Understanding Usage-Based Charges

    CategoryAccount and Billing
    Article typeDocumentation
    Estimated reading time 8 min read
    Last reviewedRecently reviewed
    Applies toGEVADE CRM accounts where the feature is enabled
    Access requiredAccess may depend on your user permissions
    Plan/configuration noteFeature availability may depend on your selected plan and account configuration

    Summary

    Usage-based charges apply to telecommunications (Phone, SMS, WhatsApp), outbound email (SMTP), and AI Employee interactions. You are billed from a prepaid wallet balance that automatically recharges when it falls below a set threshold.

    Who this article is for

    This article is for account owners and billing administrators monitoring monthly expenses.

    Overview

    To keep the core subscription affordable, we pass the hard costs of telecommunications and AI processing directly to you based on your actual consumption. This means you only pay for the exact number of texts you send, emails you deliver, or AI conversations you host. This system ensures fairness and transparency. You pay your base plan fee plus exactly what you use. This prepaid wallet system is standard across the industry for telephony and ensures that our infrastructure remains robust and protected from spam abuse.

    Before you begin

    • Ensure your primary credit card is active and has sufficient funds.
    • Set up a realistic auto-recharge threshold based on your expected volume.
    • Review the regional rate cards for SMS and phone calls if you operate internationally.

    Step 1: The Prepaid Wallet System

    Your GEVADE CRM account utilizes a prepaid 'Wallet'. When you send an SMS, make a phone call, or process an AI request, fractions of a cent are deducted from this wallet. You can view your current wallet balance at any time in Settings > Billing (contact support if this option is not visible). This wallet is entirely separate from your monthly subscription fee.

    Step 2: Configuring Auto-Recharge

    To prevent your marketing campaigns from stopping mid-send due to insufficient funds, the wallet is set to auto-recharge. You can configure the threshold (e.g., when the balance drops below $10) and the recharge amount (e.g., charge the card $20 to top it up). We highly recommend keeping auto-recharge enabled at all times.

    Step 3: Monitoring Usage Logs

    You have full visibility into your spending. Navigate to Settings > Billing > Usage Logs to view a detailed, line-by-line breakdown of every call, text, email, and AI interaction, including the exact cost deducted for each event. This transparency allows you to audit your marketing spend with precision.

    Step 4: Managing High Volume

    If you plan to send a massive SMS or email broadcast, ensure your auto-recharge amount is set high enough to cover the blast without triggering dozens of small, consecutive credit card charges, which might flag your card for fraud. For example, if you expect a campaign to cost $150, set your recharge amount to $200 before hitting send.

    Configuration note

    Usage charges vary by region. Sending an SMS to a local US number costs differently than sending an international SMS to the UK or Australia. Always review the rate card for your specific regions.

    Important clarification

    If your credit card expires or declines, your wallet cannot auto-recharge. Once the wallet hits exactly $0.00, all outbound SMS, emails, phone calls, and AI responses will immediately fail until the payment issue is resolved.

    Resolution guidance

    My SMS messages are suddenly failing

    Check your wallet balance immediately. If it is empty or negative, update your payment method to trigger an auto-recharge. Also check if your A2P 10DLC registration is still valid.

    I see multiple $10 charges on my bank statement

    This happens when your auto-recharge amount is set too low for your sending volume. If you send a $50 SMS campaign and your recharge is set to $10, your card will be charged 5 times in a row. Increase your recharge amount to $50 or $100.

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    If your question requires account access, billing review, workflow inspection, message delivery diagnosis, AI response review, or private configuration review, submit a support request with examples and screenshots.