# Billing and Plans > How paying for Avox works: billing options, currency, the Billing page, billing alerts, plan statuses, failed payments, refunds, and who can manage billing. Source: https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing Your Avox plan is paid through **PayPal**. Everything about it - the plan you're on, its status, what you pay, your invoices, and Meta's own WhatsApp charges - is on your dashboard's **Billing** page. This page explains how it all fits together. The step-by-step guides are: - [Change plan](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/change-plan) - upgrading, downgrading, and switching billing option. - [Cancel](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/cancel) - cancelling, the early-cancellation fee, and what happens after. - [Invoices](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/invoices) - invoices, receipts, and payment history. - [Coupons and gifts](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/coupons-and-gifts) - discount codes, gifted plans, and business offers. - [Plans](https://docs.theavoxai.com/plans) - what each plan includes, with live prices and limits. ## How billing works - **PayPal is the payment method.** You approve each subscription or payment in PayPal. Avox never sees or stores your card or bank details. - **Charged in US dollars.** PayPal charges the US dollar amount shown at checkout. If your billing address is in India, checkout also shows prices in rupees (₹) - those are an estimate at today's exchange rate, and your bank may convert slightly differently. If your card or bank account uses another currency, PayPal or your bank converts it at their own rate. - **Rupees first for India accounts.** If your billing country is India (or, before you've added a billing address, Avox detects you're in India), your dashboard's Billing pages show amounts in rupees first, converted at the current rate, with the US dollar amount you're actually charged beside them - for example "₹2,436 (charged as $29.00)". This covers your plan's price, **Manage subscription**, payment history, invoices and credit packs. Everyone else sees plain US dollars. - **Whole numbers only.** Every price Avox shows or charges is a whole number of the currency - no cents. - **One plan covers all your Switchboards.** Your plan lives on the first Switchboard you joined (your billing Switchboard) and covers every Switchboard where you're an Admin. Its WhatsApp connections are one shared pool; templates, Flows, and automations are counted per Switchboard. - **Meta's message fees are separate.** WhatsApp conversation charges are billed by Meta to your own WhatsApp Business Account, not by Avox. See [Meta charges and payment problems](#meta-charges-and-payment-problems). ## Billing options At checkout you pick one of three options. The discounts for Yearly and One-time are the ones shown on the pricing cards and at checkout - they're set by Avox and can change, and checkout always shows the exact amount before you approve anything in PayPal. | Option | How you pay | Renews? | Automation credits | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Monthly** | A PayPal subscription charged every month at the plan's monthly price. No minimum term. | Yes, every month until you cancel. | The plan's monthly allowance, refreshed every month. | | **Yearly** | A 12-month commitment, still charged **monthly** through PayPal, each payment at the Yearly discount shown on the pricing cards. Cancelling before all 12 payments are made has a flat $8 (USD) early-cancellation fee. | Yes, every month. After the 12th payment it carries on month to month at the same price until you cancel, with no fee. | A larger monthly allowance, refreshed every month. | | **One-time** | The whole year in **one** PayPal payment, at the One-time discount shown on the pricing cards (off 12 monthly payments). | No. It covers one year and doesn't renew by itself. | A full year's credits at once when the plan starts. | > **Note** > > A coupon applies on top of whichever option you pick. See > [Coupons and gifts](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/coupons-and-gifts). ## Buying a plan **1. Pick a plan** On [avox.com/pricing](https://avox.com/pricing), choose a plan and a billing option. You're asked to sign in (or create an account) first if you aren't signed in. **2. Your details** Step 1 of 3 asks for **Your name**, **Business name**, your email address, and **Phone number** (with its country code). Your name also renames your account. Click **Save & Continue**. **3. Billing address** Step 2 of 3: **Country**, **Address line 1**, **Address line 2 (landmark, optional)**, **City**, **State**, and **Postal code** (shown as **Pincode** for India). Click **Save address & Continue**. This address is saved to your [Business](https://docs.theavoxai.com/settings/business) settings. **4. Checkout** Step 3 of 3: check the **Checkout summary**, switch between **Monthly**, **Yearly**, and **One-time**, and add a code under **Have a coupon?