# What are credits in Make? > Credits are the unit Make uses to bill scenario usage. Most module runs use one credit; some AI modules use more. How to read and reduce your credits. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-credits · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) [n8n and automation](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary#topic-n8n-and-automation) · [AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) Quick answer Credits are the unit Make uses to measure and bill scenario usage on its plans. In 2025 Make moved from counting operations to counting credits. Most module runs still use one credit each, while some modules, such as AI modules that use Make's own AI provider, can use more depending on the work they do. Last updated October 20, 2026 [Take the free module →](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/ai-for-medical-dental-admin/9)Module 9 of the free [AI for Medical & Dental Office Admin](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/ai-for-medical-dental-admin) course, about 12 minutes. No account needed. Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) ## Why it matters for a small business Your plan includes a number of credits each month, so credits decide how much your scenarios can do before you need more. A scenario that checks often, handles many bundles, or calls AI models will use more. Knowing what spends credits lets you build scenarios that do the same job for less. The biggest levers are simple: schedule triggers only as often as the business needs, filter out bundles early, combine bundles with an aggregator before an email or message step, and prefer an instant webhook trigger over a fast polling schedule when the app offers one. AI steps deserve a second look, because their credit use can depend on the model and the size of the text. Where you'll use it: your Make organization dashboard shows credits used this month. Each scenario's history shows what every run used, and the bubbles on a test run show how many times each module ran. Make's help center explains how each module type is counted. ## In a real lesson: Your First Make.com Scenario: Google Forms to Google Sheets In the free [Your First Make Scenario lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-google-forms-to-google-sheets), the last steps set Brookside Dental's scenario to run every 15 minutes, with the note that each check uses credits from your plan, so not to set it faster than you need. Later, the [Add AI to Make lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-chatgpt-gmail-personalized-reply) adds an OpenAI module that writes a reply to each routine request. That module uses your own OpenAI key, so the AI model is billed by OpenAI, while the module run itself still counts toward your Make usage. [Try this lesson free](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/make-first-scenario) or [read the step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-google-forms-to-google-sheets). ## Common confusions ### Make credits vs AI credits [AI credits](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-credits) in other tools often pay for model use only. Make credits cover all module runs in a scenario, with AI modules as one part of that. ### Credits vs operations [Operations](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-operation) count module runs. Credits are what Make bills, and for most modules the two match one to one. ## Tips - Look at the scenario history after a week of real use before changing plans. - Connect your own AI provider key when you want the model billed separately and visibly. - Turn off scenarios you no longer need; scheduled triggers keep checking. ## Related terms [Operation (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-operation) · [AI credits](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-credits) · [Usage-based pricing](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/usage-based-pricing) · [Scenario (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-scenario) · [Polling](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/polling) ## More n8n and automation terms [Cron expression](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/cron-expression) · [Delay by Zapier](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/delay-by-zapier) · [Edit Fields (Set) node](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/edit-fields-node) · [Error handler (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-error-handler) ## Where you use it: free lessons - [Your First Make.com Scenario: Google Forms to Google Sheets](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-google-forms-to-google-sheets) (Make, 12 min) - [Add AI to Make.com: ChatGPT Writes a Personal Reply, Gmail Sends It](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-chatgpt-gmail-personalized-reply) (Make, 18 min) ## Frequently asked questions **Do failed runs use credits?** The modules that ran before the failure did their work, so expect them to count. Check the scenario history for the exact figure. **Why did an AI step use more than one credit?** Some AI modules are counted by the work done, such as the model and the amount of text, rather than a flat one credit per run. [All AI glossary terms, A to Z](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) · [Free prompt templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts)