Message cap explained
Each plan includes a fixed number of messages per month. When you reach 100% of your cap, Costello auto-disconnects from your channels until your next billing cycle. This page explains exactly how the cap works so you're never caught off guard.
What counts as a message
Every reply Costello sends counts as one message. Incoming messages from customers do not count — only outbound replies.
If a customer sends three messages and Costello sends three replies, that's three messages against your cap.
Automated greeting messages (if you have them enabled) also count.
Your monthly reset date
Your cap resets on the same calendar day each month — the day you first activated your plan. You can see the exact reset date and your current usage on Settings → Billing.
Bonus messages from referrals are added to the current month's allowance and do not roll over into the next cycle.
What happens at 100%
When your usage reaches 100% of your monthly cap, Costello hard-disconnects from all channels. This means:
- New DMs will arrive in your inbox but Costello will not reply.
- Customers see no message from Costello — they don't receive an error, they just don't get a response.
- Your channels remain connected in the background; Costello resumes automatically on your reset date.
This behaviour is intentional — it ensures you never accidentally go over your agreed limit or receive an unexpected bill.
Notifications before you hit the cap
Costello sends email notifications at:
- 80% of cap used — heads up, consider upgrading.
- 95% of cap used — last warning before auto-disconnect.
- 100% — confirmation that Costello has disconnected.
Notifications go to the email address on your Costello account. You can update this in Settings → Account.
Resuming early
There are two ways to resume before your reset date:
- Upgrade your plan — upgrading to Paid or Unlimited gives you a larger (or unlimited) allowance immediately. The cap on your current cycle is replaced by the new plan's allowance, and Costello reconnects instantly.
- Wait for the reset — if you're close to your reset date, waiting is often the simplest option.
You cannot purchase a one-time message top-up; the only way to increase your allowance is to upgrade or receive a referral bonus.
Checking your current usage
You can see your live message count at any time under Settings → Billing → Usage this cycle.
Next steps
Still stuck? Submit a case →