Tips for Efficient Credit Management with List Building and Enrichment

Sahil S. · 2025-03-04 19:23:59.199366+00

Dear Clay Gods, While, I am still getting the hang of the tool, the one thing that always runs in my head is how to manage my limited credits I get every month. Are there any hacks you use to manage them efficiently but build huge lists and enrich them at the same time? I know using OpenAI Api costs less but just enriching emails, company info etc costs a lot of credits. Any tips or hacks? Would appreciate this.

Tips for Efficient Credit Management with List Building and Enrichment | Clay

8 comments

· Sorted by Oldest

Channeled
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Here are some key strategies to optimize your credit usage while building and enriching lists in Clay: 1. Take advantage of free features: • List building and prospecting from LinkedIn, Google Maps, Github, CRMs, and websites are completely free • Data cleaning and CRM integrations are also free on the Pro plan 2. Use AI formulas efficiently: • Leverage AI formulas instead of AI integration for large tables - they're credit-free and can help format, clean, and reshape your data • Set up conditional runs to only enrich specific rows that meet your criteria (e.g., only search for personal emails when work emails aren't found) 3. Monitor and plan your enrichments: • Use the "View Table History" button to track which columns used credits • Before enriching, calculate potential costs by multiplying the provider cost by the number of records 4. Consider connecting your own API keys: • If you have existing subscriptions to data enrichment tools, you can use them in Clay without spending credits by connecting your own API keys
Sources: AI Formulas + Conditional Runs [CRM Enrichment] - Clay University Do I pay credits for list building / prospecting? - FAQ | Clay.com Which actions cost credits (or are free)? - FAQ | Clay.com FAQ | Clay.com
Channeled
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Was that helpful?
Andreas W.
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use a provider directly on a cheap volume plan?
Channeled
APP
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Yes, you can connect your own API keys to data providers directly in Clay without spending Clay credits. However, there are important considerations: 1. While you'll need to manage your own provider subscriptions and pricing tiers, Clay offers some advantages: • Clay buys credits in bulk, which can make using Clay's managed API keys more cost-effective • You get access to 100+ databases without needing separate subscriptions • Clay offers wholesale prices with no markup or white-labeling The best approach depends on your specific usage needs and volume requirements. You may want to compare the costs of direct provider plans against Clay's credit pricing to determine the most economical option for your use case.
Source: Compare plans, features & costs | Clay.com
Channeled
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Is that what you were looking for?
Channeled
APP
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We haven't heard back, so we're going to go ahead and close this out. Feel free to click the "Talk to a Human" button above if you still need help!
Amit S.
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This article I wrote should help too.
Sahil S.
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Thanks Amit S. . Will check it out.

Channeled
APP
·
·
Here are some key strategies to optimize your credit usage while building and enriching lists in Clay: 1. Take advantage of free features: • List building and prospecting from LinkedIn, Google Maps, Github, CRMs, and websites are completely free • Data cleaning and CRM integrations are also free on the Pro plan 2. Use AI formulas efficiently: • Leverage AI formulas instead of AI integration for large tables - they're credit-free and can help format, clean, and reshape your data • Set up conditional runs to only enrich specific rows that meet your criteria (e.g., only search for personal emails when work emails aren't found) 3. Monitor and plan your enrichments: • Use the "View Table History" button to track which columns used credits • Before enriching, calculate potential costs by multiplying the provider cost by the number of records 4. Consider connecting your own API keys: • If you have existing subscriptions to data enrichment tools, you can use them in Clay without spending credits by connecting your own API keys
Sources: AI Formulas + Conditional Runs [CRM Enrichment] - Clay University Do I pay credits for list building / prospecting? - FAQ | Clay.com Which actions cost credits (or are free)? - FAQ | Clay.com FAQ | Clay.com
Channeled
APP
·
·
Was that helpful?
Andreas W.
·
·
use a provider directly on a cheap volume plan?
Channeled
APP
·
·
Yes, you can connect your own API keys to data providers directly in Clay without spending Clay credits. However, there are important considerations: 1. While you'll need to manage your own provider subscriptions and pricing tiers, Clay offers some advantages: • Clay buys credits in bulk, which can make using Clay's managed API keys more cost-effective • You get access to 100+ databases without needing separate subscriptions • Clay offers wholesale prices with no markup or white-labeling The best approach depends on your specific usage needs and volume requirements. You may want to compare the costs of direct provider plans against Clay's credit pricing to determine the most economical option for your use case.
Source: Compare plans, features & costs | Clay.com
Channeled
APP
·
·
Is that what you were looking for?
Channeled
APP
·
·
We haven't heard back, so we're going to go ahead and close this out. Feel free to click the "Talk to a Human" button above if you still need help!
Amit S.
·
·
This article I wrote should help too.
Sahil S.
·
·
Thanks Amit S. . Will check it out.