--- title: "What are API credits in enrichment products? a clear definition – Invenitor" description: "API credits in enrichment products defined: units that should spend only on found contacts. Found-only billing: 1 credit only when email, phone, or both return." url: https://invenitor.com/blog/what-are-api-credits-in-enrichment-products agents: https://invenitor.com/llms.txt mcp: https://api.invenitor.com/mcp --- [Blog](https://invenitor.com/blog) Oct 14, 2026 · 9 min read · Product # What are API credits in enrichment products? What are API credits in enrichment products? Units of prepaid find capacity – and why found-only found-only billing beats per-request or seat-tax models. On this page 1. [Credits vs seats vs "unlimited"](#credits-vs-seats-vs-unlimited) 2. [What a credit should represent](#what-a-credit-should-represent) 3. [How Invenitor packs work commercially](#how-invenitor-packs-work-commercially) 4. [Credits in product and agent paths](#credits-in-product-and-agent-paths) 5. [Desk language for juniors](#desk-language-for-juniors) 6. [Procurement questions to ask any vendor](#procurement-questions-to-ask-any-vendor) 7. [What should you do next?](#what-should-you-do-next) 8. [Spreadsheet model in one line](#spreadsheet-model-in-one-line) 9. [Teaching finance what a credit is](#teaching-finance-what-a-credit-is) 10. [Credits across REST and MCP](#credits-across-rest-and-mcp) **API credits** in enrichment products are prepaid units that unlock find calls. The important question is not the metaphor – it is **when a unit spends**. Vendors disagree. Invenitor's rule is explicit found-only billing. A people search and lookup API, not a sales cloud. PAYG frame: [Pay-As-You-Go Contact APIs](https://invenitor.com/blog/pay-as-you-go-contact-apis-for-teams-that-hate). Seat contrast: [Seat Subscriptions vs Pay-Per-Lookup Credits](https://invenitor.com/blog/seat-subscriptions-vs-pay-per-lookup-credits-a-cost-model). ## Credits vs seats vs "unlimited" | Model | You pay for | Failure mode | | ----- | --------------------- | ---------------------- | | Seats | Access per user/month | Quiet weeks still bill | Free-plan traps: [The Hidden Cost of "Free Plan" Enrichment Tools](https://invenitor.com/blog/the-hidden-cost-of-free-plan-enrichment-tools-for-small). No-monthly spoke: [No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment](https://invenitor.com/blog/no-monthly-plan-contact-enrichment-who-it-fits-and-who). ## What a credit should represent A credit should map to a **found** outcome: email, phone, or both. Timeouts and errors should not spend. Coverage varies – we do not publish hit-rate percentages – so sample your shortlist instead of believing a brochure %. Category: [What a Contact Lookup API Actually Does](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-is-a-contact-lookup-api). ## How Invenitor packs work commercially New accounts get **25 free credits**. Then prepaid INR packs with **30-day** expiry via Razorpay/UPI. Live tiles: . Sizing: [25 to 1,000 Credits: Choosing an INR Pack Size](https://invenitor.com/blog/25-to-1-000-credits-choosing-an-inr-pack-size). Feel: [INR Credit Packs](https://invenitor.com/blog/inr-credit-packs-for-contact-lookup-how-razorpay-pricing-feels). Global INR rail: [US Price Arbitrage](https://invenitor.com/blog/us-price-arbitrage-why-some-teams-buy-inr-credit-apis). ## Credits in product and agent paths REST and MCP share one pool. Agents: , [Agent-Readable Docs: Why MCP.md Matters](https://invenitor.com/blog/agent-readable-docs-why-mcp-md-matters-for-contact-apis), [Claude / Cursor Agents](https://invenitor.com/blog/claude-cursor-agents-calling-a-contact-lookup-mcp-endpoint). ## Desk language for juniors Paste person URL. Call find. If fields return, you spent a credit. Hub: [LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API](https://invenitor.com/blog/linkedin-github-contact-lookup-api). Definition: [What Is a LinkedIn Profile URL Lookup?](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-is-a-linkedin-profile-url-lookup). GitHub: [GitHub Profile URL Contact Lookup](https://invenitor.com/blog/github-profile-url-contact-lookup-when-developer-profiles-are-the). ## Procurement questions to ask any vendor 1. When does a credit spend – found only, or every request? 2. Are? 3. Do timeouts/errors spend? 4. Currency and checkout you can actually use? Trust: [Trust Checklist Before You Buy Any Contact API](https://invenitor.com/blog/trust-checklist-before-you-buy-any-contact-api). Layer pick: [Contact Lookup API vs CRM vs Sequencer](https://invenitor.com/blog/contact-lookup-api-vs-crm-vs-sequencer-pick-the-right). ## What should you do next? Read found-only billing aloud into your order note. Run the free signup credits on real URLs via . Size a pack on . ## Spreadsheet model in one line Cost ≈ (found outcomes) × (effective INR per credit) inside the pack window – not (URLs pasted) × list price. ## Teaching finance what a credit is a credit is a found contact outcome – not every HTTP call. Timeouts and errors do not spend. Trust: [Trust Checklist Before You Buy Any Contact API](https://invenitor.com/blog/trust-checklist-before-you-buy-any-contact-api). Packs: [25 to 1,000 Credits](https://invenitor.com/blog/25-to-1-000-credits-choosing-an-inr-pack-size). No-monthly: [No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment](https://invenitor.com/blog/no-monthly-plan-contact-enrichment-who-it-fits-and-who). Agents: . · . Found-only billing: 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend. ## Credits across REST and MCP ## Questions What are API credits in enrichment products?+ Prepaid units for find capacity. they spend only when email, phone, or both return. When does an Invenitor credit spend?+ 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend. Do timeouts or errors spend credits?+ No. Timeouts and errors do not spend. Are credits the same as seats?+ No. Seats tax access per user; credits meter found outcomes. Do MCP and REST share credits?+ Yes – one workspace pool. See /mcp.md and /docs. Where do I buy packs?+ /pricing – Razorpay/UPI for India; see INR pack sizing post. ## Find the person you need Describe who you need in one sentence. Your first search is free, and you pay only for contacts we find [Find people free](https://invenitor.com/login?from=https%3A%2F%2Fpeople.invenitor.com%2Fsearch&x=w7&q=c5&z=g1)[See pricing](https://invenitor.com/pricing?x=w7&q=c5&z=g2) ## Keep reading - [Nov 4, 2026 · ProductNever make one up: Editorial standards for enrichment content teamsNever make one up: editorial standards for enrichment content teams – ban invented demo contacts, hit-rate claims, and marketing that contradicts the API.](https://invenitor.com/blog/never-make-one-up-editorial-standards-for-enrichment-content-teams) - [Oct 26, 2026 · Product"When we have them": Writing honest marketing for contact APIs"When we have them": writing honest marketing for contact APIs – coverage claims, empty means not found, and found-only billing without vanity hit-rate percentages.](https://invenitor.com/blog/when-we-have-them-writing-honest-marketing-for-contact-apis) - [Oct 21, 2026 · ProductWhat is pay-per-lookup pricing?What is pay-per-lookup pricing?](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-is-pay-per-lookup-pricing)