Only actions that send a message to a contact consume credits — sending an email or an SMS. Internal actions such as adding a tag, adding the contact to a list, or sending yourself an internal alert are completely free. Triggering an automation costs nothing on its own; only the email or SMS that the workflow ends up sending is billed, exactly like a regular campaign.
Which automation actions cost credits?
Credits are tied to the message itself, not to the automation that decides to send it. The pricing logic matches the rest of Mailpro: one email sent equals one email credit, one SMS sent equals one SMS credit. Free actions exist so you can model your contact data — tags, lists, alerts — at no cost.
| Action | Credits used |
|---|---|
| Send an email | 1 email credit per recipient |
| Send an SMS | 1 SMS credit per recipient (rate by country) |
| Add a tag to the contact | Free |
| Add the contact to a list | Free |
| Internal alert (email me) | Free |
What about the trigger itself?
The trigger is the part of an automation that decides when to run — a contact’s birthday, a new subscription, a tag being added. Triggers never consume credits, even if they fire thousands of times a day. You only pay for the message at the end of the workflow, if the workflow sends one.
Estimating monthly cost
Count the average number of times each automation fires per month, then multiply only the email or SMS actions by your email credit rate (or SMS rate). Tags, lists and alerts can be ignored. Most automations cost less than running the same volume as a single campaign, because automated messages go out one contact at a time rather than as a blast.
Set up your first automation in minutes
Build a welcome email, birthday SMS or list-tagging workflow without burning extra credits. Browse the automation triggers and actions available, or set up automatic credit recharge so you never run out mid-flow.