Credits System
SearchVector uses a credit-based system to track and manage your tool usage. Understanding how credits work helps you maximize value from your subscription.
What Are Credits?
Credits are a currency within SearchVector that represents tool usage. Each action you take in SearchVector costs a certain number of credits. Your monthly allocation depends on your subscription plan, and credits reset on the 1st of each month.
How Credits Work
- Monthly Allocation - You receive a set number of credits each month based on your plan
- Usage Costs - Each tool action consumes a specific number of credits
- Monthly Reset - Unused credits expire at the end of the month (no rollover)
- Tracking - View your usage anytime from the dashboard or settings
- Upgrades - Purchase additional credits if you need more beyond your plan
Credits are tied to your account, not to individual projects. You can use them across all your projects.
Credits by Plan
| Plan | Monthly Credits | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5,000 | Free |
| Pro | 100,000 | $29/month |
| Growth | 500,000 | $99/month |
| Custom | Unlimited | Custom pricing |
What Actions Cost Credits?
Different tools and features consume different amounts of credits based on their complexity and data requirements.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is one of the most popular features and varies by data source:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Google Keywords | 50 | Standard Google search keyword research |
| YouTube Keywords | 60 | YouTube-specific keyword research |
| Amazon Keywords | 75 | E-commerce keyword opportunities |
| Play Store Keywords | 70 | Android app store keywords |
| App Store Keywords | 70 | Apple app store keywords |
Google keyword research costs fewer credits than specialty sources. If you're budget-conscious, focus on Google research first.
Rank Tracking
Tracking your keyword rankings costs credits based on frequency:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Tracking | 1 per keyword | Automatic daily tracking updates |
| Weekly Tracking | 0.2 per keyword | Once-weekly ranking checks |
| Monthly Tracking | 0.05 per keyword | Once-monthly tracking updates |
Rank tracking costs are applied automatically when SearchVector checks your rankings. You pay daily for active keywords.
Site Audit
Website auditing provides detailed technical SEO insights:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Audit | 100 | Fast scan of key pages (up to 100 URLs) |
| Full Site Audit | 500 | Comprehensive crawl of entire website |
| Daily Audit Monitoring | 50 per day | Automatic daily audit updates |
Title & Meta Checker
Bulk analysis of your on-page elements:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Per 100 Pages | 30 | Analyze title tags and meta descriptions |
| Update Check | 20 | Recheck previously analyzed pages |
Sitemap Analysis
Analyze your XML sitemap structure:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemap Analysis | 40 | One-time analysis of your sitemap |
| Update Analysis | 20 | Reanalyze after changes |
Competitor Analysis
Analyze your competitor's keywords and strategies:
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Competitor Keywords | 100 | Extract keywords from competitor domain |
| Competitor Backlinks | 150 | Analyze competitor backlink profile |
Other Tools
| Action | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| GSC Data Sync | 0 | Free sync of your Google Search Console data |
| AI Insights Analysis | 50 | Generate AI-powered recommendations |
| Report Generation | 25 | Create and export detailed reports |
Some actions like GSC data syncing are completely free and don't consume your credits!
Tracking Your Credit Usage
Monitor how you're spending credits throughout the month.
View Credits on Dashboard
- Log into SearchVector
- Look at the Credits Usage Widget on your dashboard
- You'll see:
- Total monthly credits
- Credits used so far this month
- Credits remaining
- Percentage of credits consumed
- Graph showing usage over time
Detailed Usage Report
Get a breakdown of which tools are consuming the most credits:
- Go to Settings > Billing > Credit Usage Report
- See a detailed breakdown showing:
- Tool name (Keyword Research, Rank Tracking, etc.)
- Total credits consumed
- Number of times the tool was used
- Percentage of total credit usage
- Filter by:
- Date Range - This month, last month, custom dates
- Project - Specific project or all projects
- Tool - Specific tool or all tools
Export Usage Data
Export your credit usage data:
- Go to Settings > Billing > Credit Usage Report
- Click "Export CSV" or "Export PDF"
- Download your usage data for record-keeping
Maximizing Your Credits
Smart Usage Strategies
- Prioritize High-Value Keywords - Focus on keywords that matter most to your business
- Use Free Tools - GSC integration and basic analysis don't use credits
- Batch Research - Do keyword research in batches rather than individually
- Monthly Planning - Plan your research at the start of the month to avoid overspending
- Review Weekly - Check your credits weekly to ensure you're on track
Cost-Effective Practices
- Google Focus - Google keyword research costs less than specialty sources
- Weekly Tracking - Use weekly tracking instead of daily to save on rank tracking costs
- Selective Audits - Do full audits once, then quick audits for monitoring
- Combine Tools - Use integrated tools like Title & Meta Checker instead of running separate audits
A Smart approach: Research 50 keywords on Google (2,500 credits), track them daily (150 credits/day for 50 keywords), and check your site monthly (50 credits) for a total of about 7,000 credits per month - easily within the Free plan!
