Real signals that you have outgrown the free plan

Specific, measurable,
and easy to fix.

1️⃣You consistently exhaust credits before the monthly reset — the clearest signal
Check the last 3 months of credit usage in your dashboard. If all three months hit zero before the reset, your baseline usage needs the fast lane more often than your plan allows. The fix is a top-up, or the plan limit you are actually hitting.
2️⃣You have more than 10 consistently active students — student credits are the largest allocation
Students no longer cost credits at all. What they cost is a plan: the free plan stops at ten, so an eleventh student is the moment you move. Pro takes you to 50 for €29 a month; Academy removes the ceiling at €4 per active student, €3 once you pass 100, on a €99 monthly floor.
3️⃣AI credit shortages are changing teaching behaviour — the most nuanced signal
If your teachers are deliberately skipping exit quiz generation or lesson regeneration to conserve credits, your fast-lane allowance is constraining your agile teaching practice.
Signals that look like problems but are not

These do not require upgrading.
They require a different approach.

📅Credits run out in week 4 occasionally — this is end-of-month behaviour, not a structural shortage
If your credits run out in week 4 occasionally — but not regularly — the solution is a better allocation strategy (C3/A3), not a credit purchase.
🔧You want features not available on the free plan — the free plan includes all features
SprintUp Education's upgrade path provides more credits and more capacity — not different features. Every feature is available on the free plan.
When to act

Act at 80% of allocation,
not at zero.

The right time to purchase a credit top-up is when your dashboard shows you are at 80% of your fast-lane allowance with more than one week remaining. Waiting until you hit zero means your teaching practice is disrupted for the hours or days before you act.