How do subscriptions and credits work together?
Your subscription gives access to the PIIQ desktop app and an account. Credits pay for AI inference when you run tasks such as DSAR and FOIA Redaction. Buy packs any time; they add to your account balance.
Why should I pay for Pro if credits cost the same?
Because Pro burns 25%-50% fewer credits. On a 2.5GB DSAR, Starter burns £2,619 in credits while Pro burns £1,321—that's £1,298 saved on ONE job. Pro pays for itself immediately.
How is this different from bulk discounts?
Better. Bulk discounts give you cheaper credits but you still burn the same amount. Pro gives you the same credit price (£1) but you burn HALF as many. It's like your car suddenly getting 50% better fuel efficiency.
What if I only process 1-2 DSARs per year?
Starter is perfect for you. But if you process 2+ DSARs, Pro becomes more cost-effective. Use our calculator to see your exact breakeven point.
What is a Unit of Inference?
A dedicated AI machine profile optimised for PIIQ tasks. Enterprise customers can run units on-premise to avoid per-inference credit charges and keep data fully in-house.
What file types are supported?
PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, TXT, CSV, email exports (mbox, eml) and image-based PDFs via OCR. Ask about specialist formats.
Can I define my own PII patterns?
Yes. Add names, IDs, postcodes and custom patterns per directory — save and reuse across projects.
Do you keep my data?
Processing happens locally by default. Enterprise on-prem keeps inference inside your network. See our Data Processing Agreement.
Do I need to be a compliance expert to use PIIQ?
PIIQ is designed for DPOs and compliance professionals who already hold relevant expertise. The platform provides AI-powered automation and an audit-ready output, but the responsible DPO retains oversight of each DSAR. If you need compliance consultancy support alongside the software, we can connect you with accredited partners.
How do credits work?
Credits are the single currency used within PIIQ. They cover all costs like computing, storage, and AI tasks such as searching and redaction. You only pay for the exact resources your work consumes. Buy credits in volume and get discounts that lower your cost per request.
How much does a DSAR cost to process?
The minimum cost to run a full DSAR through PIIQ is £300. This includes the complete Discovery process, AI-powered redaction, and all computing and storage costs. As an annual subscriber, you can re-run Discovery multiple times within the same DSAR without incurring extra costs.
What is the Cap Guarantee?
Processing exceptionally large DSAR files (3 GB+) can break your budget. The PIIQ Size Cap Protection automatically caps your costs on large files — you never pay more than the Cap Ceiling for your file size range. The system always uses whichever is lower: the formula result or the cap.
What are the Pro plan benefits?
Pro burns up to 49% fewer credits than Starter for the same job. On a 2.5 GB DSAR, Starter burns approximately £2,619 in credits while Pro burns £1,321 — that's £1,298 saved on one job. Pro pays for itself immediately if you process 2+ DSARs per year.
