> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.squid-id.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Paid vs bonus credits

> Squid ID tracks two credit buckets: bonus credits from promos and flag refunds spend first, while paid credits are what you buy and the only refundable balance.

Your balance is split into two buckets. Both are spent on matches, but they differ in where they come from and whether they can be refunded.

| Bucket | Where it comes from                       | Spent                  | Refundable |
| ------ | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | ---------- |
| Bonus  | Granted by Squid, e.g. the welcome credit | First                  | No         |
| Paid   | Credit you buy with a card                | After bonus is used up | Yes        |

When a match is charged, Squid ID draws from your bonus bucket first and only touches paid credits once bonus is exhausted. Each charge records exactly how much came from each bucket.

## The welcome credit

New accounts receive a one-time welcome bonus of \$6.25 (25 matches at the \$0.25 entry rate). It lands in the bonus bucket the first time you put a card on file. It is granted once per account, ever, and once per card: a card that already earned the welcome bonus on another account doesn't earn it again.

## Why the split matters

Only paid spend is refundable. When you [flag a bad match](/finding-visitors/flag-a-match), the refund is credited back to your bonus bucket, not your card. Bonus credits themselves are never refunded to a card, because you never paid for them.

<Info>
  Paid credits hold for 12 months; bonus credits hold for 90 days. Whichever is closest to expiring is spent first within its bucket.
</Info>

## Related

* [How credits work](/billing/how-credits-work)
* [Flag a match](/finding-visitors/flag-a-match)
* [Pricing tiers](/billing/pricing-tiers)