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Understanding Credits & Purchasing Additional Credits

ReviewCatalyst uses a credit system to track and manage your usage of email and SMS review requests. This guide explains how credits work, how to monitor your usage, and how to purchase additional credits when you need them.

What Are Credits?

Credits are the currency ReviewCatalyst uses to track your outgoing messages:

  • 1 Email Credit = 1 email sent to a contact for review request
  • 1 SMS Credit = 1 text message sent to a contact for review request (up to 160 characters)

Every time you send a review request campaign via email or SMS, credits are deducted from your account. Your monthly plan includes a set number of email and SMS credits. Once you exceed your plan’s included credits, you can either upgrade your plan or purchase additional credits.

How Many Credits Do I Get?

The number of credits included depends on your ReviewCatalyst plan:

Plan Email Credits/Month SMS Credits/Month
| Starter | 50 Email Credits | 0 SMS Credits (email only)
| Professional | 250 Email Credits | 100 SMS Credits
| Enterprise | 1000 Email Credits | 500 SMS Credits

Note: Contact support@reviewcatalyst.net for specific credit amounts for your plan.

Credits reset each month. Unused credits do NOT roll over (they reset to your plan amount at the beginning of each billing cycle).

Email Credits

How Email Credits Work

When you create an email review request campaign in ReviewCatalyst:

  1. You select contacts to send to (or set up automated sends)
  2. ReviewCatalyst sends each contact 1 email
  3. 1 email credit is deducted per email sent
  4. Credits are deducted when the campaign is actually sent (not when created)

Example

If you send a review request campaign to 100 customers:

  • 100 emails sent = 100 email credits deducted
  • If your plan includes 500 email credits, you now have 400 remaining

SMS / WhatsApp Credits

How SMS Credits Work

SMS credits work similarly to email, but with an important character limit:

  • 1 SMS Credit = 1 text message (up to 160 characters)
  • Messages longer than 160 characters use multiple credits
  • Messages under 160 characters use only 1 credit

Character Limit Explained

SMS messages are limited by mobile networks to 160 characters per message segment. If your message exceeds this, the network automatically breaks it into multiple messages, and you’re charged accordingly.

Character Counting:

  • Standard letters, numbers, punctuation: 1 character each
  • Spaces: 1 character each
  • Line breaks: 2 characters each
  • Emoji: Can vary (1-2 characters depending on emoji)

Examples

Example 1: Short Message (120 characters)

Hi John! We'd love to know how we did. 
Please leave us a review! [link]

✅ Uses 1 SMS credit (under 160 characters)

Example 2: Longer Message (185 characters)

Hi John! We'd love to know how we did. 
Please take 2 minutes to leave a review 
and let other customers know about your experience. [link]

❌ Uses 2 SMS credits (161-320 characters requires 2 segments)

Example 3: Very Long Message (400+ characters)

Hi John! Thank you for choosing us. We'd love to know how we did. 
Please take a few minutes to leave a review. Your feedback helps us improve 
and helps other customers make informed decisions. You can review us on Google, 
Facebook, or Yelp using the link below. We truly appreciate your business! [link]

❌ Uses 3 SMS credits (321+ characters requires 3 segments)

Best Practice for SMS

Keep messages concise and under 160 characters to maximize credit efficiency:

✅ Good (145 characters):

“Hi! We’d love your feedback. Leave us a review → [link] Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

❌ Inefficient (210 characters - uses 2 credits):

“Hello! Thank you for your business. We’d really appreciate it if you took a moment to leave us a review on Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Your feedback is invaluable to us. Click here: [link]. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

SMS Important Notes

  • Reply STOP to unsubscribe language is required by law (TCPA/CAN-SPAM) and counts toward your character limit
  • Line breaks count as 2 characters each — avoid unnecessary line breaks
  • Emoji count as 1-2 characters — use sparingly if counting characters matters
  • Toll-free numbers required — SMS campaigns require an active, verified toll-free number (Professional/Enterprise plans)

Viewing Your Credit Usage

Step 1: Access Credit Settings

  1. Click Settings in the top navigation
  2. Click Credit usage in the left sidebar under “Settings”

You’ll see your Credit Usage dashboard with detailed information about how your credits are being used.

