Credit cost table
The complete price list. Every tool in Metric Vault, grouped by credit tier, with the tool id used in the API and in exports.
Last updated 2026-08-06
Summary#
This is the authoritative price list: every tool the platform can run, grouped by what it costs, with the internal tool id that appears in the API, in JSON exports and in your usage breakdown. Use it to answer "what will this cost me?" before a run and "why was I charged that?" afterwards. The figures here are the ones the platform actually applies, which is not always the figure printed on a run button.
Overview#
A credit is the unit that meters one run of one tool. Every tool has a fixed price set by what the run genuinely costs in live search data and AI calls, and the price never changes between plans: a Domain Overview costs 6 credits on Pro and 6 credits on Enterprise. Your plan decides how many credits you get each month, not what each run is worth. How credits work covers the allowance itself.
Ten price tiers exist.
| Tier | What it means | Metered against your monthly allowance? |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | A direct fetch of a page, a file or a header. No paid data provider is involved | No. It never touches your usage counter |
| 1 | A light tool. One data call or one short AI call | No. It is never blocked, but it does add 1 to your recorded usage. One exception: Publish to social costs 1 and is blocked at the cap, because it bills us per post |
| 2 | One provider call per compared domain | No |
| 3 | A medium tool. Several provider calls fanned out from one run | Yes |
| 4 | A short generation run: a title set, a cover image, a generated image | Yes |
| 5 | A heavy multi-source tool, or a full originality pass | Yes |
| 6 | The flagship report | Yes |
| 8 | The heaviest reports | Yes |
| 10 | A full article draft, a humanize pass, or a fact-check rewrite | Yes |
| 12 | A Blog Studio fact check, the most expensive single run | Yes |
Two rules follow from that table and account for most billing questions.
- Only runs costing 3 credits or more are blocked when your allowance is spent. Free and light tools keep working all month on a paid plan. The one exception is Publish to social, which costs 1 credit but still stops at the cap, because each post bills us at the network rather than costing a data call.
- Light runs still count. A 1-credit run is added to the same counter that the premium check reads, so your top-bar figure can legitimately read higher than your quota while light tools continue to run.
Important: A result served from the shared data cache is charged at the normal price. The cache saves the call to our data provider, not your credit. See Result caching and freshness.
Reopening a saved result, exporting it, sharing it and viewing the daily briefing are all free. So is anything that runs entirely in your browser.
How to read the tables#
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tool | The name shown in the tool list, or the tab it sits on |
| Tool id | The identifier used in the API, in JSON exports and in your usage breakdown |
| Where it runs | The screen or entry point that fires it |
Free — 0 credits#
These run against your own page, file or headers. They never consume credits or your monthly allowance, and they work on every plan including Free. They are the eleven technical SEO tools plus two that exist only as public tools.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| On-Page SEO Checker | onpage_seo | Site Health |
| PageSpeed & Vitals | pagespeed | Site Health |
| robots.txt Auditor | robots_audit | Site Health |
| Schema Tool | schema_check | Site Health |
| Security Headers | http_headers | Site Health |
| Sitemap Validator | sitemap_validator | Site Health |
| llms.txt Validator | llms_validate | Site Health, and as a public tool |
| Hreflang Checker | hreflang_checker | Advanced Technical Checks |
| Mixed Content Scanner | mixed_content | Advanced Technical Checks |
| Redirect Chain Tracer | redirect_chain | Advanced Technical Checks |
| Tech Stack Fingerprint | tech_stack | Advanced Technical Checks |
| llms.txt Builder | llms_txt | Public tools only |
| SEO Competitor Analysis | seo_compare | Public tools only |
The four public AI-readiness scorers also cost nothing. They are pinned to 0 on the endpoint the public tool pages call, so they can be run without an account.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Free AI Search Visibility Checker | ai_visibility | Public tools only |
| Free GEO Audit | geo_audit | Public tools only |
| Free AI Overview Checker | ai_overview | Public tools only |
| Free AI Citation Audit | ai_citation | Public tools only |
Note: ai_visibility names two different things. The public readiness checker above scores a page's crawler access and structure and costs nothing. The dashboard tool Visibility Overview measures your brand across live AI engines and costs 1 credit. They share an id and nothing else.
Advanced Technical Checks runs four 0-credit tools against one URL in one click, so the combined report is also free.
