Skip to main content
Your lobstr.io plan includes a monthly credit allowance. How those credits are distributed depends on the allocation mode you choose — daily or monthly. This page covers how each mode interacts with your billing cycle. For a full explanation of how credits work, including examples and step-by-step instructions to switch modes, see Credits: How Usage Is Measured and Allocated.

Daily vs monthly — billing impact

Daily allocationMonthly allocation
Credit availabilityDivided evenly across remaining days in cycleFull balance available immediately
Risk of running out earlyLow — usage is spread outHigher — no daily cap
Best forConsistent, scheduled scrapingLarge one-time jobs
Impact on billingCredits refresh daily, predictable usageMay need a billing cycle reset if credits run out early

Switching modes mid-cycle

You can switch between daily and monthly allocation at any time from Settings > Usage settings. The change takes effect immediately:
  • Daily → Monthly: Your remaining credits for the cycle become available all at once.
  • Monthly → Daily: Your remaining credits are divided across the days left in your cycle.
Switching modes does not add or remove credits — it only changes how your existing balance is distributed.

Running out of credits

If you exhaust your credits before the billing cycle renews:
  • On daily mode: Wait for tomorrow’s daily refresh, or switch to monthly to access any remaining balance.
  • On monthly mode: Wait for your next billing cycle, or reset your billing cycle early to get a fresh credit allocation (this charges your plan amount immediately).