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

# How auto top-up works

> Automatically maintain your credit balance and prevent service disruptions

> [!NOTE]
>
> In this article, you will learn how auto top-up works, how to choose the right settings, and how to prevent service interruptions.

**User level**: Admin

***

Auto top-up automatically adds credit to your account whenever your balance falls below a threshold you set.

It is the most reliable way to prevent your team from losing the ability to make calls due to an empty credit balance.

## How auto top-up works

Auto top-up has two main settings:

* **Threshold**

  The balance level that triggers a top-up. When your credit drops below this amount, CloudTalk charges your card.

- **Top-up amount**

  The amount of credit added each time the threshold is triggered.

  For example, if your threshold is $500 and your top-up amount is $300, CloudTalk charges your card $300 every time your balance drops below $500.

![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/uyJpY-sHvW90NlHP/images/help-center/articles/14636883/42ca6154cbc3-screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-49-38.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=uyJpY-sHvW90NlHP\&q=85\&s=a80a23b1c70108044a2c1015cedfb3ef)

## Recommended settings

### Threshold: cover at least 14 days of usage

Your threshold should be high enough to cover about two weeks of your team’s typical usage.

The idea is simple: if a payment fails, you still have enough credit left to notice and fix the issue before your calls are affected.

A good way to estimate it is to take your average daily usage and multiply it by **14.**

For example, if your team uses around $100 per day, your threshold should be at least $1,400.

### Top-up amount: reduce the number of charges

The more often your card is charged, the more likely something is to go wrong, like an expired card, a bank block, or a delay in processing.

A higher top-up amount helps reduce how often charges happen.

As a general rule, it’s best to aim for around one charge per month.

For example:

* if you use about $3,000 per month, a $3,000 top-up means roughly one charge

* a \$500 top-up would result in multiple charges per month

### New account defaults

If you enabled auto top-up during the upgrade flow, CloudTalk sets default values:

* \$100 threshold

* \$50 top-up amount

These work well for accounts with low usage at the start, but it’s a good idea to review and adjust them once your usage grows.

## Important things to know about auto top-up

### No spending limit on auto top-up

Auto top-up does not have a monthly limit.

Every time your balance drops below the threshold, your card is charged.

If your usage increases, your charges will increase accordingly.

To stay in control:

* Enable **auto top-up** to maintain a positive credit balance

* Regularly review your [Credit Movement export](https://help.cloudtalk.io/en/articles/14470553-credit-movement-export.md)

See [Does auto top-up have a spending limit?](https://help.cloudtalk.io/en/articles/14637063-does-auto-top-up-have-a-spending-limit.md) for more details.

### No grace period when credit reaches zero

When your credit balance reaches zero, calls stop immediately.

There is no buffer period or temporary credit.

This is why setting a proper threshold is important.

## How to set up auto top-up

1. Go to **Billing** in the CloudTalk dashboard

2. In the **Credit** section, turn on **Automatically tops up credit when your balance falls below.**

3. Set your **threshold amount** (when the top-up should trigger)

4. Set your **top-up amount**

5. Confirm your payment method (if required)

Your changes are saved automatically.

To disable auto top-up, return to the same section and turn the toggle off.

![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/uyJpY-sHvW90NlHP/images/help-center/articles/14636883/d04821da5b0a-screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-54-31.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=uyJpY-sHvW90NlHP\&q=85\&s=fb357d81c9cd3038406d9801cae3d31f)

***

*Need help or have a question?* Just reach out through our [Support portal](https://support.cloudtalk.io/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=26305535257884) — we’re here for you.


## Related topics

- [Managing your credit in CloudTalk](https://help.cloudtalk.io/en/articles/2480517-managing-your-credit-in-cloudtalk.md)
- [Why was my payment declined?](https://help.cloudtalk.io/en/articles/15868898-why-was-my-payment-declined.md)
- [What uses credit?](https://help.cloudtalk.io/en/articles/14634073-what-uses-credit.md)


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