** if you have one. Tick the box to agree to the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Cancellation & Refund Policy. **5. Approve in PayPal** PayPal's button appears once you've agreed (until then the button area reads "Agree to the terms above to continue"). Approve the subscription or payment in PayPal's window. Your plan starts as soon as PayPal confirms the payment. The thank-you page shows "Confirming your payment…" and then "You're all set". If the confirmation doesn't reach Avox, checkout keeps your PayPal approval and shows **Try again** - "You won't be charged twice." > **Note** > > PayPal's button is a third-party script, so it only loads once you've allowed **Third-party > integrations** in the cookie banner. If you haven't, checkout shows **Allow PayPal to load and > continue** instead. A checkout tab left open for 15 minutes times out with "This session gave up on you" - click **Back to plans** and start again. You can only have one live plan at a time - checkout won't start a second one, because that would bill you twice ("You already have an active plan. To switch, use Change plan in your dashboard's Billing page - subscribing again would bill you twice."). To move to another plan, use [Change plan](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/change-plan). A plan you've cancelled that's still running out its paid time doesn't block a new checkout: the new plan replaces it straight away. ## Offers and discounts Now and then Avox may send you a small offer or reminder, for example: - a thank-you before your plan renews - a code if you cancelled and might want to stay - a reminder to finish a checkout you started Each one arrives as a notice in your dashboard bell, and usually by email too. - **Personal codes.** A code made for you works once, only while you're signed in to your own account with the same email address, and only until the date shown. It doesn't work for anyone else. - **Your offers.** Unused codes and gifts are listed in **Your offers** on the Billing page, with the date they stop working. **Apply at checkout** opens checkout with the code filled in (a gift has **Accept gift**). You can also type a code under **Have a coupon?**. **See all offers** opens **Settings > Offers**, where every offer from Avox is kept - see [Offers in your dashboard](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/coupons-and-gifts#offers-in-your-dashboard). - **Plans that renew by themselves.** A code applies to a new checkout rather than to a monthly or yearly PayPal plan that's already running - for example after you've cancelled the renewal. - **Bonus credits.** Credits that come with a reminder email are added to your account straight away. Credits, higher limits and perks sent to your dashboard as an offer are added when you click **Claim** on them. - **Not interested?** Just ignore the email. Nothing changes. You can turn offers and reminders off any time with **Setup reminders** in **Email Preferences** on your dashboard's **Compliance** page, and every offer email has an unsubscribe link. Emails about a failed payment are service emails, so they're still sent. ## Who can manage billing Only an **Admin** of your billing Switchboard can subscribe, change plan, cancel, or check out with a coupon. Anyone else sees "Only a Switchboard Admin can manage billing. Ask an Admin to make this change." Every member can open the Billing page and see the plan, payment history, and invoices. Payment receipts and payment-failed notices go to the Switchboard's Owner (its first Admin). See [Members and roles](https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard/members). ## The Billing page | Part of the page | What it shows | | --- | --- | | **Billing alert** | Only when something needs attention - see [Billing alerts](#billing-alerts). | | **Your plan** | The plan name, its status badge, what you pay per charge ("/ month, billed monthly" for Yearly, or "One time"), **Connections used** and **Switchboards created** against your plan's limits, installments paid for Yearly, and the plan's features. Links: **Change plan**, **Manage subscription**, and **Buy credits** ([buy more automation credits](#buying-more-credits)). | | **Meta payment problem** | A red banner, only when Meta can't take payment for one of your WhatsApp numbers, with **Fix in Meta** and **How to fix**. See [Payment problems](#payment-problems). | | **Meta payment status** | For each WhatsApp number on the Switchboard you're viewing: **OK**, **Problem** or **Pending**, when it was last checked, **Check again**, and **View Meta invoices**. See [Meta charges and payment problems](#meta-charges-and-payment-problems). | | **Meta charges** | A daily chart of what Meta charges, by category, for the last 7, 30 or 90 days, with totals, the change from the previous period, the cost per billable message, a table view and a day-by-day reconciliation you can download as CSV. Labelled **Synced with Meta** or **Live estimate**. See [Meta charges](#meta-charges). | | **Your offers** | Only