---
title: Understanding lookup credits
slug: understanding-lookup-credits
icon: 💳
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-06-12T14:52:56.228Z
---

This guide covers:

- [How lookup credits work](https://docs.pin.com/understanding-lookup-credits#how-lookup-credits-work)
- [How to check your lookup balance](https://docs.pin.com/understanding-lookup-credits#how-to-check-your-lookup-balance)
- [Purchase additional lookup credits](https://docs.pin.com/understanding-lookup-credits#purchase-additional-lookup-credits)

# How lookup credits work

**Credit Allocation**: 

- Lookup credits are pooled and shared across the entire team. 

**Credit Usage**:

- **Email lookups cost 1 credit**.
- **Phone number lookups cost 1 credit**, and can only run after an email lookup. If Pin finds both an email and a phone number, the total cost is 2 credits. If Pin doesn’t find an email but finds a phone number, the total cost is 1 credit.
  - Phone number lookups can be triggered manually per candidate or automatically for all candidates in a sequence. Learn more about phone number lookups in our guide [here](https://docs.pin.com/phone-number-lookups). 
- As a soft rate limit, each user in an organization is allotted CSV exports of 1500 for candidates where no email or phone number was found per month.   **After 1500, the exports for candidates with no email or phone will now cost 0.25 credits per candidate**.  This limit will reset at the end of the month.

**When Lookups Are Triggered**:

- Pin automatically runs email lookups when candidates are added to Outreach (if candidates are manually added and already have an email, then Pin will not run the email lookup).
- Lookups are not performed for candidates in the Sourcing stage.

**When Credits Are Deducted**:

- Credits are only used if Pin successfully finds an email or phone number.
- If Pin cannot find an email or phone number, credits will not be deducted.

**Credit Reset & Rollover**:

- Lookup credits reset each billing cycle on your subscription renewal date. You can find your renewal date in **Settings ->** **Billing & Plan -> Customer Portal**.
- Unused credits do not roll over to the next billing period.

***

# How to check your lookup balance

Each user can check the team's lookup balance in **Settings ->** **Credits Usage**. Here you can see the last 100 lookups, including which lookup was performed and which candidate it was for.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/JtqPsvk-s0xQ7dgMBVpor/Iy1K0RyAgOhfv7x02jKIA_screenshot-2026-08-13-at-24140-pm.png)

***

# Purchase additional lookup credits

**Only users with Admin and Billing permissions** can purchase additional lookup credits in **Credits Usage or Billing & Plan**. Lookup credits are available in packs of **250 for $50 per pack**.

# Frequently Asked Questions

**Do I have to add a candidate to outreach to be able to get their email or phone number?**
No.  You can add a candidate to your shortlist, open up their profile, and use a credit to look up an email or phone