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

# Configure Billing

Design billing that matches AI usage and preserves your margins. You can change pricing and rules in the dashboard at any time without touching your app code. You can use **one** method or **combine** them.

### 1. Deposit credits via **Deposit API** *(Default mode only)*

**What it does:** Credit a user’s **app‑scoped** wallet with an arbitrary amount.

**Use cases**

* Integrate **any payment system** (PSP, crypto, app store) — after you confirm payment, deposit credits.
* Grant **trial credits** to new users or cohorts.
* Add credits at the **start of a billing cycle** or for **goodwill/refunds**.

**Notes**

* Appears as a **`deposit`** in the ledger (developer‑initiated).
* Works only in **Default mode** (virtual, app‑scoped balance).
* Pair with the automated **Stripe restricted key** setup for a zero‑code top‑up flow.

### 2. One‑off charges via **Charge API** *(Both modes)*

**What it does:** Create a **manual, one‑time charge** independent of token usage.

**Use cases**

* Bill for **tool usage** (e.g., MCP tool run, file conversion, image upscaling).
* Charge for **feature access** (e.g., unlock premium mode or export).
* Apply **post‑processing** fees (e.g., retrieval/storage, long‑running jobs).

**Notes**

* Appears as a **`charge`** in the ledger.
* If funds/authorization are missing, the API returns a **renderable message** (auth/top‑up link); show it as a normal assistant reply.
* Use an **Idempotency‑Key** to avoid duplicates; include **metadata** for reconciliation.

### 3. Automatic usage billing via the **Proxy** *(Both modes)*

**What it does:** The proxy **meters tokens** and computes the charge from the **selected model price** + your **markup**. It writes the charge to the ledger and returns the model response (or an auth/top‑up message) — no custom billing code required.

**Setup**

* **Connect a provider**: BYOK (Default required; Shared optional) or the **built‑in provider** (Shared).
* **Set per‑model prices** and an optional **markup %** in the dashboard.

**Behavior**

* Charge = *usage (prompt + completion tokens) × model price* **±** *markup*.
* Per‑model pricing lets users pick price/performance while you keep margins predictable.
* Changes take effect **without code changes**.

### 4. Per‑request & hybrid pricing *(Coming soon)*

Configure fixed **per‑request** fees, or **hybrid** pricing: *minimum fee per request + per‑token usage*. Useful for short prompts, tools/actions, and stabilizing margins across mixed workloads.

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### Recommendations & guardrails

* Prefer **per‑model dynamic pricing** and set a **minimum per‑request** fee to cover short prompts.
* Add **max tokens** and **spend caps** to prevent runaway costs.
* Keep pricing rules in the dashboard; don’t hardcode rates in your app.
* For UI display, read prices/models from the separate **API Reference (Models)**.