when you have one: personal codes and gifts from Avox that you haven't used yet, each with the date it stops working and **Apply at checkout** (or **Accept gift**), gifts to claim, perks from the team, and **See all offers**. See [Offers and discounts](#offers-and-discounts). | | **Add another Switchboard** | **Create new Switchboard** opens the new Switchboard page. With no plan it shows **Subscribe**; when every Switchboard your plan allows is in use it says so and shows **Upgrade**. | | **Invoices** | Every invoice for your plan. See [Invoices](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/invoices). | With no plan, **Your plan** says "Subscribe to a plan to create a Switchboard and start using connections" with **View plans**. **Billing > Manage subscription** shows your plan's **Price**, **Paid via**, **Next billing date** (or **Ends on** once cancelled), and for Yearly the **Installments** paid, followed by your [Payment history and Invoices](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/invoices). It's also where you [cancel](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing/cancel). ## Billing alerts A banner at the top of the Billing page appears only when your plan needs attention. Click it to see the status, the period end, and (for Yearly) the installments paid. | Banner | What it says | Button | | --- | --- | --- | | **Your last payment didn't go through** | "Update your payment method to keep this Switchboard active." ([AVX-3003](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3003)) | **Fix billing** opens Manage subscription. The details also link to **Manage subscription** and **Change plan**. | | **This plan is paused** | "Resume anytime - you'll pick up right where you left off." | **Fix billing** opens Manage subscription. The details also link to **Manage subscription** and **Change plan**. | | **Your plan has ended** | "Your connections are paused and your data is safe. Renew to pick up where you left off." ([AVX-3003](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3003)) | **Renew plan** opens checkout for the same plan. The details link to **See all plans**. | The **Your plan has ended** banner shows once a plan's last paid day has passed - after a cancellation, at the end of a One-time year, or when a plan switched on by a free code or gift reaches its end date. Renew or buy a plan and your numbers switch back on as soon as it's paid. ## Plan statuses | Status | Meaning | Do your numbers work? | | --- | --- | --- | | **Active** | Paid and running. | Yes | | **Trial** | Your plan is in a trial period. It works exactly like Active. | Yes | | **Payment due** | A renewal payment failed. PayPal retries it automatically. | Yes, but no new automation credits until a payment succeeds. | | **Paused** | PayPal suspended billing (repeated failed payments), or a payment is disputed or reversed in PayPal. | No - connections and automations pause. | | **Incomplete** | A payment you just approved is still being confirmed. | Not yet | | **Cancels on** a date | You cancelled. The plan keeps working until that date. | Yes, until the date | | Ended | The plan has ended. The **Your plan has ended** banner shows with **Renew plan**, and **Your plan** says "Subscribe to a plan to create a Switchboard and start using connections". | No - connections pause until a plan is active again. | ## Failed payments **1. The payment fails** Your plan shows **Payment due**. The Owner gets a **Payment failed** email, the Billing page shows "Your last payment didn't go through" ([AVX-3003](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3003)), and the failed attempt appears in your payment history as "Payment didn't go through". **2. PayPal retries** PayPal retries the payment by itself. Your numbers keep working, but your automation credits aren't topped up until a payment succeeds. **3. If it keeps failing** PayPal can suspend the subscription. Your plan shows **Paused**, and your WhatsApp numbers and automations pause too. You're told in the dashboard ("Your plan is paused"). **4. Once a payment goes through** Everything switches back on automatically ("Your plan is active again") - you don't need to resume anything by hand. The usual fix is to update the payment method in your PayPal account. If you're stuck, open a ticket in [Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support). ## When numbers pause for billing When your plan is **Paused** or has ended, every connection on your Switchboards is paused: no sending, no calls to Meta, no automations. A connection paused for billing can't be resumed by hand from Connections or Health ([AVX-3082](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3082)); it switches back on by itself as soon as a plan is active again. Nothing is deleted - your contacts, conversations, and settings stay where they are. ## Automation credits How you pay decides how many [automation credits](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation/credits) your plan includes: Monthly gets the