Light — 1 credit#
Forty-five priced tools sit at 1 credit, plus five that fall back to the same price because they are not listed explicitly. All of them are listed here.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Site Audit | site_audit | Site Health |
| GBP Audit | local_seo | Site Health |
| Duplicate Content Audit | dup_content | Site Health |
| Technical fix guide | tech_seo_guide | Technical SEO workflow |
| Keyword Explorer | keyword_magic | Keyword & Content Research |
| Topic Map | topic_research | Keyword & Content Research |
| Internal Linking Engine | internal_linking | Keyword & Content Research |
| Content Decay Detector | content_decay | Keyword & Content Research |
| Content Gap | content_gap | Workflows and Auto-Execute |
| Organic Research | organic_research | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Traffic Analytics | traffic_intel | Organic Research, second tab |
| Top Pages | top_pages | Organic Research, third tab |
| SERP Features | serp_features | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Link Prospector | link_prospector | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Market Map | market_explorer | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Audience Overlap | audience_overlap | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Visibility Overview | ai_visibility | AI Visibility |
| Competitor Research | ai_competitor_research | AI Visibility |
| Prompt & Question Research | prompt_research | AI Visibility |
| Questions | ai_questions | Prompt & Question Research, second tab |
| Brand Perception & Narrative | perception | AI Visibility |
| Narrative Driver | narrative_driver | Brand Perception, second tab |
| Prompt Tracking | prompt_tracking | AI Visibility |
| Google AI Overview Tracker | ai_overview_tracker | AI Visibility |
| AI Citation Tracker | ai_citation_tracker | AI Visibility |
| SEO Brief Generator | seo_brief | Content Brief & Template, AI Article Generator |
| SEO Content Template | content_template | Content Brief & Template, AI Article Generator |
| Article Outline | article_outline | Auto-Execute |
| Full Article Writer | article_writer | AI Article Generator |
| Content Optimizer | content_optimizer | Write & Optimize |
| Content Repurposer | content_repurpose | Write & Optimize |
| Meta Generator | meta_generator | Write & Optimize |
| Content Analyzer | content_analyzer | Content Dashboard quick action |
| Press Pitch Assistant | press_pitch | Marketing |
| PPC Research | ppc_research | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Ads Launch Assistant | ad_launch | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Social Analysis | social_analytics | Social Analytics, second tab |
| Social Composer | social_poster | Marketing |
| Social Content | social_content | Social Composer, second tab |
| Media Monitoring | media_monitoring | Brand Monitor, second tab |
| Rank Tracker | position_tracker | Track & Report |
| Get recommendations | result_guide | The panel under any result |
| Niche Top Keywords | niche_top | Niche Scorer |
| Write an excerpt | blog_excerpt | Blog Studio |
| Add internal links | blog_internal_links | Blog Studio |
| Suggest image prompts | blog_image_prompts | Blog Studio |
| Build an image prompt | blog_image_prompt_build | Blog Studio |
| Suggest a category | blog_category | Blog Studio |
| Image Analyzer | image_analyze | Image tools |
| Publish to social | social_publish | Social Composer. Blocked at the monthly cap despite costing 1, because each post bills us at the network |
Comparison — 2 credits#
One tool sits here. It makes one provider call per domain you compare, so it is priced above the single-call tools and below the medium syntheses. Like the 0 and 1 tiers it is not blocked when your allowance is spent.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink Gap | backlink_gap | Competitors & Backlinks |
Medium — 3 credits#
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Overview | keyword_overview | Keyword & Content Research |
| Gap Finder | keyword_gap | Keyword & Content Research |
| Competitor Battle | competitor_battle | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Brand Performance | brand_performance | AI Visibility |
| Forum & Reddit Visibility | forum_visibility | AI Visibility |
| Plagiarism check | originality_check | Pre-Publish Trust Checks |
| Fact Check | fact_check | Pre-Publish Trust Checks |
| Growth Actions | growth_actions | Get Started |
| Brand Monitor | brand_monitor | Marketing |
| Social Media Tracker | social_tracker | Promote, the row labelled Social Analytics |
| Advertising Intelligence | advertising_research | Competitors & Backlinks |
| AdClarity | ad_clarity | Advertising Intelligence, second tab |
| Niche Scorer | niche_score | Niche Scorer |
| Domain keyword opportunities | site_opportunities | Domain Overview |
| Set up site context | blog_site_context | Blog Studio, once per website |
Short generation — 4 credits#
Short AI generation runs. The cover image is charged per image returned, so asking for three costs 12.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Title ideas | blog_titles | Blog Studio |
| Generate a cover image | blog_cover_image | Blog Studio, per image returned |
| Image Creator | image_create | Image tools |
Heavy — 5 credits#
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink Profile | backlink_profile | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Backlink Hygiene Toolkit | backlink_profile | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Check for duplicates, with web search | blog_originality | Blog Studio. Free when the web-search box is unticked |
Backlink Hygiene Toolkit is a second view over the same report. Its button shows no credit chip, but a scan costs the full 5 credits.
Flagship — 6 credits#
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Overview | domain_overview | Competitors & Backlinks |
| Quick Preview probe on the Dashboard | domain_overview | Dashboard, the Probe · 6 reports button |
| Public API analysis request | domain_overview | POST /api/v1/analyze, Enterprise only |
The Dashboard's See example path renders a stored sample and charges nothing.
