--- title: "How credits work" description: "What a CarsXE credit is, how many credits each API and plan uses, how extra credits and expiry work, and where to see your balance." canonical_url: "https://docs.carsxe.com/docs/guides/how-credits-work" markdown_url: "https://docs.carsxe.com/docs/guides/how-credits-work.md" last_updated: "1980-01-01" x_farming_labs_generated_preamble: true agent: task: "Explain how CarsXE credits are spent, included with a plan, topped up, and when each kind expires." outcome: "The reader can name the credit cost of an API, the monthly credits on Starter and Pro, that annual Starter includes 12,000 credits and annual Pro includes 60,000 granted at purchase and at each renewal, and that extra credits are valid for 12 months only with an active paid plan." prerequisites: - "A CarsXE account, if the reader is checking a live balance." verification: - "The reader can use the credits-per-API table on this page, including Ownership at 5 credits per record." - "The reader can find Total credits remaining on Billing, under Credits." failureModes: - symptom: "The reader cannot find the remaining credit balance." resolution: "The balance is on Billing, under Credits: https://carsxe.com/dashboard/billing#credits. A low or empty balance also shows in the notice at the top of the dashboard." --- # How credits work URL: /docs/guides/how-credits-work LLM index: /llms.txt Description: What a CarsXE credit is, how many credits each API and plan uses, how extra credits and expiry work, and where to see your balance. Related: /docs/guides/billing-units, /docs/guides/rate-limits ## Agent Contract Task: Explain how CarsXE credits are spent, included with a plan, topped up, and when each kind expires. Outcome: The reader can name the credit cost of an API, the monthly credits on Starter and Pro, that annual Starter includes 12,000 credits and annual Pro includes 60,000 granted at purchase and at each renewal, and that extra credits are valid for 12 months only with an active paid plan. ### Prerequisites - A CarsXE account, if the reader is checking a live balance. ### Verification - The reader can use the credits-per-API table on this page, including Ownership at 5 credits per record. - The reader can find Total credits remaining on Billing, under Credits. ### Failure Modes - The reader cannot find the remaining credit balance. — Recovery: The balance is on Billing, under Credits: https://carsxe.com/dashboard/billing#credits. A low or empty balance also shows in the notice at the top of the dashboard. Task: Explain how CarsXE credits are spent, included with a plan, topped up, and when each kind expires. Related: /docs/guides/how-credits-work, /docs/guides/billing-units, /docs/guides/rate-limits A credit is how CarsXE counts API usage. Each API call spends a set number of credits. One credits balance works across every CarsXE API. Paid plans include credits, and you can buy extra credits in steps of 100. **Why credits.** Customers often chain APIs, such as decoding a VIN and then pulling specs, value, history, or recalls. You spend that balance on the calls you actually make, and it is easy to try an API you have not used before. --- ## Credits per API | Credits | APIs | | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | [OBD](/docs/products/obd-codes-decoder), [VIN OCR](/docs/products/recognition#vin-ocr), [YMM Options](/docs/products/ymm-options), [Recalls by year, make, and model](/docs/products/recalls#recalls-by-ymm) | | 2 | [Specs](/docs/products/specifications), [YMM](/docs/products/year-make-model), [Images](/docs/products/vehicle-images), [Plate Recognition](/docs/products/recognition#plate-image-recognition), [Bulk Recalls](/docs/products/recalls#recalls-batch) | | 5 | US Plate Decoder, [Intl VIN](/docs/products/international-vin-decoder), [Vehicle Recalls](/docs/products/recalls), [Lien & Theft](/docs/products/lien-theft), [International plate decoder](/docs/products/plate-decoder) | | 5 per record | [Ownership](/docs/products/ownership), Ownership VIN Batch | | 25 | [Market Value](/docs/products/market-value), [History](/docs/products/vehicle-history) | | 50 | One-Time Report | [Ownership](/docs/products/ownership) costs 5 credits per record returned. Ownership VIN Batch costs 5 credits per record. Failed or empty lookups don't use credits. See [Validation errors](/docs/guides/errors#validation-errors) and [Data not found](/docs/guides/errors#data-not-found). --- ## Credits per plan These prices are for new Starter and Pro customers from November 1. Existing customers keep their current plans and prices. | Plan | Price | Credits included | Extra credits | | ------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------- | | Starter | $69/month or $690/year | 1,000 a month (annual: 12,000 up front) | $0.06 | | Pro | $299/month or $2,990/year | 5,000 a month (annual: 60,000 up front) | $0.05 | Annual is 10× the monthly price (2 months free). Monthly credits expire at the end of the month and do not roll over. Annual Starter includes 12,000 credits and annual Pro includes 60,000. Those credits are granted at purchase and at each renewal. --- ## Credit types **Extra credits.** You buy extra credits in steps of 100: 100, 200, 300, and so on. Extra credits are 6¢ each on Starter and 5¢ each on Pro. They are valid for 12 months, and usable only with an active paid plan. Buy them at [Billing → Credits](https://carsxe.com/dashboard/billing#credits). --- ## Other plans Legacy, Business, Enterprise and contract customers keep their current terms. Enterprise customers can choose credits at renewal. --- ## How to check your balance The balance is on [Billing → Credits](https://carsxe.com/dashboard/billing#credits). That section shows the plan, the credits included with it, credits used, purchased credits, and **Total credits remaining**. If your balance is low or empty, a notice at the top of the dashboard also shows how many credits you have left and links back to Billing. See the credits per API table on this page. Ownership and Ownership VIN Batch each cost 5 credits per record. }, { question: "Do credits roll over?", answer: Monthly plan credits expire at the end of the month and do not roll over. Annual credits are granted up front; see Credits per plan. Extra credits are valid for 12 months, and usable only with an active paid plan. }, { question: "How long do extra credits last?", answer: "Extra credits are valid for 12 months, and usable only with an active paid plan." }, { question: "What happens when I run out of credits?", answer: With auto-recharge off, API calls stop until you buy credits at Billing or turn on auto-recharge. You're never charged for credits you didn't buy. }, { question: "Is auto-recharge on?", answer: Auto-recharge is off by default. You turn it on at Billing. It defaults to $50 on Pro and $48 on Starter, the largest whole 100-credit pack at or under $50. }, { question: "Can sandbox users buy credits?", answer: "No. The sandbox includes 100 free credits, one time. They are not replaced each month, and you can't buy more without an active paid plan." }, { question: "How do annual plans work?", answer: See Credits per plan. }, { question: "What about other plans?", answer: "Legacy, Business, Enterprise and contract customers keep their current terms. Enterprise customers can choose credits at renewal." }, { question: "What if I downgrade in the middle of a billing cycle?", answer: "You keep your current plan, for example Pro, and its credits until the billing cycle ends. The downgrade takes effect after that." }, { question: "How do refunds work?", answer: "Refunds are issued as credits. Cash refunds are only for genuine billing mistakes." }, { question: "What happens to existing customers?", answer: "No change for now. Existing customers keep their current plans and prices. New Starter is $69 a month or $690 a year, and new Pro is $299 a month or $2,990 a year, from November 1. We haven't decided how or when existing customers might move, and we'll give plenty of notice before any change." } ]} /> ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages. Docs-scoped sitemap: [/docs/sitemap.md](/docs/sitemap.md). Well-known sitemap: [/.well-known/sitemap.md](/.well-known/sitemap.md).