Consumption credits

Consumption credits are prepaid or committed units that a vendor deducts as you use metered features, so the cost depends on how many operations the platform performs.

Part of the Learn hub and the customer data glossary.

What it means in practice

Consumption pricing replaces a fixed fee with a balance of credits that platform operations draw down. Different operations cost different amounts, so the bill depends on volumes and on how the platform is used.

The practical issue is forecasting. A cost model needs a volume and a multiplier for each operation type. Identity resolution, segment refreshes, activation and AI features all draw credits, and so do re-runs. Reprocessing data after a consent change or a rule fix is a compliance activity with a visible cost line, which can discourage teams from doing it as often as they should.

Ask any vendor for the written rate card, the cost of each operation, whether credits expire or roll over, how overage is priced, and what usage reporting is available during the term.

Example (health insurance): a payer reruns identity resolution, segment refreshes and activation daily across its member base. Credit use scales with processing frequency and member count. Moving to hourly suppression refreshes for safety changes the forecast, so the contract should price that scenario in advance.

Related terms

• Monthly tracked user (MTU): user-based metering.
• Perpetual licence: fixed-fee licensing.
• Packaged customer data platform (CDP): where credit models are common.
• Identity resolution: a typically credit-heavy operation.
• Activation: a metered output step.

Where it matters

• Salesforce Data 360 pricing explained: credits, profiles and hidden costs.
• Customer data platform pricing explained: credit models next to MTU and flat licences.