Running Out of Credits
If you're approaching or have exceeded your monthly credit limit:
View Your Situation
- Check the Credits Usage Widget on your dashboard
- It will show red if you're near your limit
- You'll receive email notifications when you reach 80%, 90%, and 100% of your credits
Options When Running Low
- Reduce Usage - Scale back on tool usage for the rest of the month
- Wait for Reset - Credits reset on the 1st of the next month
- Upgrade Plan - Switch to a higher-tier plan with more credits
- Purchase Extra Credits - Buy additional credits on top of your plan
Purchasing Additional Credits
If you need more credits before the month resets:
- Go to Settings > Billing > Purchase Credits
- Choose your credit package:
- 10,000 credits - $10
- 50,000 credits - $45
- 100,000 credits - $85
- 500,000 credits - $350
- Select your payment method
- Complete the purchase
- Credits are added to your account immediately
Additional credits purchased separately do NOT reset monthly. They remain in your account until used.
Understanding Your Usage Patterns
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Which tools use the most credits? - Focus on optimizing expensive tools
- When do I run out? - Do you consistently run out in the last week? You may need more credits
- Which projects are most demanding? - Some projects naturally require more tools
- Can I switch to cheaper alternatives? - Use lower-cost tools where possible
Example Monthly Usage
Here's an example of how someone with the Free plan (5,000 credits) might use their allocation:
| Tool | Queries | Credits/Query | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Keyword Research | 50 | 50 | 2,500 |
| Rank Tracking (50 keywords, daily) | 30 days | 150/day | 2,100 |
| Title & Meta Checker | 100 pages | 30 | 300 |
| Site Audit | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| Monthly Total | 5,000 |
Credit Refunds and Adjustments
When SearchVector Experiences Outages
If SearchVector experiences a service outage that affects your tool usage:
- SearchVector will investigate the issue
- Affected credits may be refunded to your account
- You'll receive an email notification of any refunds
- Contact support at [email protected] if you believe you've been incorrectly charged
Disputing Charges
If you believe you've been charged credits incorrectly:
- Take a screenshot of the charge
- Email [email protected] with details
- Include the date, time, and tool name
- SearchVector will investigate within 48 hours
- Incorrect charges will be refunded
Team Member Credit Usage
How Multi-Team Credit Usage Works
When you have multiple team members:
- Shared Pool - All team members draw from the same credit pool
- No Individual Limits - Team members can't have individual credit limits
- Activity Tracking - You can see which team member used credits
- Admin Control - Only admins can purchase additional credits
Managing Team Usage
- Go to Settings > Billing > Team Credit Usage
- See breakdown by team member:
- Name
- Credits used this month
- Percentage of total usage
- Recent activity
- Contact team members if usage seems high
Set team guidelines for credit usage to prevent overspending. Discuss prioritization and best practices with your team.
Upgrades and Plan Changes
Upgrading to a Higher Plan
When you upgrade mid-month:
- You receive an additional credit allocation for that month
- Pro-rata pricing applies for the remainder of the month
- Credits reset on the 1st of the next month at your new tier
- Previous month's unused credits expire
Example:
- Free plan user on March 15th upgrades to Pro
- Pro plan costs $29/month
- You'll be charged $14.50 for the remaining 50% of March
- Starting April 1st, you get 100,000 credits monthly
Downgrading Plans
When you downgrade:
- You keep your current credit allocation through the end of the month
- Starting next month, you get the lower plan's credit allocation
- Excess features are disabled (projects, team members, etc.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do credits roll over to next month? A: No, unused credits expire at the end of each month. Only separately purchased credits remain in your account.
Q: Can I share credits with another account? A: No, credits are tied to your account and cannot be transferred.
Q: What happens if I exceed my monthly credit limit? A: You'll be warned as you approach your limit. Once you hit 100%, you can't use credit-consuming tools until the month resets or you purchase additional credits.
Q: Are there any free tools? A: Yes! GSC integration and basic keyword importing don't consume credits.
Q: Can I get credits as a gift? A: Contact support at [email protected] to discuss credit options for special situations.
Next Steps
Now that you understand credits:
- Check Your Dashboard - See your current credit usage
- Plan Your Usage - Decide which tools to prioritize this month
- Set Team Guidelines - If you have team members, establish credit usage norms
- Monitor Regularly - Check your credits weekly to stay on track
- Upgrade if Needed - Switch to a higher plan if you consistently run out
Need help managing your credits? Contact support at [email protected]!