            # set the cost of the request to N = bytes / char_limit, which is
+            # roughly equivalent to a batch process of N batches assuming
+            # each batch uses all available limits
+            if args.char_limit != -1:
+              request.req_cost = max(1, int(os.path.getsize(filepath) / args.char_limit))
+
             translated_file_path = argostranslatefiles.translate_file(src_lang.get_translation(tgt_lang), filepath)
             translated_filename = os.path.basename(translated_file_path)