Step 2: Understand the Dashboard

The Credit Usage page shows:

Current Balance:

  • Email credits remaining this month
  • SMS credits remaining this month
  • Total credits used to date

Usage Chart:

  • Visual breakdown of credit usage over time
  • See which months used the most credits
  • Plan for future credit needs

Usage by Campaign:

  • View which campaigns used the most credits
  • Filter by date range, campaign type (Email/SMS), or status
  • See exactly where your credits are going

Monthly Breakdown:

  • Current month usage vs. plan allocation
  • Previous month comparison
  • Projected usage for the rest of the month (if applicable)

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: Under Budget

Monthly Limit: 500 email credits
Used This Month: 320 email credits
Remaining: 180 email credits
Status: ✅ On track - 64% of monthly budget used

Scenario 2: Approaching Limit

Monthly Limit: 500 email credits
Used This Month: 480 email credits
Remaining: 20 email credits
Status: ⚠️ Nearing limit - 96% of monthly budget used
Recommendation: Consider purchasing additional credits or upgrading

Scenario 3: Over Budget (Using Purchased Credits)

Monthly Limit: 500 email credits
Used This Month: 650 email credits
Remaining: 0 email credits
Status: ⚠️ Exceeded monthly limit
Credits Used From: Plan (500) + Purchased Credits (150)

When Do Credits Get Deducted?

Immediate Deduction:

  • Credits are deducted the moment the campaign is SENT
  • Not when you create the campaign
  • Not when the contact opens it
  • Not when they leave a review

Example Timeline:

  1. Feb 1, 10:00 AM — You create a campaign to 100 contacts
  2. Feb 1, 10:05 AM — You click “Send”
  3. Feb 1, 10:06 AM — ReviewCatalyst sends emails to all 100 contacts
  4. Feb 1, 10:07 AM — 100 email credits are deducted from your account

Running Out of Credits

What Happens When You Run Out?

If you run out of included credits:

  • You can still CREATE campaigns
  • You CANNOT SEND campaigns until you:
    • Purchase additional credits, OR
    • Upgrade to a higher plan, OR
    • Wait for next month’s plan reset

Check your dashboard to stay updated on your usage.

Purchasing Additional Credits

When Should You Buy Additional Credits?

Consider purchasing additional credits when:

  • You have a one-time campaign burst (seasonal promotions, grand opening, etc.)
  • You’re approaching your monthly limit with campaigns still to send
  • You want to test SMS before upgrading your plan
  • Your business is growing faster than expected

How to Purchase Additional Credits

From the Left Sidebar

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Look for Buy credits in the left sidebar
  3. Click it
  4. Select credits and complete purchase

Credit Purchase Options

ReviewCatalyst typically offers several purchase tiers to fit your needs.

Contact sales for:

  • Custom amounts
  • Bulk discounts
  • Pre-purchases
  • Enterprise pricing

Important Credit Policies

Purchased Credits Never Expire

Unlike monthly plan credits (which reset each month), purchased credits never expire. They roll over month to month indefinitely.

Monthly Credits Reset

  • Plan credits reset on your billing date each month
  • Unused plan credits do NOT carry over (they’re reset to your plan amount)
  • Purchased credits remain in your account

Example:

Billing Date: Monthly on the 1st
Month 1:
  - Starting balance: 500 plan credits + 250 purchased credits
  - Used: 600 total credits
  - End balance: 150 purchased credits (plan credits reset)

Month 2 (Feb 1):
  - Starting balance: 500 plan credits + 150 purchased credits = 650
  - Your 150 purchased credits carried over!

Credit Usage Order

When you send a campaign, credits are used in this order:

  1. Plan credits first (monthly allowance)
  2. Purchased credits second (your purchased balance)

This means you’ll always use your monthly allowance before touching purchased credits.

Billing for Purchased Credits

  • Purchased credits are a one-time charge
  • Invoiced when purchased
  • Appear on your next billing statement
  • No recurring billing (you purchase when you need them)

Upgrading vs. Buying Credits

When to Upgrade Your Plan

Upgrade if:

  • You’re consistently running out of credits each month
  • Your business is growing and needs more monthly allowance
  • You need additional features beyond just credits
  • Long-term solution makes more financial sense

Plans typically include:

  • More monthly credits (email + SMS)
  • Additional features (multi-location, advanced analytics, etc.)
  • Better pricing per credit (bulk discount)
  • Professional support

When to Buy Additional Credits

Buy credits if:

  • You occasionally need extra credits for special campaigns
  • It’s a one-time burst (seasonal, promotion, etc.)
  • You’re testing a feature before committing to a larger plan
  • You want flexibility without a long-term commitment

Tips for Managing Credits Efficiently

1. Segment Your Campaigns

Instead of sending to your entire contact list at once, segment by:

  • New customers (send review request after 2 weeks)
  • Recent purchasers (send review request after 30 days)
  • VIP customers (send special request)

This prevents sending redundant requests and saves credits.

