Understanding Credits and Usage
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Credits are the currency that powers your Rankscale tracking. Every time a search term runs against an AI engine, it consumes credits.
Why It Matters
Your credit balance determines how many search terms you can track, across how many AI engines, and at what frequency. Understanding how credits are consumed helps you get the most out of your plan and avoid running out mid-cycle.
How Credits Work
Credits are consumed each time a search term is executed against an AI engine. The cost per execution depends on the AI engine and the method Rankscale uses to collect the data.
There are two main data collection methods:
GUI-based engines use a browser-based approach to query the AI engine's chat interface.
API-based engines send requests directly to the AI engine's API.
You can see your available credits in the Overview page and the exact credit cost for each AI engine by hovering over the info icon.
Tip: Credits are only consumed when search terms are executed. Adding search terms, creating brands, setting up topics, or viewing your dashboard does not use any credits.
What Drives Your Monthly Usage
Your total monthly credit consumption is determined by three factors:
Number of search terms you are tracking
Number of AI engines selected per search term
Tracking frequency (how often each search term runs)
The formula is: (number of search terms) x (number of AI engines) x (number of executions per month) = total monthly credits.
Credit Rollover
Credits reset at the start of each month. Whether unused credits roll over depends on your plan:
Essentials - no rollover. Unused credits expire at the end of each month.
Pro - unused credits roll over up to a maximum of 2x your monthly allowance. Any balance above this cap expires.
Growth and Enterprise - unused credits roll over up to a maximum of 3x your monthly allowance . Any balance above this cap expires.
Checkout Rankscale pricing page to see our current plans and features.
Note: Rollover credits are a buffer, not a savings account. If you consistently have a large unused balance, consider whether your tracking setup could benefit from more AI engines or additional search terms.
Features That Consume Credits Separately
Some features consume credits outside of regular search term tracking:
Prompt Research costs 50 credits per execution. This is separate from your page audit allowance. The number of prompt research runs available depends on your plan.
Page Audits are included in your plan as a separate allowance and do not draw from your main credit pool. Each plan includes a set number of free page audits per month.
Estimating Your Monthly Credit Needs
Use the credit calculator on the Rankscale pricing page to estimate your monthly usage based on the number of search terms, AI engines, and tracking intervals you plan to use. The calculator is also accessible within the Billing section of your settings.
Tip: If you are running low on credits, the quickest way to reduce consumption is to switch high-frequency search terms from daily to weekly tracking, or reduce the number of AI engines per search term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do credits roll over if I do not use them all?
It depends on your plan. Essentials credits expire at the end of each month. Pro credits roll over up to 2x your monthly allowance. Growth and Enterprise credits roll over up to 3x your monthly allowance.
What happens if I run out of credits?
Your search terms stop executing until your credits renew at the start of the next month or you upgrade your plan.
Do manual runs consume credits?
Yes. Running a search term manually uses the same amount of credits as an automated scheduled run.
Why did my credits drop faster than expected?
Common causes include search terms set to run hourly or daily instead of weekly, tracking across many AI engines per search term, or running Prompt Research (which costs 50 credits per run). Check your tracking intervals and engine selections in the Search Terms tab.
What is the difference between credits and AI responses?
Credits are the units deducted from your balance. AI responses refer to the total number of individual AI engine answers your plan can generate per month. Because different engines cost different amounts of credits, the maximum number of AI responses depends on which engines you use.
What happens to my credits if I cancel my subscription?
Upon cancelling your subscription all your credits will be set to zero and your search terms will become inactive. When you resubscribe to Rankscale you will still have access to your old workspace.