---
description: >-
  Understand how fees are calculated based on certificate volume and data
  storage, and how Circular pricing adapts to scale.
---

# Fees

## Overview

Fees on Circular are determined by two key factors: certificate volume and data storage. This pricing model offers predictable costs and adapts to the needs of organizations of all sizes.

You pay only for the number of certificates you issue and the amount of secure storage those records require. This makes it easy to scale your usage without unexpected expenses.\


## How Pricing Works

Each certificate issued on Circular incurs a one-time fee based on:

### 1. Certificate Volume

The number of records you issue for certification—this includes datasets, documents, forms, and structured entries.

### 2. Storage Provided

Each plan includes a bundled amount of secure, decentralized storage. Files or metadata attached to certificates are stored in this environment for durability, access, and traceability.\


## Volume × Storage Breakdown

| Plan    | Certificate Volume | Storage Provided | Cost Per Certificate |
| ------- | ------------------ | ---------------- | -------------------- |
| Starter | 100                | 1 unit           | $1.05                |
| Growth  | 1,000              | 1 unit           | $0.55                |
| Scale   | 10,000             | 2 units          | $0.25                |
| Custom  | Custom             | Custom           | Custom               |

_Certificate Volume: Number of records you can issue_

_Storage Provided: Allocated decentralized storage space_

_Cost Per Certificate: Decreases with higher volume tiers_



## What You’re Paying For

### Each certificate includes:

* Immutable and timestamped proof of issuance
* Cryptographic signatures for verifiability
* Tamper-resistant decentralized storage
* Access through Circular Explorer and API
* Seamless integration with third-party platforms

### You are not charged for:

* Verifying existing certificates
* Accessing certificate history or metadata
* Using the Explorer to view or share certified data



## Example Scenario

If you purchase the Growth plan for $750, your organization will receive 1,000 certificate credits and 1 unit of bundled storage. Every certificate issued consumes one credit and is permanently logged with a tamper-evident timestamp. Once all 1,000 credits are used, you can purchase additional credits with no disruption to service.



## Limitations and Conditions

### Credits Are Non-Transferable

Credits are tied to the account they were purchased under. They cannot be transferred, reassigned, or pooled across multiple accounts or organizations.

### Credits Expire

Credits do not expire unless otherwise stated, but any unused credits may become subject to expiration or policy updates in the future. Advance notice will always be provided.

### No Refunds on Issued Certificates

Once a certificate is issued, the associated credit is consumed and cannot be refunded, even if the certificate is later deleted.

### Plan Tiers Cannot Be Split

Each plan is applied in full to one account. For teams managing multiple environments (e.g., testnet vs mainnet), plans should be purchased separately per environment.