plan's monthly allowance, Yearly a larger monthly allowance, and One-time a full year's credits at once. Monthly and Yearly allowances refresh every month. Credits have no cash value. The exact numbers for each plan are on [Plans](https://docs.theavoxai.com/plans). ### Credits that roll over Your unused plan credits roll into the next period **when your plan renews**, on top of its full new allowance, and they're used first. Your plan's rule (and how long they last) is shown on **Settings > Usage**. If the plan is cancelled, expires or its renewal payment fails, unused plan credits are lost at the end of the period - so if you have credits that would roll over and your renewal is at risk, we remind you 3 days before and on the last day, sometimes with a renewal code such as **GET10**. Details: [Credits that roll over](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation/credits#credits-that-roll-over). ### Buying more credits Need more before your credits renew? **Buy credits** (under **Your plan**, or **Top up** on the Automation page) opens **Billing > Buy credits**, where you pick a credit pack and pay for it once with PayPal, in US dollars. Nothing renews. The credits are added to the Switchboard you're in as soon as PayPal confirms the payment, and you get an invoice and a **Credits purchased** receipt email. - **Top-up prices depend on your plan.** A pack can cost less on some plans or billing options; **Buy credits** always shows (and charges) the price for your own plan. Indian accounts also see a rupee estimate; you're charged in US dollars. - Bought credits are used after your plan's own credits (and any rolled-over ones) each period. - They don't reset with your plan: each pack lasts 12 months from the day you buy it. - Buying needs the **Manage billing** permission, and the Switchboard needs its own plan. A paused Switchboard can buy credits; they're used once it's resumed. The full details are in [Buying more credits](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation/credits#buying-more-credits). ## Meta charges and payment problems WhatsApp charges for some messages. That's Meta's cost, billed by Meta to your own WhatsApp Business Account, separate from your Avox plan. Avox never takes, holds or marks up these payments. See [Pricing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp-platform) for how Meta prices messages. ### What Meta charges for - **Marketing, utility and authentication** template messages are charged per message delivered. The rate depends on the category and on the country of the person you message. - **Service** messages - your replies while the 24-hour customer service window is open - are free. - Messages sent while a **free entry point** window is open (for example after someone taps an ad that opens WhatsApp) are free too. ### Meta charges The **Meta charges** chart shows what Meta charges for the Switchboard you're viewing, day by day and by category. Pick **Last 7 days**, **Last 30 days** or **Last 90 days**. Above the chart: - **Total** for the range. Indian accounts also see an "about ₹" figure next to US dollar amounts, at today's exchange rate, as a reference only. - **Vs previous period** - the change from the same number of days before. - **Per billable message** - the total divided by the messages Meta charged for. - **Free messages** - messages Meta didn't charge for. Hover over a day (or tap it) to see each category's cost. Switch between **Chart** and **Table** to see the same figures as a table. ![The Meta charges card labelled Live estimate, with Total, Vs previous period, Per billable message and Free messages, a category legend, and the start of the daily chart](https://docs.theavoxai.com/screens/billing/meta-charges-light.webp) *Meta charges for the last 30 days, by category. Avox adds no markup.* ### Estimate vs reported figures Every figure is labelled: - **Synced with Meta** - Meta's figures for your WhatsApp Business Account, in the currency Meta bills you in. Avox syncs them daily, and when you click **Check again**. - **Live estimate** - calculated from every billable message as it's sent, at Meta's published rates, in US dollars. It covers the most recent day or two until Meta's daily figures arrive. ### Usage estimates Rates depend on each recipient's country. Once Meta's daily figures arrive, the chart uses them. ### Reconciliation Under the chart, **Reconciliation** lists each day and category with the number of billable messages Avox saw Meta price, the number Meta reports, Meta's cost, and the difference: | Status | Meaning | | --- | --- | | **Matched** | Both counts are the same. | | **Off by** a number | The counts differ by that many messages, for example messages sent from another tool on the same number. | | **Waiting for Meta** | The day ended less than 48 hours ago, or Meta's figures aren't in yet. | **CSV** downloads the table. It also shows how many messages were free (customer service replies and free entry points) and how many were billable. ### Where your Meta invoices