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. The Usage Quota 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
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.
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.
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 Usage 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 Usage 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 Usage 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 Usage quota unit.
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 Usage 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 SaaS 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.
Usage Quota API weights before March 25th, 2024 (SaaS) or version 2024.4.17 (Self-Hosted)
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
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.
Current AI model multipliers
CARTO (default)
gemini-2.5-pro
5
CARTO (default)
gemini-2.5-flash
2
Usage Quota example
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
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 [email protected]
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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