Credits Explained: How the Unified Credit System Works
A clear guide to preparAItor's unified credit system -- one pool of credits, eight actions, simple pricing. Learn how credits are earned, spent, and tracked.
Author: preparAItor Team
preparAItor uses a unified credit system. You get one pool of credits each month and decide how to spend them across all platform actions. This article explains how credits work, what each action costs, and how to manage your usage.
TL;DR - Quick Summary
Quick Summary:
- One credit pool -- all actions draw from the same balance
- Eight actions with different costs: CV Parsing (15), CV Health Check (15), AI Improve (3), Tailor CV (45), Translate CV (45), Job Parsing (10), Document Generation (100), Interview Practice (150)
- Monthly credits do NOT roll over -- they reset each billing cycle
- Purchased credits NEVER expire -- use them whenever you need them
- Feature gating is separate -- some features (ongoing monthly interview access, Editable Word documents, English) require Pro or Premium regardless of credits
- Free actions: downloading, viewing history, editing CVs, cloud sync
One Pool, Eight Actions
Unlike systems with multiple credit types, preparAItor uses a single unified credit pool. Every action draws from the same balance, giving you full flexibility in how you spend your credits.
| Action | Credit Cost | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| CV Parsing | 15 credits | Parse your CV into structured data (personal info, experience, skills, education) |
| CV Health Check | 15 credits | ATS-focused audit: 0–100 score, strengths, weaknesses, and tips per section |
| AI Improve | 3 credits | Rewrite one CV section three ways — concise, impactful, ATS-friendly |
| Tailor CV for a job | 45 credits | Match your CV to a specific job with before/after score and change rationale |
| Translate CV | 45 credits | Translate your CV into DE, EN, FR, or IT — dates, company names, and technical terms preserved |
| Job Parsing | 10 credits | Parse a job posting (URL, PDF document, or text) and extract structured details |
| Document Generation | 100 credits | Generate a full application package (cover letter, email, interview Q&A, job summary) |
| Interview Practice | 150 credits | AI interview simulation (15 exchanges) with a scored performance summary |
A Typical Application Cycle
A complete job application flow looks like this:
- Analyze the job (10 credits)
- Analyze your CV (15 credits -- only needed once, then reuse for multiple jobs)
- Generate documents (100 credits)
- Practice the interview (150 credits -- optional, Pro/Premium only)
First application: 125 credits (or 275 with interview practice) Each additional application: 110 credits (or 260 with interview practice) since your CV is already parsed.
Monthly Credit Allocation
Each plan includes a monthly credit pool:
| Plan | Credits/month | ~Applications (no interview) | ~Applications (with interview) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free (CHF 0.-) | 250 | 2 | -- |
| Starter (CHF 9.90) | 1,000 | 9 | -- |
| Pro (CHF 19.90) | 2,000 | 18 | 7 |
| Premium (CHF 29.90) | 4,000 | 36 | 15 |
No Rollover on Monthly Credits
Monthly credits reset every billing cycle. If your plan includes 1,000 credits per month and you only use 500, those remaining 500 credits do not carry over. Plan your usage accordingly.
Feature Gating vs. Credit Gating
Credits control how much you can do. Your subscription tier controls what you can do. Some features are locked behind specific tiers regardless of your credit balance:
| Feature | Required Tier |
|---|---|
| Interview Practice (ongoing monthly access) | Pro or Premium |
| English language output | Pro or Premium |
| Editable Word documents (.docx) output | Pro or Premium |
| Plain-text documents (.txt) output | Premium |
| Custom tones | Pro or Premium |
| Custom Word templates | Premium |
| Cloud sync | Premium |
| Application Tracker | All plans — capacity scales with your plan |
| Watermark-free documents | Starter or above |
This means a Starter user with plenty of credits still cannot use ongoing monthly Interview Practice -- that requires upgrading to Pro. Every user still gets 2 free lifetime interview sessions (1 Coaching + 1 Practice).
