Billing
What it is
Billing is the financial management hub for your BotBat workspace. It provides a single dashboard where you choose and manage your subscription plan, monitor real-time usage against your plan limits, add or update payment methods through Stripe, and access your complete invoice history. The billing module is designed to give workspace administrators full visibility into costs so there are never any surprises on your next statement.
BotBat offers three subscription tiers: Starter, Growth, and Enterprise. Each tier includes defined limits for messages sent, active contacts stored, and file storage consumed. When you exceed any of these limits during a billing cycle, pay-as-you-go add-ons automatically cover the overage so your operations continue without interruption. The overage charges are itemized separately on your next invoice, giving you clear visibility into baseline costs versus usage-based charges.
Only users with the billing:manage permission (typically Admin role holders) can modify plans or payment methods. Users with billing:read permission can view usage dashboards and invoice history but cannot make changes. This separation ensures that financial operations remain controlled while still providing transparency to the broader team.
When to use
| Scenario | What to do |
|---|---|
| Choosing your initial plan | During onboarding or trial expiration, compare Starter, Growth, and Enterprise features using the plan comparison table. |
| Monitoring monthly usage | Check the usage dashboard to see messages sent, contacts stored, and file storage consumed relative to your plan limits. |
| Upgrading or downgrading | When your team grows or messaging volume changes, switch plans. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades apply at the next cycle. |
| Updating payment information | Replace an expiring credit card or switch payment methods before your next billing cycle to avoid service interruption. |
| Downloading invoices for accounting | Export invoices as PDF for any past billing period for finance reporting or tax filing. |
| Understanding overage charges | Review the Add-ons section to see itemized pay-as-you-go charges that were applied when you exceeded plan limits. |
Steps
Reviewing your current plan
Open Account > Billing from the main sidebar navigation. The plan summary card at the top of the page shows your active plan name, the next renewal date, and a breakdown of included limits. This card gives you an at-a-glance understanding of what your subscription covers.
Below the summary card, the usage dashboard displays real-time meters for messages sent, active contacts, and storage used. Each meter shows current consumption as both a number and a percentage of your plan limit. Color coding (green, amber, red) provides immediate visual feedback: green means usage is under 70%, amber means 70-90%, and red means you are approaching or exceeding your limit.
BotBat sends automated email alerts when you reach 80% and 95% of any plan limit. These alerts give you time to upgrade proactively or adjust usage patterns before overage charges accumulate.
Comparing and changing plans
Click "View Plans" to open the plan comparison table. Each column lists the features, limits, and monthly pricing for Starter, Growth, and Enterprise. The table highlights differences between tiers so you can quickly identify what you gain or lose by switching.
| Feature | Starter | Growth | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly messages | 5,000 | 50,000 | Unlimited |
| Active contacts | 1,000 | 10,000 | Unlimited |
| File storage | 1 GB | 10 GB | 100 GB |
| Custom roles | No | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced analytics | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated support | No | No | Yes |
To change your plan, select the desired tier and click "Change Plan." Upgrades are applied immediately, and your invoice is prorated for the remaining days in the current cycle. Downgrades take effect at the start of the next billing cycle. Before downgrading, verify that you are not using features exclusive to your current tier, as those features become inaccessible once the downgrade activates.
Managing payment methods
In the "Payment Methods" section, click "Add Card" to enter credit card details through the Stripe-secured form. Stripe handles all payment processing, and BotBat never stores your full card number. You can add multiple cards, designate one as the default for recurring charges, and remove cards that are no longer needed.
If your card on file expires and the next charge fails, your account enters a 7-day grace period. During this period, all features remain active but you receive daily email reminders. After the grace period expires without a successful payment, messaging capabilities are paused until the balance is resolved.
Viewing and downloading invoices
Open the "Invoices" tab to see a chronological list of all invoices. Each entry shows the invoice date, total amount, payment status (Paid, Pending, Failed), and a link to view details. Click any invoice to see the full breakdown including plan charges, prorated adjustments, and overage add-on line items. Download the invoice as a PDF for your records.
Invoices are retained for the lifetime of your workspace. However, if you close your account, invoice history may become inaccessible. Download all invoices before initiating account closure.
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Ignoring usage warnings | BotBat sends alerts at 80% and 95% of plan limits. Ignoring these leads to unexpected overage charges on your next invoice. |
| Downgrading without checking feature dependencies | If you downgrade from Growth to Starter while using Growth-only features (advanced analytics, custom roles), those features become inaccessible. Export needed data first. |
| Letting a payment method expire | A failed charge triggers a grace period. After the grace period, messaging capabilities are paused until payment is resolved. |
| Confusing prorated charges with full charges | When you upgrade mid-cycle, you are charged only for the remaining days. The invoice line item may appear smaller than the full plan price. |
| Not downloading invoices before account closure | Closing your account may make invoice history inaccessible. Always download all invoices beforehand. |
Set up a calendar reminder a few days before your billing renewal date to review usage. This gives you time to upgrade proactively rather than paying higher overage rates.
- Billing Overview
- Plans
- Usage Dashboard
- Payment Methods
- Invoices
- Add-ons