Billing Issues

This guide helps you resolve billing-related issues including insufficient credits, payment failures, and unexpected charges.

Insufficient Credits

Symptoms

{
  "error": {
    "code": "GATEWAY1_BILLING_001",
    "message": "Insufficient credits. Your balance ($0.05) is below the minimum required ($0.10). Please add credits to continue.",
    "type": "billing_error",
    "status": 402
  }
}

Understanding Credit Requirements

LangMart requires a minimum credit balance to prevent overdraft:

Solutions

Check Your Balance

curl -X GET "https://api.langmart.ai/api/account/balance" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Response:

{
  "balance": 0.05,
  "currency": "USD",
  "minimum_required": 0.10
}

Add Credits

1. Navigate to Billing in the dashboard
2. Click Add Credits
3. Select an amount or enter custom amount
4. Complete the payment

Via API

curl -X POST "https://api.langmart.ai/api/billing/purchase" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"amount": 10.00}'

Set Up Auto-Recharge

1. Go to Billing > Settings
2. Enable Auto-Recharge
3. Set threshold (e.g., $5.00)
4. Set recharge amount (e.g., $20.00)

Organization vs Personal Credits

Credits can be funded at two levels:

Check which funding source you're using:

1. Navigate to Settings > Organization
2. View your current funding source
3. Switch if needed

Payment Failures

Common Payment Error Messages

Solutions

Update Payment Method

1. Go to Billing > Payment Methods
2. Click Add Payment Method
3. Enter new card details
4. Set as default payment method

Verify Card Details

Ensure:

• Card number is correct (no spaces)
• Expiration date is valid
• CVV/CVC is correct
• Billing address matches card

Contact Your Bank

Some banks block international transactions or online purchases:

1. Call your bank's customer service
2. Inform them about the transaction
3. Ask them to whitelist the merchant

Try Alternative Payment

LangMart supports multiple payment methods:

• Credit/Debit cards
• PayPal (if available)
• Bank transfer (for enterprise)

Unexpected Charges

Understanding Your Bill

View detailed billing breakdown:

curl -X GET "https://api.langmart.ai/api/billing/usage/breakdown" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -G \
  -d "start_date=2025-01-01" \
  -d "end_date=2025-01-31"

Response:

{
  "period": {
    "start": "2025-01-01",
    "end": "2025-01-31"
  },
  "total_cost": 47.85,
  "breakdown": {
    "by_model": [
      {"model": "gpt-4o", "cost": 32.50, "requests": 850},
      {"model": "claude-3-sonnet", "cost": 12.30, "requests": 420}
    ],
    "by_day": [
      {"date": "2025-01-15", "cost": 2.30},
      {"date": "2025-01-16", "cost": 1.85}
    ]
  }
}

Common Causes of Unexpected Charges

1. High Token Usage

Long conversations accumulate tokens:

# Check token usage
curl -X GET "https://api.langmart.ai/api/account/analytics/usage" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Solution: Set max_tokens limits on requests:

{
  "model": "gpt-4o",
  "messages": [...],
  "max_tokens": 1000
}

2. Expensive Models

Some models cost significantly more:

Solution: Use cheaper models for simple tasks.

3. Failed Requests Still Charged

Some providers charge for tokens even if the request fails partway through.

Solution: Review error logs to identify and fix issues.

4. Runaway Scripts

Automated processes making excessive requests.

Solution:

• Implement rate limiting in your code
• Set up cost alerts
• Review request logs for patterns

Setting Spending Limits

Personal Spending Limit

curl -X PUT "https://api.langmart.ai/api/user/spending-limit" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"daily_limit": 10.00, "monthly_limit": 100.00}'

Organization Spending Limit

curl -X PUT "https://api.langmart.ai/api/organizations/{org_id}/spending-limits" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"daily_limit": 100.00, "monthly_limit": 1000.00}'

Setting Up Cost Alerts

1. Navigate to Alerts in the dashboard
2. Click Create Alert
3. Select Cost Threshold
4. Set threshold (e.g., $50/day)
5. Choose notification method (email, dashboard)

Viewing Invoices

Access Invoices

curl -X GET "https://api.langmart.ai/api/billing/invoices" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Invoice Details

Each invoice includes:

• Invoice number
• Period covered
• Total amount
• Breakdown by model
• Payment status

Download Invoice PDF

1. Go to Billing > Invoices
2. Find the invoice
3. Click Download PDF

Refund Requests

Eligibility

Refunds may be available for:

• Technical issues causing erroneous charges
• Duplicate charges
• Unauthorized usage (compromised API key)

Request Process

1. Gather Evidence:

   • Request IDs for affected charges
   • Error messages received
   • Timestamps of issues

2. Submit Request:

   • Go to Support > Billing Issue
   • Select "Refund Request"
   • Provide evidence and explanation

3. Review Time:

   • Standard: 5 business days
   • Complex cases: 10 business days

Preventing Unauthorized Charges

1. Rotate API Keys: If you suspect key compromise
2. Monitor Usage: Set up alerts for unusual activity
3. IP Restrictions: Limit API access by IP (if supported)
4. Review Access: Audit who has API key access

Credit Balance Questions

How Credits Work

1. Pre-paid: Add credits before usage
2. Deducted Per Request: Based on tokens used
3. Real-time Updates: Balance updates after each request

Credit Expiration

Check Credit History

curl -X GET "https://api.langmart.ai/api/account/credit-history" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Enterprise Billing

Custom Billing Arrangements

Enterprise customers may have:

• Monthly invoicing
• Net 30 payment terms
• Volume discounts
• Custom SLAs

Contact Support

For enterprise billing questions:

1. Email: [email protected]
2. Or contact your account manager

Still Having Issues?

If billing issues persist:

1. Check Transaction History: Review all transactions in Billing section
2. Verify Payment Method: Ensure card is valid and has funds
3. Review Usage: Check for unexpected usage patterns
4. Contact Support: Submit a billing support ticket

Related Documentation

• Usage Analytics - Track costs
• Connection Issues - Technical problems
• API Errors - Error reference