Heaviest reports — 8 credits#
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Influencer Analysis | influencer_analysis | Marketing |
| Shopping Ads (PLA) | pla_research | Competitors & Backlinks |
Long generation — 10 credits#
Full-length AI writing runs in Blog Studio. Each is gated before it starts and charged only when it returns something.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Generate a draft | blog_article | Blog Studio |
| Humanize the draft | blog_humanize | Blog Studio |
| Rewrite the flagged claims | blog_factcheck_fix | Blog Studio, after a fact check |
Fact check — 12 credits#
The most expensive single run in the product.
| Tool | Tool id | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Fact-check claims | blog_factcheck | Blog Studio |
Charges that are not tool screens#
| Action | Charged | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Get recommendations, on any result | 1 credit, plus 1 from a separate monthly recommendations allowance | Requires Pro or above by default. The recommendations allowance is not shown anywhere in the interface. See Get Recommendations |
| Analyst AI message | 1 credit per message | Matches the cost card on that screen; never blocked by the monthly cap |
| Chrome extension quick view | 1 credit | See The Chrome extension |
| Public API analysis request | 6 credits | Metered as domain_overview. Enterprise only. See POST /api/v1/analyze |
Multi-tool runs#
A workflow charges the sum of the tools it fires. Nothing is discounted for running them together.
| Runner | Tools it fires | Total credits |
|---|---|---|
| Technical SEO | 11 free technical tools | 0 |
| Content Engine | Topic Map, SEO Brief, Content Template, Meta Generator, Content Optimizer, Content Repurposer | 6 |
| Keyword Strategy | Keyword Explorer, Keyword Overview, Topic Map, SERP Features, SEO Brief, Content Template | 8 |
| Brand Health | Visibility Overview, Brand Monitor, Perception, Narrative Driver, Media Monitoring, Social Tracker | 10 |
| Advertising Intelligence | PPC Research, Advertising Research, Shopping Ads (PLA) | 12 |
| Competitor Intelligence | Domain Overview, Backlink Profile, Brand Monitor, Advertising Research, Gap Finder | 20 |
| Auto-Execute | SEO Brief, Article Outline, Full Article Writer, Content Optimizer | 4 |
| Bulk Analysis | The one tool you select, once per domain | Tool price × number of domains, up to 10 domains |
Where the printed figure disagrees#
The credit figure on a run button is written into the page; the figure charged is decided by the platform. The differences this section used to list were fixed in August 2026: every run button now carries a chip matching the platform charge (the tools that had no chip gained one), the Analyst AI cost card reads 1 credit per message, the already-ran dialog computes Run fresh from the current per-tool price, and the Bulk Analysis description says up to 10 domains, which is the number processed.
A label that disagrees with an actual charge is a new bug, not a known one: check the button against this page and report it.
Tip: Your top-bar counter and the usage breakdown on the Account screen are generated from what was actually charged. Reconcile a month from those, not from a button label.
What costs nothing#
| Action | Why |
|---|---|
| Opening a saved result | Saved work is free to reopen for the 90 days it is kept |
| Exporting to PDF, Excel, CSV or JSON | The result already exists |
| Creating a public share link | The report is already rendered |
| The daily briefing on the Dashboard | Generated once per day per target and cached |
| Website responsiveness analysis | Not credit-metered |
| Localization (translation) | Not credit-metered. Limited by size instead |
| Image Resize and Image Reformat | They run in your browser; your file is never uploaded |
| Live Writing Editor, GEO Content Scorer, Image Support | They score text in your browser |
| Keyword Vault, Competitor Vault, My Content, Library, calendars, monitors, alerts and schedules | They manage stored data rather than fetching new data |
| Growth Actions when it has no source results | It returns a "run a tool first" state instead of charging |
Setting up a Rank Alert, a Competitor Monitor or a Scheduled Report is free. The runs those jobs trigger later are charged at the underlying tool's normal price.
When a tool has no listed price#
If a run reaches the platform with a tool id that is not in the price list, it is charged 1 credit. That is a deliberate safe default: an unrecognized run is assumed to be light rather than free. It is why Content Decay Detector, the two AI trackers and the two social generators are charged 1 credit: they are listed in the Light table above, but their price comes from this fallback rather than from an explicit entry.
Do not use this rule to answer "what does X cost?". Every priced tool in the product is in one of the tier tables above, and the tables are checked against the code by tests/kb-credit-sync.mjs on every deploy. If a tool is not in them, it is a documentation gap, not a 1-credit tool. Blog Studio's fact check costs 12, not 1, and answering from this rule instead of the table is how it would be quoted as 1.
See also
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