# 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.

<figure><img src="https://3029946802-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FybPdpmLltPkzGFvz7m8A%2Fuploads%2FctHC2p1wAUAyfVpVmBUA%2FScreenshot%202026-01-14%20at%2019.43.35.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2f631ee9-488a-48dc-8630-13410c3d0649" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## **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. The Usage Quota is calculated using the following formula:

<p align="center"><strong>Usage Quota  =  API Usage  +  AI Usage</strong></p>

**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).

<p align="center"><strong>API Usage  =  # of requests  *  API weights</strong></p>

**AI Usage** is calculated from the total number of [AI tokens](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/4936856-what-are-tokens-and-how-to-count-them) 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).

<p align="center"><strong>AI Usage  =  # of tokens / 1000  *  AI feature multiplier  </strong><em><strong>*</strong></em><strong>  AI model multiplier</strong></p>

{% hint style="info" %}
The Usage quota is annual, and it will reset AFTER your reset date. During the reset date, you'll still see consumption for the ongoing period, and it will only display "0" the following day.

The Usage quota is a soft quota, which means that even if your organization exceeds this quota the platform will continue to work as usual for all users, from editors to live public maps. This avoids unnecessary disruptions, and also allows great flexibility for accidental or unforecasted usage peaks

Lastly, **the usage quota is updated every day.** Consumption today will be reflected the following day.
{% endhint %}

### API Usage

Every time a user in your organization interacts with the CARTO Platform through the UI or through our APIs, Usage quota units will be consumed from your annual quota.&#x20;

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.

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th width="152">API</th><th width="328">When is it used?</th><th width="117.609375">Weight</th><th>Example</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Maps API</strong></td><td>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.</td><td><strong>0.2</strong></td><td>5 requests to the Maps API will consume 1 Usage quota unit.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>SQL API</strong></td><td>To push queries to the data warehouse for analytical purposes (that is, not to render a map)<br><br>CARTO Workflows uses this API to execute a Workflow.</td><td><strong>10</strong></td><td>1 request to the SQL API will consume 10 Usage quota units.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>SQL API (Widgets)</strong></td><td><p>To display responsive data charts that match and filter your current map view.</p><p>Widgets in Builder and widgets created by developers using our official libraries make use of the SQL API Widgets endpoints.</p></td><td><strong>1</strong></td><td>1 request to the SQL API (Widgets) will consume 1 Usage quota unit</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Import API</strong></td><td>To import geospatial files from your computer (or from a url) to your data warehouse.</td><td><strong>10</strong></td><td>1 imported file will consume 10 Usage quota unit.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>LDS API</strong></td><td>LDS stands for "Location Data Services" and it is used to geocode addresses and compute isolines and routes based on your data.</td><td><strong>0.1</strong></td><td>1 request to the LDS API to geocode a table will consume 0.1 Usage quota units.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>All other APIs</strong></td><td>All other operations</td><td><strong>0</strong></td><td>All other APIs are not counted towards the usage quota</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="warning" %}
The weights above apply to usage after **March 25th, 2024** for SaaS deployment&#x73;**,** 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.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary><strong>Usage Quota API weights before March 25th, 2024 (SaaS) or version 2024.4.17 (Self-Hosted)</strong></summary>

* **Maps API:** 0.1\
  The change in Maps API to 0.2 has been rolled out progressively and is tied to performance optimizations (less requests). It has no impact on the total number of usage quota consumed.
* **SQL API:** 10\
  It previously included both widgets and non-widgets requests. We split these two categories, lowering the weight of SQL API widget requests.
* **Import API:** 10
* **LDS API:** 0.1

</details>

{% hint style="success" %}
**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.
{% endhint %}

### AI Usage

Every time a user in your organization uses CARTO AI powered features (such as the [AI Agents](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/ai-agents)) they are consuming [AI tokens](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/4936856-what-are-tokens-and-how-to-count-them). 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.

<details>

<summary><strong>Current AI feature multipliers</strong></summary>

| AI feature                                                      | Multiplier |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- |
| [AI Agents](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/ai-agents) | **0.2**    |

</details>

* **AI model multiplier:** if you're using a [CARTO-managed AI model](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/settings/carto-ai), we will factor an additional multiplier. If not, it will be 1, leaving the consumption unaffected.

<details>

<summary><strong>Current AI model multipliers</strong></summary>

| Managed by      | AI Model                                                                                        | Multiplier       |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| CARTO (default) | claude-opus-4.6                                                                                 | 13               |
| CARTO (default) | claude-sonnet-4.6                                                                               | 8                |
| CARTO (default) | gemini-3-pro                                                                                    | 6                |
| CARTO (default) | gemini-3-flash                                                                                  | 3                |
| CARTO (default) | gemini-2.5-pro                                                                                  | 5                |
| CARTO (default) | gemini-2.5-flash                                                                                | 2                |
| Customer        | [Custom model in CARTO AI settings](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/settings/carto-ai) | 1 (*unaffected*) |

</details>

### Usage Quota example

{% hint style="info" %}
**Usage Quota Example**

The organization has 6M usage quota units in their license when the users start using CARTO

* User A creates a map, which produced 124 Maps API requests, for a total of **24,8 units** (124 \* 0,2)
* User B runs a workflow, which produced 1 SQL API request, for a total of **10 units** (1 \* 10)
* User C runs a workflow with an LDS geocoding component for 50k rows, which produced 1 SQL API request and 50 LDS API requests, for a total of **15 units** (1 \* 10 + 50 \* 0.1)
* User A added an AI agent to its map using the CARTO-managed gemini-2.5-pro. The first conversation produced 10k tokens, for a total of **10 units** (10000 / 1000 \* 0.2 \* 5)

After all users have realized their actions, **59,8 units** have been used.
{% endhint %}

## **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](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/settings/users-and-groups/managing-user-roles).

Users set as “Admin” also count towards the Editor quota.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Example:**

If I already have 3 out of 3 editors/admins available, I won’t be able to invite new editors or promote viewers to editors or admins.
{% endhint %}

## 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](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/settings/users-and-groups/managing-user-roles).

Users set as "Guest viewer" also count towards the Viewer quota.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Example**

If I already have 50 out of 50 viewers available, I won’t be able to invite viewers or demote editors to viewers. Also, users that try to join or request to join the organization will be blocked.
{% endhint %}

## API Access Tokens

You can create [api-access-tokens](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/developers/managing-credentials/api-access-tokens "mention") that your apps and projects will use to access the [CARTO APIs](https://api-docs.carto.com/). 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.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Example**

If I already used 100 out of 100 tokens, I won't be able to create new tokens using the Tokens API or any other method. Existing tokens will still work as usual.
{% endhint %}

## Location Data Services (LDS)

Whenever you [geocode a table](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/data-explorer/geocoding-data) or [calculate isolines](https://docs.carto.com/maps/sql-analyses#trade-areas) 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.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**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.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Example**

If I have already geocoded 50,000 rows and calculated 50,000 isolines, and my LDS credits quota is 100,000, I won't be able to process more geocoding or isolines.
{% endhint %}

## CARTO-managed AI

When you use [CARTO AI](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/settings/carto-ai) without having integrated your [custom AI models](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/carto-ai#bring-your-own-model), 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.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Example**

If I use CARTO-managed models in two different agents that have produced 1M tokens each, and my CARTO-managed AI quota is 2M tokens, I won't be able to use CARTO AI unless I connect my own AI models.
{% endhint %}

## **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

{% hint style="warning" %}
Enterprise organizations created before March 2023 might have a different set of quotas
{% endhint %}

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.