Understanding Credits & Billing
ElasticDomain uses a credit-based system. Pay only for what you use or subscribe for predictable monthly costs.
How Credits Work
Every action that consumes resources costs credits:
- WHOIS lookups
- SSL certificate checks
- DNS record queries
- Security scans
- Report generation
Non-credit actions: Viewing saved data, browsing dashboard, API authentication = free
Credit Costs by Action
| Action | Credits |
|---|---|
| WHOIS Lookup | 1 |
| SSL Certificate Check | 1 |
| DNS Record Scan | 1 |
| Security Headers Check | 1 |
| Blacklist Check (50+ databases) | 1 |
| Full Domain Scan (all above) | 5 |
| Subdomain Discovery | 3 |
| Content Monitoring (per check) | 2 |
| PDF Report Generation | 2 |
| Brand Protection Scan | 10 |
Estimating Monthly Usage
Example: 10 Domains, Daily Scans
- 10 domains × 5 credits (full scan) = 50 credits/day
- 50 credits × 30 days = 1,500 credits/month
- Recommended plan: Pro ($29/month, 2,000 credits)
Example: 50 Domains, Mix of Daily & Weekly
- 20 critical domains × 5 credits × 30 scans = 3,000 credits
- 30 low-priority × 5 credits × 4 scans = 600 credits
- Total: 3,600 credits/month
- Recommended plan: Business ($99/month, 5,000 credits)
Subscription Plans
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Credits Included | Cost per Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $9 | 500 | $0.018 |
| Pro | $29 | 2,000 | $0.0145 |
| Business | $99 | 5,000 | $0.0198 |
| Enterprise | $299 | 20,000 | $0.015 |
| Pay-As-You-Go | $0 | Buy as needed | $0.02 |
Plan Features
| Feature | Starter | Pro | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Domains | 25 | 100 | 500 | Unlimited |
| API Access | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Team Members | 1 | 3 | 10 | Unlimited |
| White-Label Reports | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom Integrations | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Purchasing Credits
One-Time Credit Packs
For Pay-As-You-Go or to top up your subscription:
| Pack | Credits | Price | Cost per Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 100 | $2 | $0.020 |
| Medium | 500 | $9 | $0.018 |
| Large | 1,000 | $15 | $0.015 |
| Bulk | 5,000 | $60 | $0.012 |
How to Buy Credits
- Go to Dashboard → Settings → Billing
- Click "Purchase Credits"
- Select pack size
- Checkout (credit card or PayPal)
- Credits added instantly
Subscription Management
Upgrading Plans
- Settings → Billing → Change Plan
- Select new plan
- Confirm upgrade
- Prorated credit: Unused credits from old plan transferred
Downgrading Plans
- Settings → Billing → Change Plan
- Select lower plan
- Takes effect: Next billing cycle
- Current plan remains active until renewal date
Canceling Subscription
- Settings → Billing → Cancel Subscription
- Confirm cancellation
- Access: You keep access until end of billing period
- Credits: Unused credits remain available for 90 days
Credit Balance & History
Checking Balance
- Dashboard header: Shows current balance (e.g., "1,240 credits")
- Hover for details: Monthly allowance + purchased + used
Usage History
Go to Settings → Billing → Usage to see:
- Credits used per day (line chart)
- Breakdown by action type (pie chart)
- Per-domain usage (table)
- Projected usage for month
Credit Rollover
Subscription credits: Do NOT roll over (use-it-or-lose-it monthly)
Purchased credits: Roll over indefinitely (never expire)
Example:
- Pro plan: 2,000 credits/month (subscription)
- Purchased: 500 credits (one-time)
- Total: 2,500 available this month
- Used: 1,800
- Next month: 2,000 (new subscription) + 500 (purchased, rolled over) = 2,500
Low Credit Alerts
Set up alerts to avoid running out:
- Settings → Billing → Alerts
- Set threshold: "Alert when below 100 credits"
- Choose notification: Email, SMS, or auto-purchase
Auto-Recharge
Automatically purchase credits when balance is low:
- Settings → Billing → Auto-Recharge
- Enable feature
- Set trigger: "When balance < 50 credits"
- Set amount: "Purchase 500 credits ($9)"
Refunds & Credits
Refund Policy
- Subscriptions: 30-day money-back guarantee (first charge only)
- Credit packs: Refundable if unused (within 14 days)
- Used credits: Non-refundable
Service Credits
If ElasticDomain experiences downtime or errors, we may issue service credits:
- Extended outages (> 1 hour)
- Failed scans due to our infrastructure
- Lost data (extremely rare)
Optimizing Credit Usage
Tips to Save Credits
- ✅ Adjust check intervals: Use weekly for low-priority domains
- ✅ Disable monitoring: Pause domains you don't need to track
- ✅ Use Quick Scans: Only WHOIS + SSL (2 credits vs 5 for full)
- ✅ Batch operations: Run reports weekly instead of daily
- ✅ Remove duplicates: Don't track
example.comandwww.example.comseparately - ❌ Don't over-scan: Checking every hour usually isn't necessary
Which Actions Use Most Credits?
- Brand Protection Scans: 10 credits (most expensive)
- Full Domain Scans: 5 credits × frequency × domain count
- Content Monitoring: 2 credits per check (adds up if daily)
Agency/White-Label Billing
On Business/Enterprise plans:
- Master account: You pay for all credits
- Client accounts: Free logins, use your credits
- Per-client reports: Show credit usage per client
- Markup: Charge clients whatever you want (we don't see your pricing)
Common Questions
What happens if I run out of credits?
- Automatic scans pause (manual scans disabled)
- Historical data remains accessible
- No domains deleted
- Purchase credits to resume monitoring
Do unused monthly credits expire?
Yes, subscription credits expire at end of billing period. Purchased credits never expire.
Can I change payment method?
Yes: Settings → Billing → Payment Methods → Add/Update Card
Do you offer discounts?
- Annual billing: Save 20% (pay for 10 months, get 12)
- Non-profits: 50% discount (contact [email protected])
- Students/Educators: Free Pro plan (verify with .edu email)
Invoices & Receipts
- Go to Settings → Billing → Invoices
- Download PDF invoices (for accounting/reimbursement)
- Export CSV for expense tracking
- Change billing email: Settings → Billing → Email