Understanding your organization quotas
Every CARTO subscription plan includes a set of available quotas such as the total number of editor users that the organization can create. Let’s review these quotas more in depth, with examples to help you predict usage.
Usage quota
The Usage Quota is an aggregated measure that defines the size of your CARTO license, or in other words, how much you can use the platform. It is measured in Quota Units, and is calculated using the following formula:
Usage Quota = API Usage + AI Usage
API Usage is calculated from the total number of API requests (excluding metadata) consumed by all your users. Each API has its own pricing (weight), as defined in this documentation. Learn more about API Usage pricing.
API Usage = # of requests * API weights
AI Usage is calculated from the total number of AI tokens consumed by all your users. AI tokens are consumed in every AI-powered conversation within CARTO. Each AI feature has its own pricing (feature multiplier), as defined in this documentation. When using the CARTO-managed AI models, we also add a model multiplier to each AI model. Learn more about AI Usage pricing.
AI Usage = # of tokens / 1000 * AI feature multiplier * AI model multiplier
API Usage
Every time a user in your organization interacts with the CARTO Platform through the UI or through our APIs, Quota Units will be consumed from your annual Usage quota.
Not all API requests are worth the same. Here's a rundown of what each API does and how it is weighted against the Usage quota.
Maps API
To load layers and tiles in a map. Every time you interact with a map these requests are needed, including opening, styling, editing, exploring, or zooming in a map.
0.2
5 requests to the Maps API will consume 1 Quota Unit.
SQL API
To push queries to the data warehouse for analytical purposes (that is, not to render a map) CARTO Workflows uses this API to execute a Workflow.
10
1 request to the SQL API will consume 10 Quota Units.
SQL API (Widgets)
To display responsive data charts that match and filter your current map view.
Widgets in Builder and widgets created by developers using our official libraries make use of the SQL API Widgets endpoints.
1
1 request to the SQL API (Widgets) will consume 1 Quota Unit
Import API
To import geospatial files from your computer (or from a url) to your data warehouse.
10
1 imported file will consume 10 Quota Units.
LDS API
LDS stands for "Location Data Services" and it is used to geocode addresses and compute isolines and routes based on your data.
0.1
1 request to the LDS API to geocode a table will consume 0.1 Quota Units.
All other APIs
All other operations
0
All other APIs are not counted towards the usage quota
The weights above apply to usage after March 25th, 2024 for CARTO Cloud deployments, or 2024.4.17 version onwards for CARTO Self-Hosted deployments. For usage prior to that date or in previous versions, check the reference below.
Only successful requests (2xx) are counted towards the usage quota.
Metadata-related endpoints are excluded from the usage quota calculations, such as retrieving the details of a sql job, map or import job.
Cached requests are included in the usage quota calculations, so viewers will get the best performance regardless of the usage quota.
AI Usage
Every time a user in your organization uses CARTO AI powered features (such as the AI Agents) they are consuming AI tokens. CARTO takes these tokens, divides by 1000, and applies two multipliers:
AI feature multiplier: some AI features are more expensive, while others can be completely free. This relates directly with the complexity of the AI feature and the value obtained from it.
AI model multiplier: if you're using a CARTO-managed AI model, we will factor an additional multiplier. If not, it will be 1, leaving the consumption unaffected.
Usage Quota example
Editor users
An editor is a user that has permissions to create and edit maps, connections, applications… This is a hard quota, and will be enforced whenever you try to add new editors or when new editors try join the organization. For more information on how to manage users, check Managing User Roles.
Users set as “Admin” also count towards the Editor quota.
Viewer users
A viewer is a user that can only view the objects (maps, applications…) produced in the organization. They can’t create or edit anything in the organization… This is a hard quota, and will be enforced whenever users try to signup or whenever you try to add new viewers through invitations or roles. For more information on how to manage users, check Managing User Roles.
Users set as "Guest viewer" also count towards the Viewer quota.
API Access Tokens
You can create API Access Tokens that your apps and projects will use to access the CARTO APIs. This quota is the maximum amount of tokens you can have at the organization level. This is a hard quota and will be enforced whenever you try to generate a new token.
Location Data Services (LDS)
Whenever you geocode a table or calculate isolines based on your data, you're using our Location Data Services, abbreviated as LDS. The use of LDS is limited by an annual quota (LDS credits) that you can track in this section inside the app, or using Activity Data for more granularity.
LDS credits are consumed for every geocoded row and for every isoline calculated.
The tracker for LDS credits in Workspace updates automatically in near real-time.
Warning
Given the additional travel time information to each individual cell that they provide, the H3 isolines consume 5x LDS credits compared to normal polygon-based isolines.
CARTO-managed AI
When you use CARTO AI without having integrated your custom AI models, also known as «bring your own model», you're using a set of CARTO-managed AI models by different providers like Google or Anthropic.
The use of CARTO-managed AI models is limited by an annual quota, measured in number of tokens consumed by the CARTO provided models.
CARTO Data Warehouse capacity
Every organization is provisioned with a CARTO Data Warehouse — a cloud data warehouse, managed by CARTO, that you can use without connecting your own. When you use this connection, its use is governed by a set of capacity limits:
Computing
The amount of data that can be processed per day (measured in TB/day). Queries that would exceed the daily computing limit will not run until the following day.
Storage
The amount of data stored in the CARTO Data Warehouse.
Acceleration
Dedicated in-memory capacity to speed up queries. Only applies if enabled for your organization.
The computing limit is the one you're most likely to encounter. Because it is measured as data processed per day, unoptimized large datasets are the most common cause of high consumption: an unoptimized table is fully scanned on every pan and zoom of a map. To reduce computing usage, cluster large tables by their geometry and use tilesets for very large datasets. The Data Explorer flags tables that are not optimized.
You can see your organization's computing limit in the CARTO Data Warehouse connection card.
Feature entitlements
Beyond the quotas above, some CARTO capabilities are entitlements: features that are included with certain subscription plans and are enabled for your organization as part of your plan. If your plan doesn't include a given feature, it won't be available in your organization until it's added to your subscription.
The following features are governed by entitlements. Each page explains what the feature does and how to enable it:
Increasing your quotas
If you need to increase any of these quotas, please contact your Account Manager, Customer Success Manager or send an email to support@carto.com
Legacy quotas
Enterprise organizations created before March 2023 might have a different set of quotas
Since the rollout of the new Usage quota model has been progressive for existing customers, it's possible that your "Usage & Quotas" page looks slightly different than documented above. Here's a collection of older quotas that are now deprecated.
Total maps
Public maps
Total connections
Total applications
In general, if you see these quotas under your "Usage & Quotas" page, they still apply to your organization. If you have questions, please contact your Account Manager.
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