Credit Packages
Need more credits than your monthly allocation? Purchase a one-time credit package:
| Package | Credits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Boost | 150 | CHF 3.90 |
| Active Pack | 600 | CHF 9.90 |
| Hunt Mode | 1,000 | CHF 14.90 |
| Mega Pack | 2,000 | CHF 24.90 |
Key facts about credit packages:
- Available to all tiers including free
- Never expire -- purchased credits remain until you use them
- Unified pool -- spend them on any action you choose
- Used after monthly credits -- your subscription credits are consumed first
Subscriptions Are Better Value
Subscription credits offer better value per CHF than packages. Packages are designed for occasional top-ups or users who prefer pay-as-you-go flexibility without a monthly commitment.
Monthly Credits vs. Purchased Credits
| Characteristic | Monthly Credits | Purchased Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Subscription plan | Credit packages |
| Expiration | Reset each billing cycle (no rollover) | Never expire |
| Consumed first | Yes -- used before purchased credits | Used only after monthly credits are gone |
| Available to free tier | 250 credits/month | Yes, pay-as-you-go |
What Costs Credits and What Is Free
Actions That Cost Credits
| Action | Cost |
|---|---|
| Upload and parse a CV | 15 credits |
| Run a CV Health Check | 15 credits |
| AI Improve on one section | 3 credits |
| Tailor your CV to a job | 45 credits |
| Translate your CV to another language | 45 credits |
| Analyze a job posting (URL, PDF document, or manual) | 10 credits |
| Generate application documents | 100 credits |
| Regenerate documents for the same job | 100 credits |
| Run an interview practice session (15 exchanges) | 150 credits |
Regeneration Costs Full Credits
Regenerating documents costs the same 100 credits as a new generation. Review your CV data and job details carefully before generating to minimize regenerations.
Free Actions (No Credit Cost)
- Downloading documents -- any format, any number of times
- Viewing generation history -- browse and review past generations
- Editing a CV in the CV Editor -- only new uploads cost credits
- Cloud sync -- automatic syncing (if configured, Premium only)
- Settings and preferences -- change tones, templates, language
- Deleting generations -- remove old generations from history
Automatic Refund on Failure
You are never charged credits for a failed operation. When you start an action, the system reserves the required credits. If the operation fails for any reason -- AI error, timeout, or infrastructure issue -- the reserved credits are automatically released back to your balance. No manual request needed.
Practical Tips
Review Before Generating
At 100 credits per generation, each one counts. Double-check:
- Is your CV data up to date?
- Did the job posting parse correctly?
- Are the extracted job details accurate?
Edit, Don't Re-Upload
Modifying your CV in the built-in editor is free. Only upload a new CV (15 credits) when you have a completely different file.
Download Editable Word Documents and Edit Locally
On Pro and Premium, download Editable Word documents (.docx) and make small wording tweaks in Word or Google Docs instead of regenerating for 100 credits.
Use Purchased Credits as a Safety Net
Since purchased credits never expire, they work well as an emergency reserve for busy months when your monthly allocation runs out.
Common Questions
Do monthly credits carry over?
No. They reset at the start of each billing cycle.
Do purchased credits expire?
No. Credits from packages never expire.
Can I buy credits on the free tier?
Yes. All tiers can purchase credit packages.
Does regenerating cost credits again?
Yes. Each regeneration costs 100 credits, same as a new generation.
Can I generate just one document instead of the full set?
No. Documents are generated as a complete package for 100 credits. They are interconnected and always created together.
What if I want interview practice but I'm on Starter?
You can still use your 2 free lifetime interview sessions on Starter. For ongoing monthly interview practice beyond those two sessions, you need to upgrade to Pro or Premium.
Summary
preparAItor's unified credit system gives you one flexible pool of credits to spend across eight actions: CV Parsing (15), CV Health Check (15), AI Improve (3), Tailor CV (45), Translate CV (45), Job Parsing (10), Document Generation (100), and Interview Practice (150 credits for a 15-exchange session). Monthly subscription credits provide a recurring allocation but do not roll over. Credit packages can be purchased by any user and never expire. Features like interview practice, Editable Word document output, and English language support are gated by subscription tier, not just credits. Your credit balance is displayed on the dashboard for full transparency.
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About the Author
preparAItor Team is a career expert at preparAItor, helping thousands of job seekers land their dream positions through AI-powered tools and strategies.
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