2. Automate Review Requests

Set up automated campaigns that:

  • Send review requests after service completion
  • Trigger only for new/verified customers
  • Avoid re-requesting from previous reviewers

Automation is more efficient than manual sends.

3. Keep SMS Messages Short

Stay under 160 characters to use only 1 SMS credit per message.

❌ Inefficient (uses 2 credits):

“Hello! We’d love to hear from you about your recent experience. Please take a moment to leave us a review so we can continue to improve…”

✅ Efficient (uses 1 credit):

“Hi! How did we do? Leave a review → [link]”

4. Monitor Your Usage

  • Check your credit dashboard weekly
  • Identify which campaigns use the most credits
  • Adjust strategy based on usage patterns
  • Plan ahead for busy seasons

5: Test Before Scaling

Before sending large campaigns:

  • Test with a small segment first
  • Verify message content and credit usage
  • Get approval from stakeholders
  • Then send to full list

Troubleshooting

“Insufficient Credits” Error

Problem: You’re trying to send a campaign but get an error.

Solution:

  1. Go to Settings → Credit usage
  2. Check your remaining balance
  3. Either:
    • Purchase additional credits
    • Upgrade your plan
    • Reduce campaign size
    • Wait for monthly reset

Campaign Sent But Credits Weren’t Deducted

Problem: You sent a campaign but don’t see the credit deduction.

Solution:

  • Credits are deducted within seconds but may take a few minutes to show in dashboard
  • Refresh your browser
  • Check back in 5 minutes
  • If still missing, contact support@reviewcatalyst.net

Message Length Shows Differently Than Expected

Problem: Your SMS says 145 characters but ReviewCatalyst shows more.

Solution:

  • ReviewCatalyst counts line breaks as 2 characters each
  • Check for hidden spaces or line breaks
  • Use ReviewCatalyst’s character counter tool
  • Remove unnecessary formatting

Purchased Credits Aren’t Showing

Problem: You purchased credits but they’re not in your account.

Solution:

  1. Refresh your browser
  2. Log out and log back in
  3. Check your payment confirmation
  4. If issue persists, contact support@reviewcatalyst.net

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do my email and SMS credits combine?

A: No. Email and SMS credits are separate. You have an email balance and an SMS balance.

Q: What happens if I send an SMS that’s 320 characters?

A: It uses 2 SMS credits (sent as 2 separate messages). Anything 161-320 characters uses 2 credits. 321-480 characters uses 3 credits, etc.

Q: Can I schedule credits to purchase automatically?

A: Not currently. You purchase credits on-demand through the dashboard. Contact support if you’d like to discuss pre-purchasing credits for your organization.

Q: Do I get a refund if I don’t use my monthly credits?

A: No. Monthly plan credits do not roll over or convert to money. They reset at the beginning of your next billing cycle. Purchased credits, however, never expire.

Q: What counts toward the 160-character SMS limit?

A: Everything counts:

  • Letters, numbers, punctuation: 1 character each
  • Spaces: 1 character each
  • Line breaks: 2 characters each
  • Emoji: 1-2 characters depending on the emoji
  • URLs: Full length of the URL

Q: Can I delete credits from my account?

A: No. Credits cannot be deleted or transferred. They only decrease as you send campaigns. If you have excess purchased credits at year-end, they carry over to the next year indefinitely.

Next Steps

  1. Check your usage — Go to Settings → Credit usage and see your current balance
  2. Plan your campaigns — Know how many credits you’ll need
  3. Set alerts — Enable notifications when you’re running low
  4. Purchase if needed — Buy additional credits before you run out
  5. Optimize campaigns — Use these tips to maximize your credit efficiency

Need Help?

  • Questions about credits? Email support@reviewcatalyst.net
  • Want to upgrade? Check your plan options in Settings → Subscriptions
  • Need bulk pricing? Contact our sales team for enterprise pricing

ReviewCatalyst credits are designed to be flexible and affordable. Use them strategically and you’ll get the most value from your plan!

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