Credit System
Valid Email Checker uses a simple credit-based system: 1 credit = 1 email verification.
But behind that simplicity is a smart 3-bucket system designed to maximize your value. This guide explains how it works.
The Basics
1 credit = 1 email verification
That's it. Whether you're verifying a single email or uploading a million, you use one credit per email address.
When you sign up, you get 200 free credits to start verifying immediately—no credit card required.
The 3 Credit Buckets
Your credits are organized into three separate "buckets." Each bucket has different properties:
| Bucket | Source | Expiry | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Subscription plans | On renewal | Regular, predictable usage |
| Rollover | Unused monthly credits | On renewal | Bonus for active subscribers |
| PAYG | One-time purchases | Never | Flexible, on-demand usage |
Let's look at each one.
Monthly Credits
What they are: Credits allocated from your monthly subscription plan.
How you get them: Subscribe to any monthly plan. Credits are added to this bucket immediately and refresh each billing cycle.
Expiry: 30 days from allocation. When your subscription renews, unused monthly credits are processed for rollover (see next section), and fresh credits are added.
Who has them: Only users with active monthly subscriptions.
Rollover Credits
What they are: A portion of your unused monthly credits carried forward from the previous billing period.
How you get them: Automatically. When your subscription renews, we calculate how many unused credits you have and roll over a percentage based on your usage.
Expiry: Same as your Monthly credits—both expire on your next renewal date. If you renew on January 1st, both your Monthly and Rollover credits expire on January 31st.
Who has them: Only users with active monthly subscriptions who had unused credits.
→ Learn more about Rollover Credits
PAYG Credits (Pay-As-You-Go)
What they are: Credits purchased as one-time payments. Also includes your free signup credits.
How you get them:
- Sign up (200 free credits)
- Buy credits on the Buy Credits page
- Auto-refill purchases
- Refunds (credits returned for unprocessed emails)
Expiry: Never. PAYG credits are yours forever until you use them.
Who has them: Everyone. Even if you have a subscription, any one-time purchases go to your PAYG bucket.
Credit Consumption Order
When you verify emails, credits are deducted in a specific order:
1st → Monthly Credits (use expiring credits first)
2nd → Rollover Credits (use carried-over credits second)
3rd → PAYG Credits (preserve permanent credits last)
Why this order?
The system protects your permanent credits. Monthly and Rollover credits expire, so we use those first. Your PAYG credits never expire, so we save them for last.
Example
You have:
- Monthly: 5,000 credits (expires on renewal)
- Rollover: 1,000 credits (expires on renewal)
- PAYG: 2,000 credits (never expires)
- Total: 8,000 credits
You verify a list of 6,000 emails:
- First, 5,000 credits deducted from Monthly → Monthly now: 0
- Then, 1,000 credits deducted from Rollover → Rollover now: 0
- Finally, 0 credits deducted from PAYG → PAYG still: 2,000
Result: Monthly and Rollover are empty, PAYG untouched.
Viewing Your Credit Balance
Your total credit balance appears in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
Hover for details: Click or hover over your credit balance to see the breakdown:
Total: 8,000 Credits
├── Monthly: 5,000 (renews in 15 days)
├── Rollover: 1,000 (expires on renewal)
└── Pay-as-you-go: 2,000
This breakdown helps you understand:
- When your subscription renews
- How many credits will reset or expire
- Your permanent credit reserve
How Credits Are Deducted
Single Email Verification
Verify one email → 1 credit deducted instantly.
The result appears immediately, and your balance updates in real-time.
Bulk Email Verification
Upload a list → Credits deducted after duplicate removal.
Here's the process:
- You upload 10,000 emails
- System finds 500 duplicates
- System deducts 9,500 credits (only unique emails)
- Verification begins
You're only charged for unique emails. Duplicates are removed before any credits are used.
API Verification
API calls use the same credit system. No separate "API credits"—everything draws from your unified credit pool.
Free Signup Credits
Every new account receives 200 free credits upon registration.
These credits:
- Go to your PAYG bucket (never expire)
- Can be used for single or bulk verification
- Work with the API
- Require no credit card
It's enough to test the service, verify a small list, or integrate with your systems before committing to a purchase.
When Credits Are Refunded
Credits are automatically returned to your account in certain situations:
| Situation | Refund |
|---|---|
| Unknown results | Full credit returned |
| Unprocessed emails | Credits for unprocessed count |
| Duplicates removed | Never charged in the first place |
Refunds always go to your PAYG bucket—even if the original deduction came from Monthly or Rollover credits. This ensures refunded credits never expire.
Credit System for Teams
If you're part of a team:
- Team members use the parent account's credits
- All verifications by team members deduct from the same pool
- Credit history shows which team member performed each action
- Only account owners can purchase credits
Team members see the shared credit balance but cannot make purchases themselves.
Quick Reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many credits per email? | 1 credit = 1 email |
| Do credits expire? | Monthly & Rollover: On renewal. PAYG: Never |
| Which credits are used first? | Monthly → Rollover → PAYG |
| Free credits on signup? | 200 credits (PAYG bucket) |
| Can I use credits via API? | Yes, same credit pool |
| Are duplicates charged? | No, removed before charging |
| Where do refunds go? | Always PAYG bucket |
Next Steps
→ Rollover Credits — How unused credits carry forward
→ Pricing & Bonus Credits — PAYG and subscription pricing
→ Buy Credits — Purchase credits now