If you've hit your monthly AI credit limit (or you're getting close), upgrading your plan is the fastest way to keep going without waiting for next month's refresh.
How do I check how many credits I have left?
You can see your current AI credit balance any time from your vidIQ dashboard:
Go to app.vidiq.com.
Look at the bottom-left corner of the page, next to your account name and plan tier.
Click the sparkle (credits) icon to open the credits panel.
You'll see your remaining credits, a progress bar showing how much of your monthly allowance is left. If your balance is at 0 (or low enough that you can't run the actions you want), upgrading is the right move.
Why upgrade?
AI credits power vidIQ's most resource-intensive tools, including AI Coach, Thumbnails, Script Writer, Clipping, and Shorts Generator. The more credits you have, the more you can:
Have longer, deeper conversations with AI Coach (especially in Deep Thinking and Max Mode).
Generate and regenerate more thumbnails until you land on the one that clicks.
Produce more scripts, clips, and Shorts each month without having to ration.
A higher plan also unlocks features that are not available on lower tiers, like Max Mode in AI Coach, faster channel audits, and multi-channel support.
Which plan should I upgrade to?
Here's how AI credits scale across plans:
Plan | Monthly AI Credits |
Free | 150 |
Pro (1 channel) | 1,000 |
Boost (1 / 2 / 3 channels) | 2,000 / 2,500 / 3,000 |
Max (1 / 2 / 3 channels) | 6,000 / 8,000 / 10,000 |
Coaching | 15,000 |
Which upgrade is right for you depends on how many extra credits you actually need:
If you just need a small bump to finish the month
If you're on Boost (1 channel) and you're only short by a few hundred credits, upgrading to Boost (2 channels) or Boost (3 channels) gets you to 2,500 or 3,000 credits, respectively. That's a nice bump if you only need an extra 500–1,000 credits to wrap up your work this month.
If you need a lot more credits
If you're already on Max (1 channel), or you know 3,000 credits still won't cover what you're trying to do, look at the higher Max tiers. Max gives you 6,000 (1 channel), 8,000 (2 channels), or 10,000 (3 channels) credits per month, plus access to features like Max Mode in AI Coach.
If you're a real power user
If you're consistently maxing out credits and you'd benefit from human guidance on top of AI tools, the Coaching plan is the top tier. You get 15,000 monthly credits and you get matched with a real coach who can review your channel, give feedback on titles and hooks, and help you build a growth plan.
For a full feature-by-feature comparison, see our Features & Credits by Plan article.
Note: Credit amounts are subject to change without notice. Always double-check the latest numbers on our Plans Page before you upgrade.
How do I upgrade my plan?
You can upgrade in just a few steps:
Go to https://app.vidiq.com/plans (or click Upgrade in your dashboard sidebar).
Pick the plan that fits your needs.
Choose monthly or yearly billing. Yearly billing is significantly cheaper per month.
Enter your payment details and confirm.
Your new plan and credit allowance kick in right away.
When will my new credits show up after I upgrade?
As soon as your upgrade is processed, you'll receive the full credit allowance of your new plan, and your billing cycle resets to that date. You don't have to wait for the next refresh, and you don't need to use up your old credits first.
From that point on, your credits will refresh monthly on the anniversary of your upgrade date.
What happens to my unused credits when I upgrade?
When you upgrade, your billing cycle resets and you're granted the full credit allowance of your new plan right away. Any unused credits from your previous plan won't carry over separately because they're effectively replaced by your new (larger) allowance.
In practice, this means you don't need to "save" or "spend down" your remaining credits before upgrading. The moment your upgrade goes through, you'll have your new plan's full balance to work with.
Can I downgrade later if I don't need as many credits?
Yes, but the timing matters. Once you upgrade, you'll need to complete the full billing cycle on your new plan. You can then downgrade at the end of that cycle if you no longer need the higher credit amount. Downgrades mid-cycle are not supported, so plan your upgrade with that in mind.
What if I just need a few extra credits this month?
vidIQ's plans are designed around monthly credit allowances rather than one-off top-ups. If you're consistently running out, that's usually a signal to move up a tier. If it's a one-time crunch, you can also wait until your next refresh date (visible in your account dropdown) and your credits will reset automatically.