Every SMS you send from Connect uses a credit. Before you can send campaigns or trigger SMS automations, you need credits on your account. This article shows you how to buy SMS credits manually, and how to set up auto top-up so you never run out mid-campaign.

Before you start

• You need admin or billing access to buy SMS credits
• One SMS credit = 160 characters per recipient. A single campaign message can be up to three messages long, so one recipient may use up to three credits per send
• Credits are shared across your account — they apply to both one-off SMS campaigns and any SMS automations running in Flows
• SMS credits expire 90 days after purchase — only buy what you'll realistically use within that window
• Pricing varies based on the volume purchased — the more credits you buy in one go, the lower the per-credit cost

⚠️ Warning — If your credit balance runs out mid-send, the campaign will stop sending and any remaining recipients will not receive the message. Always check your balance before scheduling a large send.

How to buy SMS credits manually

1. Log in to Connect
2. Hover over Credits at the top-right of the screen
3. Select Buy credit
4. Enter the number of SMS credits you'd like to buy — you can also click See SMS pricing to see the full price list (bulk tiers unlock discounts)
5. If you have a card saved to the account, click Buy credits. If not, click Add a new card and enter your payment details
6. Confirm the purchase — credits are applied to your account immediately

💡 Tip — If you run recurring SMS campaigns or have always-on SMS automations, buying in bulk saves money and reduces the admin of topping up often.

How to set up auto top-up

Auto top-up makes sure your credits never hit zero — the system automatically tops up your balance whenever it falls below a threshold you set. This is especially important if you rely on SMS automations that run around the clock.

1. Log in to Connect
2. Hover over Credits at the top-right of the screen
3. Select Setup auto top-up
4. Toggle SMS auto top-up on
5. In When SMS credit balance is below, enter the minimum balance that should trigger a top-up — choose a number high enough that your automations and campaigns keep running while the top-up processes
6. In SMS No., enter the number of credits to top up with each time
7. Click Save

ℹ️ Note — Auto top-up uses the payment card saved to your account. If the card expires or fails, auto top-up will stop and you'll need to update the card and retry.

Troubleshooting

My campaign stopped sending halfway through

• Cause: Your SMS credit balance ran out before all recipients were reached.
• Fix: Top up credits immediately. The campaign will not automatically resume — duplicate it, exclude the contacts who already received the message, and send to the remaining recipients.

I bought credits but my balance hasn't updated

• Cause: The purchase is still processing, or there was a payment error.
• Fix: Wait a few minutes and refresh Connect. If the balance still hasn't moved, check your payment card for a failed charge and retry. Contact Support if the charge cleared but credits never arrived.

Auto top-up isn't triggering

• Cause: Auto top-up is toggled off, the threshold is set lower than your current balance, or your saved card has expired.
• Fix: Go to Credits > Setup auto top-up, confirm the toggle is on, check the threshold, and update your payment card if needed.

I don't see the Credits menu in the top-right

• Cause: Your user role doesn't have billing permissions.
• Fix: Ask an admin on your account to buy credits for you, or to grant you billing access.

FAQ

How much does one SMS cost? The per-credit cost varies based on how many credits you buy at once — bulk tiers are cheaper per credit. Click See SMS pricing on the Buy credit screen to see the current pricing table.

Do credits expire? Yes. SMS credits expires in 90 days

Can I share credits across multiple venues? Credits are tied to your Connect account. If you operate multiple venues on separate accounts, each account has its own credit balance.

Will auto top-up run if my card expires? No. Auto top-up requires a valid payment card. If the card expires or the payment fails, auto top-up stops. Update the card in your billing settings to re-enable it.

How do I check my current balance? Your current SMS credit balance is shown under Credits in the top-right of Connect — hover over it to see the full breakdown.

You can now top up SMS credits on demand or keep them flowing automatically with auto top-up, so your campaigns and automations never stall for lack of credit.

Any questions? Reach out to us via email at support@meandu.com