credits
How to Get Credits (Earn & Buy)
Every way to build your credit balance — signup bonus, approved submissions, badges, level-ups and referrals — plus buying credits on the Pricing page.
Your Starting Balance
Every new member starts with **3 credits** as a signup bonus. They are added to your account automatically the moment your membership is activated — no action needed.
You can see your balance at any time on the **Dashboard** (under Credits) or in the **Settings** page credit history.
Earn by Contributing Sites
When one of your site submissions is approved, you earn **up to 3 credits**:
- **1 credit** — base reward for an approved, published site
- **+1 credit** — completeness bonus if you filled in at least 80% of the optional fields
- **+1 credit** — photo bonus if you uploaded at least 3 photos
And if you're the **first member to submit a site in a new region**, you also earn the **Trailblazer** badge (+1 credit).
Earn with Badges & Levels
Badges and contribution levels reward you with credits automatically:
- **Badges** — each badge you earn adds **+1 to +3 credits** (e.g. Contributor +1, Active Contributor +2, Top Contributor +3, Trailblazer +1, Recruiter +1).
- **Level-ups** — reaching a new level awards a one-time bonus: Contributor **+1**, Active Contributor **+2**, Top Contributor **+3**.
See the **Badges & Levels** guide for the full list of badges, thresholds and rewards.
Earn by Inviting Members
Every member has a personal **referral code** on the Dashboard (under *Invite a friend*). Share your invite link with trusted campers:
- When your invitee's **first site submission is approved**, you earn **+2 credits** and the **Recruiter** badge.
- There is no reward for signup alone — the reward is tied to real contribution, which keeps the network high-quality.
- Your invitees still go through the normal waitlist and approval process; the system remembers who referred them.
Buying Credits
You can also **purchase credits** directly — perfect for members who'd rather support the network than contribute, or who need a few extra credits quickly:
- Go to the **Pricing** page (link in the navigation) and click **Buy credits**.
- Credits cost **$9.99 CAD each**, and you can buy between **1 and 10 at a time**.
- Payment is handled securely by **Stripe** — your card details never touch our servers.
- Credits are added to your balance automatically as soon as the payment completes.
- **Promo codes** can be applied at checkout when available.
Contributing is still the most rewarding way to earn — but buying is always there when you need it.
What Credits Are For
Credits unlock the **detailed information** on a site — exact coordinates, access directions and long description. When you spend credits to unlock a site, the unlock is **permanent**: you only pay once per site, and the details stay available on your account.
Unused credits never expire.