specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Vincario
providerId: vincario
created: '2026-06-21'
modified: '2026-06-21'
reconciled: true
tags:
- VIN
- Vehicle Data
- Automotive
- VIN Decoder
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of Vincario vindecoder.eu API spend. Vincario bills per request
  against a prepaid credit balance, with volume-tiered EUR rates: VIN Decode from
  EUR 0.49 down to EUR 0.22 per request, and Vehicle Market Value / Stolen Check
  from EUR 1.99 down to EUR 0.90 per request. Vehicle Info (decodable-details)
  lookups are free, and invalid VINs are not charged.
notes: >-
  Per-request rates depend on committed volume tier and are subject to change;
  verify against the Vincario pricing pages during reconciliation. Billing
  currency is EUR.
sources:
- https://vindecoder.eu/pricing/api
- https://vincario.com/blog/vin-decoder-api-pricing/
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Vincario
serviceCategory: Data and Analytics
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Usage-Based
  billingFrequency: Prepaid
  billingCurrency: EUR
  chargeCategories:
  - Usage
  - Purchase
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Vincario VIN Decoder API
  ServiceCategory: Data and Analytics
  ProviderName: Vincario
  PublisherName: Vincario
  InvoiceIssuerName: Vincario
  BillingCurrency: EUR
  ChargeCategory: Usage
  PricingCategory: Usage-Based
meters:
- name: vin_decode_requests
  description: VIN decode requests, billed per request at the account's volume tier (EUR 0.49-0.22).
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - api
- name: market_value_requests
  description: Vehicle Market Value lookups, billed per request (EUR 1.99-0.90).
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - api
- name: stolen_check_requests
  description: Stolen Check lookups, billed per request (EUR 1.99-0.90).
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - api
- name: vehicle_info_requests
  description: Vehicle Info (decodable-details) lookups, free of charge.
  unit: requests
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - api
- name: credit_balance
  description: Remaining prepaid credit balance per service, queryable via the balance endpoint.
  unit: credits
  aggregation: last
  dimensions:
  - account
  - service
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Poll the balance endpoint to track remaining credits per service; reconcile against invoices.
- name: Allocation
  description: Tag API keys per workload/team and map decode, market value, and stolen check spend to cost centers.
- name: Optimization
  description: Commit to higher volume tiers for lower per-request rates; validate VINs client-side (invalid VINs are not charged but waste calls); use free Vehicle Info lookups to confirm decodability.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign owners per project/key and review credit burn against budget before topping up balance.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com