Not all credits in Search Atlas work the same — and knowing how they’re consumed can help you plan, prioritize, and avoid surprises. This guide explains exactly how AI, Hyperdrive, and OTTO credits are used, what counts against your quota, and how usage resets monthly. Whether you're generating SEO fixes or launching press campaigns, this article will clarify every action that affects your balance.
🔢 1. AI Premium Credits (Content Genius)
🔢 1. AI Premium Credits (Content Genius)
AI Credits fuel tasks in the Content Genius editor, including:
Full Article with AI = 3 credits each
Topical Map = 1 credit each
AI tasks are counted immediately upon generation, regardless of whether they are ultimately published.
AI Generation Points are consumed at the suggestion stage, not deployment. They are used across OTTO SEO fixes, GBP posts, and AI image generation.
🚀 2. Hyperdrive Credits
🚀 2. Hyperdrive Credits
Hyperdrive automates large-scale actions like:
CloudStack creation (content + backlinks) = 15 credits per stack
Press release distributions = distribution network channels + 10 Hyperdrive credits, plus dynamic syndication ≈ +3 credits
Credits are debited upon initiation of the process — they are non-refundable once used.
💳 Note about Hyperdrive Credits
There are two types of Hyperdrive credits:
Monthly reset credits — These are the credits included within the plan packages that users purchase.
Rollover Hyperdrive credits — These are additional Hyperdrive credits purchased separately, outside of the plan package. They stay in the user's account until they are used.
🤖 3. OTTO SEO Usage and Activations
🤖 3. OTTO SEO Usage and Activations
💳 OTTO Credit Usage Breakdown
OTTO credit usage is twofold:
1. AI Generation Usage
Each SEO fix consumes AI credits. Example breakdown:
Meta titles/descriptions – 1 credit each
Image alt-text suggestions – 1 credit each
Heading tags (H1, H2) – 1 credit each
Internal linking suggestions (up to 20 links) – 1 credit
Open Graph/Twitter tags – 1 credit each
Full landing pages – 15 credits each
Topical maps – 20 credits
Quotas
Content Genius Quotas
Content Genius Quotas
Articles: 200 per month
AI Premium Quotas: 90 per month
Target Keywords: 600 per month
Each article or topical map created consumes three quotas.
Content Planner Quotas
Content Planner Quotas
200 searches per month
These searches help analyze and cluster topics for strategic planning.
On-Page Audit Quotas
On-Page Audit Quotas
200 audits per month
Each audit evaluates a page’s SEO health, including technical and content signals.
Scholar Quotas
Scholar Quotas
30 per month
Each Scholar output is graded for factuality, precision, human effort, and information gain.
2. Site Activations
Your plan includes a limited number of active OTTO-enabled sites (e.g., Pro = 4). These:
Do not consume AI credits
Do count toward your plan’s active site limit
Can be freed up by deactivating the site (next cycle)
Do not refund AI credits previously consumed
⚠️ Note: Deactivating a site using OTTO Deep Freeze frees up the activation slot after 14 days, but does not refund any credits previously used. To preserve the work done without using additional AI credits, you can export changes via Deep Freeze.
🔁 4. Quota Reset Timing
🔁 4. Quota Reset Timing
All credits (AI and Hyperdrive) and OTTO activations reset monthly with your billing cycle. Unused credits do not roll over. Usage and reset dates are visible under Account → Billing → Current Quotas.
📊 5. Example Plan Usage: Growth
📊 5. Example Plan Usage: Growth
A typical Growth user might have:
500 AI Generation Credits
10 Hyperdrive Credits
2 active OTTO websites
Example usage in a month:
200 titles + 100 meta = 300 credits
5 landing page issues = 5 × 15 = 75
Additionally:
3 CloudStacks = 3 × 15 = 45
1 press campaign = ~23 credits
Remaining credits available for on-page SEO, blog drafts, etc.
Note:
Search Atlas uses separate credit pools: AI (for content and SEO fixes), Hyperdrive (for large campaigns), and OTTO activations. Each action consumes a fixed number of credits, debited when tasks are generated. Credits reset monthly with billing — unused credits expire.