🔍 Understanding Your Search Atlas Bill
Your monthly or annual invoice reflects the plan tier you are subscribed to, plus any add-ons active on your account. The two most common line items customers have questions about are:
- Base plan fee — the recurring charge for your chosen Search Atlas subscription tier.
- OTTO SEO slots — each activated OTTO slot carries an additional monthly cost. Slots that are activated but not connected to a live website still count toward your billable total.
If you received an unexpected charge, the most likely cause is one or more OTTO slots that were activated during a trial, onboarding, or testing phase and were never deactivated afterward.
📊 How to Check Your Current Plan and Usage
- Log in to your Search Atlas account.
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select Billing & Subscription.
- Review your current plan name, renewal date, and the number of active OTTO slots.
- Navigate to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar and check which sites have an active OTTO slot assigned. Any slot showing a green Active status is billable.
Comparing the number of active slots against the websites you are actively optimising will quickly reveal whether you are paying for unused capacity.
⚙️ How to Deactivate Unused OTTO Slots
Deactivating a slot removes the recurring charge for that slot on your next billing cycle. It does not delete your site data or previously applied optimisations.
- Go to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) in the left sidebar.
- Locate the site whose slot you want to deactivate.
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the site name.
- Select Deactivate OTTO and confirm when prompted.
Repeat this process for every site you no longer need active OTTO optimisation on. Changes take effect on your next billing date.
🔄 How to Downgrade Your Plan
If your current plan includes more features or projects than you need, downgrading to a lower tier can reduce your monthly or annual cost significantly.
- Click your Avatar in the top-right corner and go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups (Billing).
- Click the Change Plan button to view all available tiers.
- Select the plan that matches your current usage needs and confirm your choice.
- Review the confirmation screen, which shows your new price and the features that will change, then confirm.
Important: Before downgrading, check the project and keyword limits on the target plan to make sure your active projects will not be affected. If your current usage exceeds the lower plan's limits, you will be prompted to reduce projects or keywords first.
💡 Choosing the Right Plan for Your Usage
Not sure which plan fits your needs? Use these quick guidelines:
- 1–3 websites, light SEO tasks — a Starter or Grow tier plan is usually sufficient.
- 4–10 websites or agency use — a Pro tier plan with a matching number of OTTO slots is recommended.
- Enterprise or large-scale campaigns — contact our team via the chat widget to discuss a custom plan that avoids paying for unused capacity.
You can also use the Plan Comparison page inside Billing & Subscription to see a side-by-side breakdown of features, project limits, and OTTO slot allowances across all tiers.
💰 Requesting a Refund or Billing Review
Search Atlas reviews refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Common situations that may qualify include:
- OTTO slots that were activated unintentionally and never used.
- A renewal charge processed before you had the chance to downgrade or cancel.
- A billing error such as being charged twice in the same cycle.
To request a review, open the chat widget (see below) and provide the following information to speed up the process:
- The invoice number or charge date in question.
- A brief description of the issue (e.g., "3 OTTO slots active but no sites connected").
- The outcome you are requesting (refund, credit, or plan adjustment).
Our billing team will review your account usage history and respond with a decision, typically within one business day.
🛠️ Need Help Reviewing Your Account?
If you would like a member of our team to audit your current plan, identify unused OTTO slots, and recommend the most cost-effective setup for your needs, we are happy to help. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.