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

# Credits & usage

> Track your credit balances and plan limits, buy add-ons and credit packs, and set up auto top-up.

## Overview

Your [plan](/getting-started/glossary#plan) includes
**[credits](/getting-started/glossary#credits)** that are spent when you send
messages and emails, make calls, or use AI. It also sets **limits** on how many
contacts, [seats](/getting-started/glossary#seat), segments, and other items you
can hold. Track both on the **Usage** tab of **Account → Plan & Billing**
(`/billing?tab=usage`), and extend them with **add-ons** on the **Plans &
subscription** tab. For choosing, changing, or cancelling a plan, see
[Plans & trials](/billing/plans-and-trials).

<Info>
  **Time to complete:** \~10 minutes  ·  **Difficulty:** Beginner  ·  By default, only Owners and Admins can
  view this page and buy add-ons or change auto top-up.
</Info>

## Before you start

* You need an active subscription or trial; credits appear once one exists.
* Prices and pack sizes are shown in-app and may change.
* Purchases charge the card saved on your subscription (see
  [Payment method](/billing/plans-and-trials#update-your-card-and-find-invoices)).

## Understand your credits

The **Credits** card on the Usage tab shows one tile per credit pool (one balance
per type) — for example **SMS credits**, **Email credits**, **AI credits**, and
**Voice minutes**, depending on your plan. Each tile shows the **available**
balance and a breakdown: **included · purchased · reserved**.

* **Included** credits come with your plan (subscription and promotional grants).
* **Purchased** credits come from credit packs you buy.
* **Reserved** credits are set aside for work in progress (a campaign mid-send, a
  call in progress). They are released or charged when it finishes.

SMS credits are charged per message part (a long text counts as more than one)
and vary by destination country. Email is charged per send. AI runs and calls set
aside an estimate, then charge the actual amount used. Included credits can
expire — credits that will expire are shown in the allocation summary (the list
of your credit grants) on the Plans & subscription tab.

<Note>
  Pools are separate. An empty SMS pool blocks SMS sends even if you have plenty of
  AI credits. When a pool hits zero the Usage tab shows **Out of credits** with a
  **Buy credits** button, and campaigns on that channel pause until you top up.
</Note>

## Read your usage

<Steps>
  <Step title="Check the headline">
    The Usage tab opens with your plan name, status, and **Period ends** date. A
    **Resources approaching limits** alert lists anything near its cap, with
    **Browse add-ons**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Spot trends">
    **30-day usage trend** charts one resource at a time (pick it from the
    dropdown) and projects usage to period end. "Consider an add-on" appears if
    you're on pace to run out.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compare allowance to consumption">
    **Available vs consumed** lists every resource with **Plan allowance**,
    **Add-ons**, **Total**, **Consumed**, **Remaining**, **Utilization** (the
    share used), and a **Status** badge: **Healthy**, **Near limit**, **At
    limit**, or **Unlimited**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the activity list">
    Under **Resource activity**, **Resource events** lists each use (Date,
    Resource, Action, Consumed, Remaining, Source) and can be filtered by resource.
    **AI credit transactions** lists every credit added or spent, with the credit
    type, reason, and **Balance after**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Buy an add-on or credit pack

Add-ons live on the **Plans & subscription** tab under **Add-ons**. **Your
add-ons** shows what you own as meters (bars showing how much is left);
**Available to purchase** lists the rest.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Purchase">
    Click **Purchase** on a pack. The dialog shows **You get** (units or credits)
    and **Cost** per pack.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose how it's charged">
    Under **How should this be charged?**, pick **One-time** (charged once, never
    re-charges) or **Recurring (auto-refill)** and set **Refill when remaining
    units reach** a level. Feature unlocks are one-time only.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Buy now">
    Click **Buy now**. The saved card is charged without leaving the app, and the
    credits appear within moments ("… is now active"). If your bank requires extra
    verification or no card is saved, you're sent to a secure checkout page
    instead.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To reload a pack you already own, click **Buy again** on its meter — one more pack
is added to your current balance.

## Set up auto top-up

Auto top-up charges your saved card for one more pack whenever the remaining
units fall to the level you set.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Manage">
    On an owned add-on, click **Manage** to expand its controls.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn it on">
    Switch on **Auto top-up** and set **Refill when remaining reaches**. The
    level is marked on the meter and shown as **Top up at …**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Resume if paused">
    If a charge fails, auto top-up shows **Paused** with the reason. Fix your
    card, then click **Resume auto top-up**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The **Buy more** and **Auto-recharge** buttons on the Credits card jump straight
to this section.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is this a prepaid wallet I fund with cash?">
    Not exactly. Credits are included with your plan and topped up by buying
    credit packs; count limits (contacts, seats, and so on) are extended with
    capacity add-ons or a higher plan.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is my available balance lower than the total?">
    Reserved credits are set aside for work in progress. They return to available
    (or are charged) as soon as the send or call completes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do purchased credits expire?">
    Included credits may carry an expiry, shown in the allocation summary.
    Purchased packs show **Does not expire** or an **Expires** date on their meter.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I see spend by campaign?">
    Usage is tracked as units used per resource. **Resource events** shows the
    action and source of each use, not money spent per campaign.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Live usage temporarily unavailable">
    Usage data is briefly out of reach. Plan details still show from the last
    saved copy; retry in a moment. Nothing is charged while it's down.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A purchase asked for verification">
    Your bank asked for an extra security check (3-D Secure). Complete the
    checkout page to finish the charge; the credits arrive once payment completes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Auto top-up isn't refilling">
    Open **Manage** on the add-on: make sure **Auto top-up** is on and not
    **Paused**, and that your saved card is valid via **Manage plan**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A usage alert disappeared">
    Dismissed alerts stay hidden. Click **Show hidden usage alerts** at the bottom
    of the Usage tab to bring them back.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Plans & trials" icon="credit-card" href="/billing/plans-and-trials">
  Choose, change, or cancel your plan.
</Card>