How cost per research unit is measured
A research unit is one (product × retailer) pair checked in a run — it's the meter every plan's allocation and overage are measured against, and it's the number we track to keep pricing honest.
What you get
- One consistent unit of measure across every run, whether it's triggered manually, on a schedule, or overnight.
- A lower cost per unit on platform-funded overnight runs, reflected in your allocation the same way any other run is.
- Pricing that's re-based from real measured usage, not just estimated in advance.
How it's measured
Every research unit that runs — on demand, on a daytime schedule, or through the overnight batch window — draws down your plan's monthly allocation the same way. What differs behind the scenes is what it costs us to deliver that unit: an overnight run processed through the platform's batch window costs less to deliver than an on-demand run, because batching shares processing more efficiently across many runs at once.
Why the number gets re-based
The published cost basis starts as a modelled estimate, then gets corrected against real production runs once there's enough usage data to measure it honestly — rather than treating a launch-time guess as permanent. When that re-based number moves, it only ever affects future pricing decisions; it never changes what a unit you've already spent cost against your allocation.
Go further
- Understand credits & overage — how your allocation and overage are tracked.
- Overnight checks finish by morning — the batch window behind the overnight rate.
- BYO key: scheduled checks stay on your key — why a connected key doesn't get the overnight rate.
- Billing & credits basics — the plan ladder your allocation is measured against.