# Account types and structures
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Learn about the two account types and how to organize your account for several customers or brands.
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## Account types

There are two account types:

- **Self-signup**
- **Managed**

They differ in who sets up the account, the [free trial](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/build-and-go-live/free-trial), the support you get, and some features, such as [sub-accounts](#manage-several-customers-or-brands).

### Self-signup accounts

A self-signup account suits developers, startups, and teams that want to set up and manage their own account. To create one, see [Create an account](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/build-and-go-live/create-an-account).

Self-signup accounts include:

- A [free trial](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/build-and-go-live/free-trial) lasting 60 days
- Guided onboarding on your homepage, where you choose your channels and start your free trial

To move to a managed account, ask [Support](https://www.infobip.com/contact). Eligibility depends on your needs, and not every account can be moved.

### Managed accounts

An account manager sets up a managed account for you. It suits enterprises that manage communications across multiple brands, markets, or subsidiaries.

Managed accounts include:

- A [free trial](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/build-and-go-live/free-trial) lasting 30 days per channel
- Support from Customer Success Managers and Solutions Engineers throughout onboarding, setup, integration, scaling, and go-live

Your main point of contact is your account manager or Customer Success Manager. Whenever this documentation says to contact your account manager, you can contact either of them. If your company already has a managed account, see [Managed accounts](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/build-and-go-live/create-an-account#managed-accounts).

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## Manage several customers or brands

Every account starts as a single account: one place for your users, channels, senders, and billing. For one brand or a small team, you do not need any other structure.

If you manage several customers or brands, you can organize them in two ways:

- **[Multi-tenant setup](https://www.infobip.com/docs/cpaas-x) (CPaaS X):** One account in which you onboard and manage your own customers. It works with sending through the API, not with [AgentOS products](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/explore/products-and-tools#engage-customers-agentos). It is not a separate account type.
- **Sub-accounts:** Separate accounts under a parent account, for brands or business units that each run independently.

If you serve many customers through the API, start with the multi-tenant setup. If you use AgentOS products, or you are not sure which setup fits, contact your account manager.

The two options differ in structure, separation, and how you manage them:

|  | Multi-tenant setup (CPaaS X) | Sub-accounts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | Agencies, platforms, and businesses that send through the API for many customers | Brands or business units that each run as a separate account |
| Works with | Sending through the API. Not AgentOS products. | All products |
| How it works | One account and one login. Each of your customers is kept separate inside it. | Separate accounts under a parent account. You switch between them. |
| Who sets it up | You, in the web interface or through the API | Your account manager. You cannot create sub-accounts through the API. |
| What is shared | Resources can be shared or kept separate for each customer | Nothing, including API keys |
| Reporting | Can be filtered by customer | [Traffic rolls up to the parent account](#reporting-across-sub-accounts). AgentOS data stays separate. |
| Availability | Main accounts, self-signup or managed. Not on sub-accounts. | Managed accounts only. The main account becomes the parent account. |

### How the multi-tenant setup works

You work in one account with one login, and your customers do not need separate logins. The multi-tenant setup uses two building blocks:

- **Entity:** A customer, brand, or business unit whose traffic and data remain separate from those of other entities.
- **Application:** An environment or use case, such as production or marketing.

Where needed, link resources to [applications and entities](https://www.infobip.com/docs/cpaas-x/applications-and-entities) to scope permissions and filter reports by customer. Multiple customers can share a resource, or a resource can be dedicated to one customer.

The following example shows one account with two applications:

{`Your account (one login)
├── Application: Production
│   ├── Entity: Customer A (shared numbers)
│   ├── Entity: Customer B (dedicated number)
│   └── Entity: Customer C (shared numbers)
├── Application: Marketing
│   └── Entity: Customer A (dedicated sender)
└── Shared resources
    ├── Phone numbers
    ├── API keys
    └── Senders`}

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## Manage sub-accounts

**Sub-accounts** are available only on managed accounts and must be created by your account manager. Plan your sub-account structure before requesting them, as each sub-account is a separate account. If you want to use one [SSO configuration](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/account-settings/security-settings#configure-single-sign-on-sso) across several sub-accounts, contact your account manager as well.

Once your sub-accounts are created, you manage them yourself.

To manage a sub-account:

1. In the web interface, select the **Account settings** gear icon in the header.
2. Go to **Accounts**. The page lists all sub-accounts under your parent account, including the name, owner, balance, and status of each account.
3. Find the sub-account. Search for it by name, or filter the list.
4. Select the three-dot menu next to the sub-account, and then select one of these options:
   - **Edit:** Change the name of the sub-account, and set up its SSO and security settings.
   - **Disable:** Disable the sub-account. To enable a disabled sub-account, select **Enable**.
   - **Edit users:** Add users to the sub-account, and manage them.
   - **Edit roles:** Assign roles and permissions in the sub-account.

### Reporting across sub-accounts

What a parent account and its sub-accounts can see depends on the type of data:

- **Messaging traffic and delivery data:** The parent account sees its own traffic and the traffic of all its sub-accounts. Each sub-account sees only its own traffic. You cannot turn off this roll-up.
- **AgentOS product data, such as chatbot, journey, and AI agent activity:** The data is not combined. The parent account sees only its own product data, and each sub-account sees only its own.

The following structure shows a parent account with three sub-accounts:

{`Parent account
├── Sub-account 1 (Brand A)
│   └── Users, channels, resources
├── Sub-account 2 (Brand B)
│   └── Users, channels, resources
└── Sub-account 3 (Brand C)
    └── Users, channels, resources`}

### Seats across sub-accounts

**Seats apply only to [Inbox](https://www.infobip.com/docs/inbox)**. A seat lets a user chat with customers in Inbox. If you have a parent account with sub-accounts, you can [manage seats](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/account-settings/manage-seats) for all accounts from the parent account. Set a seat limit for each sub-account and adjust it without opening the sub-account.

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Related pages

[Account access](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/account-administration/account-access)
Log in to an account that your company already has.

[Manage users](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/account-settings/manage-users) and [Manage roles](https://www.infobip.com/docs/get-started/account-settings/manage-roles)
Add teammates, and assign roles.

[Authorization and scopes](https://www.infobip.com/docs/developer-resources/authentication-and-access/authorization-and-scopes)
Scope API keys to specific applications and entities in a multi-tenant setup.