are Meta's WhatsApp invoices are in **Billing & payments** in Meta Business Suite. **View Meta invoices** on the Billing page takes you straight there. ### Payment problems Avox watches for two signs that Meta can't take payment for a WhatsApp number: Meta's own health check for the number, and messages Meta refuses with its payment error. When either shows a problem, the number's **Meta payment status** turns to **Problem**, a red banner appears on Billing, the alert bar and the bell on Overview show it, and every Admin gets one email about it. | Code | What it means | | --- | --- | | [AVX-3440](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3440) | Meta can't take payment for this WhatsApp Business Account, so messages may not send (Meta's error 131042). | | [AVX-3441](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3441) | Meta has stopped this WhatsApp Business Account from sending until a billing problem is fixed. | | [AVX-3442](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3442) | Avox couldn't check the payment status with Meta right now. It doesn't mean anything is wrong. | **1. Open Meta's billing** On Billing in Avox, click **Fix in Meta**. It opens **Billing & payments** in Meta Business Suite. Pick the WhatsApp Business Account for the number. **2. Fix the payment method** Add a payment method, or update a card that expired or was declined. **3. Pay anything due** If Meta shows an amount due, or a credit line over its limit, pay it or ask Meta to raise the limit. **4. Check again** Back on Billing in Avox, click **Check again**. It can take a few minutes for Meta to show the change. If Meta still blocks sending after the payment is fixed, contact Meta support from Meta Business Suite. ## Refunds Every plan - Monthly, Yearly, or One-time - has a **15-day money-back guarantee**. If it isn't right for you, ask within 15 days of your first payment and that payment is refunded in full. The guarantee covers the first payment for a plan; later monthly payments and the early-cancellation fee are outside it. Outside the guarantee, Avox can still refund all or part of a payment, up to what you paid, at its discretion. **1. Step 1** Manage subscription"> Click **Request help / refund**. Inside the guarantee, the card also tells you which day of the guarantee you're on. **2. Pick what you need** Choose **Cancel and request my money back**, **Ask for a refund**, or another option (for a One-time plan, a plan change during a Yearly commitment, or help cancelling), and add anything we should know. **3. Send the request** Avox opens a **Billing** support ticket with your plan, your payment references and your guarantee status already filled in, and emails you a confirmation. A refund request inside the guarantee goes up the queue. Sending a request doesn't cancel or refund anything by itself: the Avox team checks it and replies on the ticket. You can also email hello@theavoxai.com or open a ticket in [Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support) from your account's registered email address and say which payment it's about. Approved refunds go back through PayPal to the account or payment method you paid with, and can take a few days to show. When a plan is refunded under the guarantee, it's also cancelled so you aren't charged again, with no early-cancellation fee. You get a **Refund issued** email, the refund appears in your payment history, and the invoice is marked **Refunded** or **Partly refunded** (a payment can be refunded in more than one part). If something looks wrong with a charge, contact Avox first - it's usually the fastest fix. While a payment is disputed or reversed in PayPal, the plan it paid for is paused until the dispute is resolved. The full rules are in the [Cancellation & Refund Policy](https://avox.com/cancellation-refund-policy). ## New Switchboard (`/switchboards/new`) Creating another Switchboard gives you a separate workspace that spends from the same plan. You need an active plan and room under your plan's Switchboard limit. The full steps are on [Creating a new Switchboard](https://docs.theavoxai.com/switchboard/invites#creating-a-new-switchboard). ## Related errors - [AVX-2002](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-2002) - a plan is needed to create a Switchboard. - [AVX-3003](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3003) - payment is needed to keep this Switchboard active. - [AVX-3082](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3082) - a connection is paused because the plan ended. - [AVX-3009](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3009) - you've used every connection your plan allows. - [AVX-3440](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3440) - Meta can't take payment for a WhatsApp Business Account. - [AVX-3441](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3441) - Meta has stopped sending until a billing problem is fixed. - [AVX-3442](https://docs.theavoxai.com/error-codes/avx-3442) - Avox couldn't check the payment status with Meta.