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If you’re seeing a low balance alert or your credit has reached zero, this guide explains what it means, how to restore calling quickly, and how to prevent it from happening again.
User level: Admin

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What the alerts mean

When your credit balance is low or reaches zero, CloudTalk displays a notification in the dashboard to inform you. You may see messages such as:
  • “Your credit is running low”
    Your balance is getting close to zero. If it runs out, calling will be interrupted.
  • “Your credit has run out”
    Your balance is 0. Outbound calls are blocked, and inbound calls to toll-free numbers will not connect. Inbound calls to standard (non-toll-free) numbers still work.
These alerts appear near your credit balance and help you take action before service is affected. CloudTalk also sends email notifications for these same conditions. See Credit balance alert emails for details on who receives them and how to configure your own alert threshold.
Calls can also be cut off mid-conversation. If your credit balance is very low, calls that have already connected may be ended when the remaining balance runs out. If all your agents’ calls are dropping after the same duration (for example, every call ends at exactly 5 minutes), check your credit balance immediately.
⚠️ Does a zero balance affect calls to my calling bundle destinations?Yes. If your account uses credit-based billing, a zero credit balance blocks all outbound calls, including calls to countries that are included in your calling bundle (such as the World Bundle or Global Plan). Your bundle covers which destinations are included in your plan minutes, but it does not override the credit balance requirement. Once your balance is restored, outbound calling to bundle-included destinations resumes automatically.If you’re unsure whether your account uses credit-based billing, check Dashboard > Billing > Credit. If a credit balance is shown, this applies to you.

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Restore calling quickly

If your team needs to make calls immediately, add credit with a one-time top-up:
  1. Go to Dashboard > Billing
  2. Click Add credit
  3. Select an amount and confirm the payment
Credit is applied as soon as the payment is processed. Calling should resume within a few minutes.

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Prevent it from happening again

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Enable auto top-up

Auto top-up automatically adds credit when your balance drops below a set threshold. To enable it:
  1. Go to Dashboard > Billing
  2. Click Set up auto top-up
  3. Set a threshold (recommended: enough to cover ~14 days of usage)
  4. Set a top-up amount (higher amounts reduce frequent charges)
  5. Save your settings
If auto top-up is already enabled but your credit still ran out:
  • Your threshold may be too low, or
  • A payment may have failed
Check your credit balance and auto top-up settings in the Billing page and adjust them if needed.

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Check what used your credit

To understand what caused the drop, go to Dashboard > Billing and click Export credit movements.
Common causes include:
  • Fair Usage Policy (FUP) exceeded If a user exceeds their included minutes, additional usage is charged from credit. A single user can significantly impact the account balance.
  • Calls outside your package International, premium, or unsupported destinations are charged separately. To learn more about calling packages and what they include, see Understanding Pricing Plans & What They Include.
  • Forwarded or redirected calls Calls forwarded to external numbers (such as mobile phones) are charged from credit, even if the original call was included in your plan.
  • SMS or WhatsApp messages Messaging is always billed separately from credit.
  • Advanced features usage Usage from features such as Conversation Intelligence or Voice Agents may consume credit if limits are exceeded.
For a full overview of all scenarios where credit is used, see our guide on What uses credit.

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When to contact support

Most credit issues can be resolved from the Billing page. Contact Support if:
  • You see charges you cannot explain in the Export credit movement file
  • You believe a charge is incorrect
  • You need help reviewing unusual usage
  • You want to discuss usage limits or plan adjustments
Need help or have a question? Just reach out through our Support portal — we’re here for you.