📋 Overview of Your Monthly Bill
Your Search Atlas bill is made up of several components depending on your plan and the add-ons you have active. Understanding each charge helps you confirm you are getting full value from your subscription and gives you the information you need if something looks incorrect.
A typical bill on the Growth plan may include:
- Base plan fee — covers your core Search Atlas features, including Site Explorer, Rank Tracker, Keyword Magic, Keyword Gap analysis, and access to the content tools.
- OTTO Site activations — a per-site charge applied to each domain where you have activated OTTO SEO automation.
- AI Quota — usage-based or bundled credits for AI-generated content, briefs, and on-page recommendations.
These three components are billed together each month, which is why your total can appear higher than the base plan price alone.
🤖 What Are OTTO Site Charges?
OTTO is Search Atlas's AI-powered SEO automation engine. When you activate OTTO on a website, that site occupies one OTTO Site slot. Each slot carries an additional monthly fee on top of your base plan.
Key things to know about OTTO site charges:
- Charges are per activated site, not per action OTTO takes. If OTTO is switched on for a domain, the slot fee applies for that billing period.
- Your Growth plan includes a set number of OTTO Site slots. Sites within that included allowance are covered by your base plan fee. Any sites beyond your included slots are billed as add-ons.
- To see which sites currently have OTTO active, go to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO (OTTO SEO Projects). Each connected site is listed there with its activation status.
- If you no longer need OTTO on a specific domain, deactivating it will stop the slot charge from the next billing cycle onward.
📊 What Does My Growth Plan Actually Cover?
The Growth plan is designed for agencies and businesses managing multiple sites. Here is a summary of what is included in the base plan fee:
- Access to Site Explorer for tracking domain performance — navigate via Left sidebar → Site Metrics (Site Explorer).
- Rank Tracker for monitoring keyword positions — navigate via Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker.
- Keyword Magic for keyword research — navigate via Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic.
- Keyword Gap for competitive analysis — navigate via Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap.
- A bundled AI Quota allowance for AI-assisted content and SEO tasks.
- A defined number of OTTO Site slots included at no extra charge.
Any usage above these included limits — such as extra OTTO sites or additional AI credits — is billed as an add-on and will appear as a separate line item on your invoice.
💡 How to Review Your Current Charges
To get a clear picture of exactly what you are paying for, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Search Atlas account.
- Click your account name or avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing or Subscription.
- Review your current plan, active OTTO site slots, and any add-ons listed on your subscription page.
- Cross-reference your active OTTO sites by navigating to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO (OTTO SEO Projects) to confirm which domains are currently activated.
- If your invoice shows charges you do not recognise, note the specific line items before contacting support.
🔄 Can I Get a Refund for Months I Couldn't Use the Platform?
If you experienced a technical issue that prevented you from accessing or using Search Atlas, you may be eligible for a credit or adjustment. Search Atlas does not offer automatic refunds for unused time, but our team reviews documented technical access issues on a case-by-case basis.
To request a billing review or discuss a potential credit, you will need to:
- Provide the dates during which access was impacted.
- Describe the technical issue you experienced (error messages, features unavailable, etc.).
- Confirm whether you contacted support at the time the issue occurred, as this helps our team verify the incident.
Our billing team can then assess whether a credit applies to your account. General non-usage — such as not logging in due to personal scheduling — is not typically eligible for a refund, so it is important to clearly distinguish a platform-side technical issue from personal inactivity.
🛠️ Managing Your Plan to Avoid Unexpected Charges
A few simple habits can help you keep your bill predictable each month:
- Audit your OTTO sites regularly. Deactivate OTTO on any domain you are no longer optimising to free up slots and reduce costs.
- Monitor your AI Quota usage. If you are consistently hitting your quota limit, consider whether upgrading your quota add-on or adjusting your workflow is more cost-effective.
- Review your invoice each cycle. Catching an unexpected charge early makes resolution faster and easier.
🙋 Need Help With Your Bill?
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.