Model access tiers are broader than the auto-model levels in the picker. Here, Basic, Standard, and Premium are administrator controls that apply to individual models, reasoning-effort combinations, and the corresponding auto models. The picker’s Basic, Standard, and Premium are curated auto-model choices, not the complete set of models and reasoning efforts that these controls cover. For the curated auto-model lists, see Auto models and the model picker.
The three tiers
Every model and supported reasoning effort belongs to one tier. The same model can appear in more than one tier because its tier can change with the reasoning effort.
Tiers are cumulative. Up to Standard grants access to Basic and Standard. Up to Premium grants access to all three tiers, which is the default for every workspace.
The selector applies to every option in the selected category, not only to the three auto-model rows. It controls individual models, their supported reasoning efforts, and the corresponding Basic, Standard, or Premium auto model. A model can remain selectable at one reasoning effort while another effort on the same model is disabled.
Current options in each tier
The lists below match the model options shown by the model-tier information panel as of September 1, 2026. They include the model and reasoning-effort combinations currently assigned to each tier. Dust can change these assignments as providers release models, update pricing, or change availability. Asterisks mark models that depend on workspace configuration or plan eligibility.Basic
Standard
Premium
The three auto models are separate curated choices in the picker. Basic corresponds to the lower-cost auto model, Standard to the default auto model, and Premium to the higher-capability auto model. They are also gated by the member’s maximum tier.
Set the workspace ceiling
- Go to Admin > Usage.
- In the Models tier section, set Workspace access to the highest tier available to members of the workspace.
- The change applies to every member who has no group or personal override.
Override for a group
On the same Usage page, the groups table lets you set a tier per group. A group set to Inherited from workspace follows the workspace ceiling. Group overrides let you give a specific team access to Premium options while the rest of the workspace stays on Standard.Override for a member
The members table on the Usage page lets you set a tier for one member. Leaving a member on Inherit makes them follow their groups, or the workspace if they have no group override.How the ceiling is resolved
Dust resolves one ceiling per member, in this order:- Member override, if set. It wins over everything else.
- Group overrides, if the member belongs to at least one group with an override. When a member is in several such groups, the highest of those tiers applies.
- Workspace access, otherwise.
Let members run published agents above their tier
Restricting a member also restricts the agents they can run. If an agent is configured on a model and reasoning effort above the member’s ceiling, the run is blocked with Model tier not enabled. That can be too strict for a well-built shared agent that deliberately uses a stronger model. In the Models tier section, enable Published agents to let every member run published agents regardless of the agent’s model tier, while still capping what they can select themselves. With Published agents enabled:- Published agents run normally for everyone.
- Unpublished and personal agents remain restricted to the member’s ceiling.
- Creating or editing an agent on a model above the member’s ceiling remains blocked.
What members see
- In the model picker, individual models and reasoning efforts above their ceiling are visible but locked, with a tooltip telling them to contact their administrator.
- Auto-model rows above their ceiling are also locked. They do not silently downgrade to another auto model.
- When members try to run an agent above their ceiling, they get a Model tier not enabled message naming the agent.