Search AI Prompts power Birdeye’s Search AI features and determine how usage is measured and billed. Each prompt represents a query sent to an AI engine to understand how your brand appears in AI-generated answers across search and discovery platforms.
How Search AI Prompts Work
Search AI operates on a prompt-based usage model. Credits are consumed only when you actively run Search AI actions, such as visibility scans or analytics.
A prompt is consumed when Birdeye checks:
One location.
For one AI engine.
Using one search query.
What affects prompt usage
Your total usage depends on:
Number of locations scanned.
Scan frequency (monthly or quarterly). The default frequency is monthly.
Number of AI engines checked (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity).
Number of prompts per location.
Formula:
Total Prompts = Locations × Scan Frequency × AI Engines × Prompts
Example
If you monitor:
25 locations
Monthly scans
3 AI engines
15 prompts per location
25 × 1 × 3 × 15 = 1,125 prompts per month
Monthly Prompt Allocation
Prompt usage resets at the start of each billing period.
Unused prompts do not roll over by default.
Annual contracts may allow rollover if specified in your agreement.
What Happens When You Reach Your Prompt Limit
Accounts Using Only Included Prompts
Overage charges apply until usage reaches 125% of your monthly limit. If usage exceeds 125%, further scans will pause until you reduce the number of tracked queries or purchase additional prompts.
Accounts With Purchased Prompt Bundles
Example
Included prompts: 5,000
Purchased: 1,000 (total 6,000)
Usage: 6,500
An additional 1,000-prompt bundle is added, increasing your monthly limit to 7,000.
Pay-as-You-Go Overages
Charged at 1.25× the standard prompt rate.
Applies only for that billing month.
Resets to your original limit next month.
Important
You must purchase additional prompts first.
Overages must be manually enabled.
Billed monthly, in arrears.
Rounded down in increments of 10 prompts
Viewing Usage Details
Usage limits can be seen within the Search AI tab in the bottom left corner.
How Search AI Prompts Are Used
Prompts are consumed when Search AI runs different types of AI analysis using large language models (LLMs).
Theme Generation
1 prompt to initiate theme generation
25 prompts are generated per theme to explore potential keywords.
From these, the 10 most relevant keywords are filtered and retained.
Example:
Prompts used = 1 + 25 = 26 prompts
Prompt Generation
1 prompt per theme tracked
Example:
You track 25 themes
Prompts used = 25 prompts
Accuracy
1 prompt per location
Example:
You track 10 locations
Prompts used = 10 prompts
Sentiment
1 prompt per location
1 prompt per brand
Example:
10 locations + 1 brand
Prompts used = 11 prompts
Recommendations
1 prompt for sentiment analysis
1 prompt per theme tracked
Example:
You track 10 themes
Prompts used = 1 + 10 = 11 prompts
Features That Use Search AI Prompts
Prompts are consumed when you:
Add more themes to track (with 3 default prompts per theme)
Add more prompts to track within existing themes
Add more locations to a theme to be tracked.
Add more LLMs for a theme to be tracked on
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I run out of prompts mid-month?
Scans pause unless you’ve enabled auto-upgrades or overages.
Can I buy prompts for just one month?
Prompt bundles are monthly subscriptions and can be downgraded only at contract renewal.
What counts as one prompt?
One prompt = one query × one AI engine × one location.
Summary
Search AI Prompts provide a flexible, usage-based way to measure and manage your AI visibility monitoring. By tracking prompt usage, setting limits, and choosing the right overage strategy, you can scale your Search AI efforts while staying in control of costs.
Key takeaways
Usage is calculated per prompt.
Billing scales with locations, AI engines, and scan frequency.
Choose between auto-upgrades or pay-as-you-go overages.
Set maximum limits to avoid surprises.
Monthly scans provide the most accurate visibility insights.