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

# Billing

Your monthly bills are calculated based on the base package fee, plus your usage for that month.

Usage is calculated on the last day of the month and invoices are issued in arrears on the 1st of the following month.

<Note>
  Minutes are the smallest units that we bill against, and they are rounded up. So if a connection was open for 10.01 minutes then this will be billed as 11 minutes of usage.
</Note>

## How billing works

### Monthly billing cycle

Ably follows a standard monthly billing cycle:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Usage tracking">
    Throughout the month, your usage is tracked across all dimensions (messages, channels, connections, or MAUs depending on your pricing model).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Month end calculation">
    On the last day of the month, your total usage is calculated.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invoice generation">
    On the 1st of the following month, your invoice is generated.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Payment processing">
    Your payment method is charged for the base package fee plus your usage costs.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Invoice contents

Your monthly invoice includes:

* **Base package price**: Your monthly package fee (Standard: $29, Pro: $399, Enterprise: Custom)
* **Usage charges**: Based on your pricing model:
  * **Per minute pricing**: Charges for messages, channel minutes, and connection minutes
  * **MAU pricing**: Charges based on the number of unique active users

## Upgrades and downgrades

### Package upgrades

For package upgrades, the base package price will be charged pro-rata from the point in the month that you upgraded.

**Example**: If you upgrade from Standard to Pro on the 15th of a 30-day month:

* You'll be charged 50% of the Standard base price (\$14.50)
* You'll be charged 50% of the Pro base price (\$199.50)
* Usage is charged according to the package limits active at the time the usage occurred

### Package downgrades

Package downgrades take effect on the 1st of the following month.

**Example**: If you downgrade from Pro to Standard on the 15th of the month:

* You'll continue on the Pro package until the end of the month
* You'll be charged the full Pro base price for that month
* The downgrade will take effect on the 1st of the next month

<Info>
  If you have an Enterprise package with Ably, contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss any details or queries you may have regarding your package.
</Info>

## Billing details and invoices

### Payment information

The following details will appear on your credit card or bank statement when payments are processed by Ably:

* **Name**: Ably Real-Time Ltd London
* **Processor**: Stripe
* **Currency**: \$USD

### Updating billing details

To update your billing details:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Verify permissions">
    Ensure you are the account owner or have the billing role.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to billing">
    Log in to your [account](https://ably.com/login) and select **Billing** from the **Account** menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update information">
    You can update your payment details and view your invoices in this screen.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Additional billing email

It's also possible to have your invoices sent to an accounts department by filling in the **Optional billing email address** field.

This is useful for:

* Sending invoices to your finance team
* Ensuring invoices reach the right department
* Maintaining separation between technical and financial communications

## Billing alerts

Billing alerts notify you by email when your monthly spending exceeds a set amount if you're on a Standard or Pro package. This feature helps you monitor costs and avoid unexpected charges.

### Setting up billing alerts

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in">
    Log in to your Ably [account](https://ably.com/login).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to alerts">
    In the [Create new alert](https://ably.com/accounts/any/package#billing-alerts-section) section, select the email address from the dropdown list where you want to receive the alert.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose recipient">
    The available choices depend on your user role:

    * **If you are an owner**: Yourself and billing users associated with the account
    * **If you are a user with a billing role**: Yourself only
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set threshold">
    Enter a value greater than your base package fee in the **Amount** field. This amount sets the threshold at which you will receive a notification.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create alert">
    Click **Create alert** to save your changes.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Alert behavior

* Alerts are triggered when your **monthly spending exceeds** the set threshold
* You can create multiple alerts with different thresholds
* Alerts are sent to the specified email address
* Only available for Standard and Pro packages

<Info>
  Set billing alerts below your expected monthly spending to receive advance warning if usage is higher than anticipated.
</Info>

## Understanding your invoice

### Per minute pricing invoices

If you're on the per minute pricing model, your invoice will show:

* **Messages**: Total messages sent and received
* **Channel minutes**: Total active channel time
* **Connection minutes**: Total connection time
* **Bandwidth**: Additional bandwidth charges (if applicable)
* **Base package fee**: Your monthly package price

### MAU pricing invoices

If you're on the MAU pricing model, your invoice will show:

* **Monthly Active Users (MAUs)**: Count of unique active users
* **Overage charges**: If any users exceeded the per-user limits for messages or connection minutes
* **Base package fee**: Your monthly package price

## Payment methods

Ably accepts the following payment methods:

* **Credit cards**: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
* **Debit cards**: Where supported by Stripe
* **Bank transfers**: Available for Enterprise customers (contact your Customer Success Manager)

### Failed payments

If a payment fails:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Notification">
    You'll receive an email notification about the failed payment.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Retry">
    Ably will automatically retry the payment.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update payment method">
    Update your payment method in the billing section of your account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Account suspension">
    If payment is not received after multiple retries, your account may be suspended.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Keep your payment method up to date to avoid service interruptions. Update your billing details before your card expires.
</Warning>

## Invoicing for Enterprise customers

Enterprise customers have additional invoicing options:

* **Custom billing terms**: Negotiate payment terms with your Customer Success Manager
* **Purchase orders**: Support for purchase order (PO) based invoicing
* **Bank transfers**: Direct bank transfer payment options
* **Custom billing schedules**: Quarterly or annual billing available
* **Volume discounts**: Custom pricing based on committed usage

Contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss enterprise billing options.

## VAT and tax

Ably handles VAT and tax according to your location:

* **EU customers**: VAT may be applicable based on your location and VAT registration status
* **UK customers**: VAT is applied to invoices
* **Non-EU/UK customers**: Generally not subject to VAT

<Info>
  Provide your VAT number in your billing details to ensure correct tax treatment.
</Info>

## Usage monitoring

To monitor your usage throughout the month:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Dashboard access">
    Log in to your [account](https://ably.com/login).
  </Step>

  <Step title="View statistics">
    Navigate to your app and view the statistics dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Monitor usage">
    Track your messages, channels, connections, or MAUs in real-time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set alerts">
    Configure billing alerts to receive notifications when usage exceeds thresholds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pricing" href="/docs/platform/pricing">
    Understand pricing models and packages
  </Card>

  <Card title="Limits" href="/docs/platform/limits">
    Review limits for your package
  </Card>

  <Card title="Account management" href="/docs/platform/account">
    Manage users and roles
  </Card>

  <Card title="Support" href="https://ably.com/support">
    Contact support for billing questions
  </Card>
</CardGroup>