> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dune.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Overview > What is the credit system on Dune and how credits work on Dune Dune's operations largely rely on a credit system. This guide will explain the concept of credits, their consumption, and management. ### What are credits? Credits are the key to accessing a wide range of functions on the Dune platform. Whether you're delving into writing queries or simply exploring dashboards, knowing how credits operate is crucial. ### Why are credits important? All actions on Dune, from refreshing a dashboard to exporting data via the API, consume credits. It's vital for every user, viewer, or creator alike, to be mindful of their credit usage. ## Your Credit Allocation No worries, every Dune user gets a monthly credit allowance. Here's how it works: ### 🎟️ Monthly Credit Allowance * **Set Number of Credits:** Each month, your subscription plan provides a set allotment of credits. * **Top-Up:** Run out of credits? Our "pay as you go" option lets you add more anytime, ensuring your work is always in flow. ### 🔄 Rollover Policy * **Monthly Refresh:** Credits reset at the start of each billing cycle; they do not roll over to the next month. * **Maximize Use:** Plan your activities to maximize the utility of your credits. ### 👥 Team Accounts * **Collective Pool:** All team members draw from a shared pot of credits. Sync up to make the most of your resources. ## Understanding Credit Use on Dune Credits power your work on Dune, and here's how they're typically used: Running and creating queries consumes credits, with the amount varying based on complexity. Larger tasks consume more computational resources, which increases credit usage based on actual compute used. Refreshing dashboards or widgets consumes credits; exact numbers are displayed contextually. Exporting data costs credits, with higher amounts for larger exports. Estimates are provided beforehand. Scheduling queries to run regularly consumes credits each time, with details available in the setup options. ### Estimating Credit Usage Understanding how your activities on Dune consume credits can help you manage your resources more effectively: * **Credit Estimates:** Always check for tooltips or on-screen indicators that provide real-time estimates of credit costs before you perform actions. * **Active Monitoring:** Keep a regular tab on your credit usage through your settings dashboard to avoid surprises. ## Managing Your Credits ### Tracking Your Usage Hover over the odometer icon in your navigation bar for a quick glance at your credits. Make sure you're looking at the right account context. ### Detailed Credit Information Go to **Settings** → **Subscriptions** for a deeper dive into your credit usage and options. ### Handling Excess Usage Exceeding your monthly allocation? Here's how to handle it: 1. Add a payment method to your account to use additional credits at a fee above your included limit. 2. Set a cap in the **limit extra credits** field to keep your spending in check. ### 📊 Export Credit Usage Data Teams and users can export detailed credit usage metrics to analyze consumption patterns and optimize their Dune usage. #### How to Export Usage Data 1. Navigate to your team's usage dashboard 2. Click the **"Export usage"** button 3. Your team's last 30 days of usage data will be downloaded as a CSV file #### Understanding the Exported Data The exported CSV file contains comprehensive usage information with the following columns: | Column | Description | | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | timestamp | The exact date and time when the credit was consumed | | user\_id | Unique identifier for the user who consumed the credits | | user\_name | Display name of the user | | service | The Dune service that consumed credits (e.g., query execution, API calls) | | record\_type | Type of usage record | | credit\_cost | Number of credits consumed for this action | | plan | Your team's current subscription plan | | skipped\_quota\_enforcement | Indicates if quota limits were bypassed (true/false) | | query\_id | Unique identifier for queries (when applicable) | | metadata | Additional contextual information about the usage | #### Use Cases for Exported Data The exported usage data enables teams to: • **Track individual user consumption:** Identify which team members are using the most credits\ • **Analyze service usage patterns:** Understand which Dune services consume the most credits\ • **Budget planning:** Use historical data to forecast future credit needs\ • **Optimize queries:** Identify expensive queries using the query\_id field\ • **Compliance and reporting:** Generate usage reports for internal auditing\ • **Cost allocation:** Distribute costs across different teams or projects based on actual usage #### Data Analysis Tips • Import the CSV into spreadsheet software or data analysis tools\ • Create pivot tables to summarize usage by user, service, or time period\ • Use the timestamp field to analyze usage patterns over time\ • Filter by query\_id to identify and optimize resource-intensive queries\ • Monitor the credit\_cost column to track spending trends #### Important Notes • The export includes the last 30 days of data\ • All timestamps are in UTC\ • Credit costs reflect your team's pricing plan at the time of usage\ • The metadata field may contain additional JSON-formatted information depending on the service