Which credits? These are your business’s SMS credits. They are completely separate from the session credits athletes buy and redeem for bookings. See Credit system overview for those.
What a credit is
A credit is a prepaid unit of usage. At the standard rate, $1 buys 100 credits, and a short plain-text message costs about 1 credit.What uses credits
Credits are spent on outbound texts: messages you send from the Inbox, mass SMS to a tag, automation SMS actions, and Zapier SMS actions. Incoming replies do not use credits. The cost is per segment, and one message can be several segments:How you get credits
- Monthly allotment — your plan may include a monthly grant of credits. It is added to whatever balance you have left; it does not reset it.
- Top-ups — buy more at any time, either a preset package (some include bonus credits) or a custom dollar amount. Payment goes through Stripe and the credits are applied automatically.
- Auto-refill — turn it on and your balance tops itself up when it runs low, so a mass text never fails at send time for lack of credits. See below.
Your balance, top-ups, auto-refill, and the credit activity log all live on the Credits page. Open it from Settings → Communication → Credits. It is the same page whether you get there from Settings or from the SMS setup flow in the Inbox, and it appears for every organization that pays for texts with credits.
Auto-refill
Auto-refill is the set-and-forget option. Once a card is on file, switch it on from the Credits page and CoachIQ buys more credits automatically whenever your balance drops low, charging the card on file and logging the purchase in the activity log like any other top-up.- Needs a card on file. The control is unavailable until a payment method is saved, so add one first if you do not see it.
- Turn it off any time from the same page. Your remaining balance stays.
- Check the activity log if you are unsure whether a refill ran; each automatic purchase appears there with the credits added.
Texts aren’t sending?
Two independent things must be true for a business text to deliver: your number must be registered with the carriers, and you must have credits. They fail differently.- Check 10DLC registration first. US carriers do not deliver business SMS until your brand and campaign are approved. This is the most common reason texts do not arrive, and it has nothing to do with your balance. See Setting up SMS messaging.
- Then check credits. If your balance has run out, top up. Having credits does not make an unregistered number deliver, and being registered does not send texts you cannot pay for.
Common questions
Do incoming texts use credits?
Do incoming texts use credits?
No. Only messages you send are metered.
Does a message to a tag cost one credit?
Does a message to a tag cost one credit?
No. A broadcast is one segment per recipient. 150 athletes means at least 150 credits.
Are SMS credits the same as athlete session credits?
Are SMS credits the same as athlete session credits?
No. Session credits are what athletes redeem for bookings and are managed on each athlete’s profile. SMS credits pay for your text messaging. Different balances, different pages.
Why don't I see the auto-refill option?
Why don't I see the auto-refill option?
It needs a card on file. Add a payment method on the Credits page first, then the auto-refill control becomes available.
Where do I see how many credits a campaign used?
Where do I see how many credits a campaign used?
Open the Credits page. The activity log lists each send with the credits deducted and the balance after.
Related articles
Setting up SMS messaging
Get your number and complete 10DLC registration
Using tags for group messages
Mass texts, and how to keep them affordable
Communication settings
Your SMS number and call forwarding
Inbox overview
In-App, SMS, and Announcements compared