> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chatref.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add Funds

> Top up your Chatref balance so your bot keeps answering, and see how the free trial and expiry work.

Chatref is **pay as you go** – you keep a balance in US dollars and your bot
spends a little from it each time it works. When the balance runs low, you top
it up. There's no monthly plan and nothing to cancel.

## Your free trial

Every new account starts with **\$50 of free trial credit** so you can build and
test your bot before paying anything. The trial credit is valid for **7 days**.
The moment you make your first real top-up, your leftover trial credit stops
expiring – so you keep it.

<Tip>
  Build and test during the trial. As soon as you go live and add funds, your
  remaining trial credit is yours to keep.
</Tip>

## How to top up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Balance" icon="wallet">
    In your dashboard, go to **Settings → Balance**. Your **Available Balance**
    shows at the top in dollars.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose an amount">
    Pick a preset – **$50**, **$100**, or **$250** – or type a custom amount.
            The minimum top-up is **$50**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pay securely">
    Checkout opens through **Paddle**, our payment provider. After payment your
    balance updates automatically.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  You don't need to top up on a schedule. Add funds whenever your balance is
  running low – a healthy buffer keeps your bot answering without interruption.
</Note>

## How expiry works

Each top-up is valid for **1 year** from the day you add it. Your bot always
spends the oldest credit first, so nothing expires before it's used unless your
balance simply sits unspent for a year.

<Warning>
  If credit reaches its one-year mark unused, it's removed from your balance. Top
  up amounts you expect to use within the year to avoid losing any.
</Warning>

## Good to know

| Topic                    | Detail                                                       |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Free trial               | \$50, valid for 7 days                                       |
| Trial after first top-up | Stops expiring – your leftover trial credit is yours to keep |
| Minimum top-up           | \$50                                                         |
| Preset amounts           | $50, $100, \$250 – or a custom amount                        |
| Payment provider         | Secure checkout by Paddle                                    |
| Expiry                   | Each top-up is valid for 1 year                              |
| Order used               | Oldest credit is spent first                                 |
| Expired credit           | Removed from your balance                                    |

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Billing overview" icon="wallet" href="/billing/overview">
    See how pay as you go works and what uses your balance.
  </Card>

  <Card title="How pricing works" icon="chart-line" href="/billing/how-pricing-works">
    Understand how cost is worked out and what each tier costs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>