Notion AI credits: what changed and what doesn't use them

In short

Since 2 November 2026, existing Notion workspaces on the Business and Enterprise plans run on the new AI credit system: a monthly allowance per person that, once used up, pauses that part of the AI until the next month. The interesting bit is what doesn't use credits: reading and writing in Notion from an outside assistant connected through MCP. At Traiker we think it's a good moment to ask where your data lives and which assistant you want to use with it.

What exactly has changed?

According to Notion's help centre, every member on a Business or Enterprise plan gets 1,500 Standard credits and 500 Select credits a month (it can vary with your contract). New workspaces have used the system since 19 October, and existing ones since 2 November, as Notion's trial guide explains.

There are three kinds of credit:

1. Standard. For work where Notion picks the model for you (Auto mode): the agent, writing, translation and AI blocks. AI Meeting Notes will start drawing on them on 1 December.
2. Select. For when you pick the model yourself or use a Custom Agent you built.
3. Notion credits. A shared balance the workspace owner can switch on once the other two run out.

Standard and Select credits don't roll over and can't be handed to a teammate. Notion estimates that a simple task on Auto uses about 5 credits, a medium one about 10 and a complex one about 25.

Why are people unhappy?

Because AI now comes with a budget someone has to keep an eye on, and when it runs out, the work stops. On forums like Reddit, some users say they already work with Claude or Codex connected to Notion through MCP and wonder whether they still need Notion AI at all.

What doesn't use credits?

This is the key part. Notion's feature table says everyday reads and writes through Notion MCP and its API don't use credits, although normal rate limits still apply. What does use them is running a Notion agent from a connected app or through the API.

On top of that, if you have ChatGPT Plus, Pro or Go, you can connect your account so the Notion agent runs on your ChatGPT plan whenever you pick a GPT model.

In other words, the assistant you already pay for can work with your data without touching your allowance, though Notion warns this could change in the future.

What should your team check?

1. Real usage. Everyone can see it in the Notion AI settings, under usage.
2. Which tasks need the Notion agent and which your own assistant can handle over MCP.
3. Permissions and history. If an outside assistant writes to your pages, you need to know which AI agent touched your data.
4. Lock-in. When your data and your AI live in the same tool, every change in terms hits you directly, just like when a tool changes hands.

Where does Traiker fit?

At Traiker we start from the idea this change brings into view: keep your data separate from your assistant. Traiker is the secure place where people and companies keep their data, with templates so their AI agents know what to store and how. It's designed to connect over MCP to whichever assistant you prefer, every account gets its own encrypted database and we don't train models on what you store. If you switch assistants tomorrow, your data stays put.

Frequently asked questions

Do Standard and Select credits apply to every Notion plan?

No. According to Notion's help centre, they come with the Business and Enterprise plans.

What happens if I run out of credits?

Features that use that kind of credit pause until the monthly reset, unless the owner turns on Notion credits. If you still have Standard credits left, you can switch the agent to Auto.

Does using Claude or ChatGPT with Notion over MCP use credits?

Everyday reads and writes don't, although you pay for your assistant's plan and rate limits apply. Running a Notion agent from another app does use them.

If you want to keep your data in one secure place and use it with the assistant of your choice, sign up for Traiker.