Top-ups and auto top-up
Last updated September 15, 2026
Payment methods, top-up limits, who bears the processing fee, and how to configure auto top-up and balance alerts.
Add credit on the console's billing page. Credit lands immediately and can be used right away.
Top-ups for an organization account are initiated by the organization owner, a co-administrator, or the finance role; personal accounts by the account holder. Confirm which account you are in before paying — balance cannot be moved between accounts.
We bear the processing fee
Top-ups carry no processing fee, and the credit you receive equals the amount you pay. The fee the payment provider charges per transaction is borne by the platform.
The fee shown on the checkout page is an estimate, included only to state what the platform absorbs; it is not deducted from your top-up.
⚠️ Refunds work differently: the refund amount is reduced by the processing fee actually incurred on that top-up, because the payment provider collected it at the time and does not return it on refund. See refunds.
Top-up limits
| Limit | Reason |
|---|---|
| Minimum per top-up | The payment provider's fixed per-transaction fee is a large share of small amounts, so a floor applies |
| Maximum per top-up | Amounts above the cap are better handled by bank transfer, which avoids payment-provider fees |
The top-up page offers preset amounts and accepts a custom one. The exact figures are shown on that page.
Payment methods
Cards are supported, along with local payment methods in some regions. Which methods are available depends on your region.
Local payment methods open the provider's own page for confirmation and return automatically when done. Checkout sessions expire; once expired, start a new one. If you had already paid by then, the credit still lands and there is no need to pay again.
Payment confirmation is occasionally slower than usual. You can close the page — the balance updates automatically once credit lands, and an email is sent.
Bank transfer
Large top-ups can be arranged by bank transfer, avoiding payment-provider fees. Funds are credited by hand once received and appear in the ledger as "manual top-up".
Refunds for bank transfers are returned the same way, at a rate based on the actual remittance cost.
Auto top-up
When the balance falls below a threshold, credit is added automatically by charging a saved card, so calls are not interrupted.
Configuration
| Setting | Constraint |
|---|---|
| Trigger threshold | Must exceed 0 and meet the platform's minimum threshold |
| Amount per top-up | Must exceed the threshold, or every top-up would immediately trigger the next |
| Payment method | A card must be added first |
The minimum amount for auto top-up is lower than for manual top-ups — it tops up a shortfall rather than funding an account from zero.
⚠️ Do not set the threshold too low. If it is, the balance at the moment of triggering may already be insufficient for one long request, and calls still fail.
Cooldown
An account triggers auto top-up at most once per cooldown period. This exists for the window between a charge succeeding and the credit landing: without it, a balance hovering near the threshold would trigger repeatedly, and each trigger is a real charge.
Automatic disabling
Auto top-up is disabled, with a notification, in these cases:
| Cause | What to do |
|---|---|
| Consecutive charge failures reach the limit | Check the card and re-enable. An expired card is the most common cause |
| The saved card was removed | Add a new card and re-enable |
| The saved card requires the cardholder present to authenticate | Switch to a card that does not need extra authentication |
| The amount exceeds the current maximum | Lower it and re-enable |
Repeated charge failures not only fail to add credit but also accumulate as a risk signal at the payment provider, which is why reaching the limit disables it.
Balance alerts
An email is sent when the balance falls below a level you set.
One email per decline. Once the balance recovers above the level, the alert re-arms; the next email is sent only when it falls below again.
Accounts with auto top-up enabled no longer receive balance alert emails — the top-up is automatic, so the alert would carry no action.
Rate guard after first payment
For a period after an account's first payment, daily spend is capped. This limits the loss from a stolen card being drained quickly and then charged back.
The window length and cap are set by the platform. Accounts funded by bank transfer are exempt from the window entirely.
Normal use rarely reaches the cap. If you genuinely need more, explain via a ticket.