Search Atlas plans include a set number of OTTO AI project slots. After reading this, you'll know how many slots your plan includes, why you may hit a limit when connecting Google Search Console or creating a new OTTO project, and how to add more slots through a billing top-up.
🧠 Projects vs. OTTO Project Slots
An OTTO project slot is a project that has OTTO AI actively enabled. It is different from a regular project.
- You can create unlimited projects in Search Atlas.
- Only a limited number of those projects can have OTTO AI active at the same time.
- Your OTTO quota is a concurrent limit, not a monthly reset.
Example: if your plan includes 5 OTTO slots, only 5 projects at a time can have OTTO enabled. To enable OTTO on a sixth project, free a slot or buy a top-up.
📊 OTTO Slot Allocations by Plan
Each Search Atlas plan includes a default number of OTTO project slots:
- Growth plan: 2 OTTO project slots. Once both are in use, you can't create another OTTO project or connect Google Search Console to a new one until you free a slot or buy a top-up.
- Higher tiers / custom plans: allocation varies — confirm with billing or your account contract.
- Promotional accounts: may include additional OTTO slots beyond the standard default (see the Promos section below).
If the OTTO slot count shown in your account does not match your plan's allocation, see the troubleshooting section below.
🔍 How to See Which Projects Are Using OTTO
To check how many OTTO slots you're using:
- Open Search Atlas.
- In the left sidebar, select OTTO SEO.
- Go to All Sites → OTTO SEO Automation.
This page lists every project that currently has OTTO AI active. Each project listed counts toward your OTTO quota.
🛠️ Error: "Failed to connect otto_v2 to project. No service ID was returned"
If you see the error Failed to connect otto_v2 to project. No service ID was returned, or you can't link Google Search Console to a project or create a new OTTO project, you've reached your plan's OTTO slot limit. This is expected behavior, not a bug.
On the Growth plan, for example, both OTTO slots are already in use, so new OTTO projects and new Google Search Console connections are blocked. When you reach the limit, the Create OTTO Project button is disabled and new Google Search Console connections fail. To fix it, choose one option:
- Free a slot: disable OTTO on a project you no longer need to automate — this frees the slot instantly.
- Add slots: purchase a top-up in the billing section (see the next section).
After a slot opens up, you'll be able to connect Google Search Console and create the OTTO project without the error.
If the Create OTTO Project action fails even when you have an available slot, refresh the page and retry — this may be a temporary backend issue.
💳 Why You May See a Charge, and How to Add Slots
You may be charged for an additional OTTO site if:
- You tried to enable OTTO on more projects than your plan includes.
- An extra OTTO slot was added to avoid blocking your workflow.
- Your plan includes fewer OTTO slots than expected.
Additional OTTO slots are billed per slot, based on your total OTTO quota rather than individual project activity.
To intentionally add more OTTO project slots:
- Open the billing section of your account.
- Purchase an OTTO slot top-up.
The new slots become available immediately, so you can enable OTTO on more projects and connect more Google Search Console accounts.
If your OTTO quota doesn't reflect your paid add-ons after 24 hours, this may indicate a sync delay. Contact the support team if quotas remain unsynced.
⚠️ Troubleshooting: OTTO Quota Doesn't Match Your Plan
Occasionally an account shows fewer OTTO slots than the plan entitles. For example, a Growth plan account may display only 1 OTTO slot when the plan supports 2. If this happens:
- Verify your plan's standard OTTO allocation (see the plan list above).
- Confirm the number of OTTO-enabled projects under OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation).
- Refresh your browser or app, then recheck the slot count.
- Allow up to 24 hours for billing changes to sync, especially after a plan change or add-on purchase. Recent system updates may affect quota provisioning.
- If there's still a mismatch, escalate to the billing team.
Billing can correct the assigned quota on the backend, typically within 24 hours and often sooner. After billing confirms the fix, refresh your account and verify the corrected OTTO slot count.
Note: the billing team resolves quota correction errors of this type without requiring additional payment when the entitlement is part of your plan.
🎟️ Promos and Special Offers
Some accounts include promotional OTTO limits (for example, event, summit, or cohort promos). Because promos vary, confirm your promotional allocation with the billing team or your account contract if your slot count looks higher or lower than the standard plan default. Promotional OTTO slots are added to your account automatically — check your active plan in the billing section to see your total OTTO slot allocation.
🎯 You now know that OTTO slots are a concurrent, plan-based limit: the Growth plan includes 2, the "No service ID was returned" error means you've hit that limit, and you can add more slots anytime with a billing top-up. If your slot count looks wrong for your plan, escalate to billing for a backend correction.