Billing FAQ

This page covers common questions about BuildVoiceAI plans, billing, Stripe Connect, and payment issues.

Plan and Upgrades

My upgrade is not reflected in the dashboard

After upgrading your plan:

1. Refresh the page — Plan changes take effect immediately, but the UI may need a refresh.
2. Check your payment method — If the payment failed, the upgrade did not complete. Check your email for a failed payment notification.
3. Clear browser cache — Cached data may show your old plan tier.
4. Check Stripe — Log into your Stripe account to verify the subscription status.

If the issue persists after these steps, contact support with your agency name and the date of the upgrade attempt.

What happens when I upgrade mid-cycle?

When you upgrade mid-billing cycle:

• You are charged a prorated amount for the remainder of the current period
• New plan features are available immediately
• Your next full billing cycle uses the new plan pricing

Can I downgrade my plan?

Yes. Navigate to Settings → Billing and select a lower tier. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing period. You retain access to your current plan features until then.

Usage and Overages

How are minutes calculated?

Minutes are calculated based on the total duration of all calls across all agents and clients in your agency. Both inbound and outbound calls count toward your usage.

• Partial minutes are rounded up to the nearest minute
• Test calls (browser-based) count toward usage
• Failed calls that do not connect are not billed

What happens when I exceed my plan minutes?

If your usage exceeds your plan’s included minutes:

• Overage charges apply automatically at your plan’s overage rate
• You are billed for overages at the end of the billing cycle
• Your agents continue to function — calls are not blocked

How do I see my current usage?

Navigate to Settings → Billing. The usage section shows:

• Minutes used in the current period
• Minutes remaining
• Visual progress bar
• Per-agent breakdown

Stripe Connect (Agency Billing)

What is Stripe Connect?

Stripe Connect enables you to bill your clients directly through BuildVoiceAI. Clients pay you, and you manage their subscriptions from your agency dashboard.

Stripe Connect setup issues

Common problems during Stripe Connect onboarding:

1. Country restrictions — Stripe Connect is not available in all countries. Check Stripe’s supported countries .
2. Verification requirements — Stripe requires identity verification (government ID, business documents). Complete all verification steps in your Stripe dashboard.
3. Bank account issues — Ensure your bank account is in the same country as your Stripe account.
4. Business type — Select the correct business type (individual, company, nonprofit) during setup.

Client payment failed

When a client’s payment fails:

1. The client sees a banner in their portal billing section prompting a payment method update
2. You receive a notification in your agency dashboard
3. Stripe retries the payment automatically (3 retries over 2 weeks)

If all retries fail, reach out to the client to update their payment method.

How do payouts work?

When clients pay through Stripe Connect:

• Funds are deposited into your connected Stripe account
• Stripe transfers funds to your bank account on your configured payout schedule
• BuildVoiceAI does not touch or hold client funds

Payment Issues

Payment method declined

If your payment is declined:

1. Check card details — Verify the card number, expiration, and CVV in Settings → Billing.
2. Check card balance — Ensure sufficient funds or credit available.
3. Contact your bank — The bank may be blocking the transaction. Ask them to allow charges from Stripe.
4. Try a different card — Use an alternative payment method.

How do I update my payment method?

1. Go to Settings → Billing
2. Click Update Payment Method
3. Enter your new card details
4. Click Save

The new card is used for all future charges, including any pending retries.

Refund Policy

Refund eligibility depends on the circumstances:

• Accidental duplicate charges — Refunded in full
• Plan downgrade — No refund for the current period; the change takes effect at the next billing cycle
• Unused minutes — Minutes do not roll over and are not refundable
• Overage charges — Billed based on actual usage and generally not refundable

To request a refund, contact support@buildvoiceai.com with your agency name and the reason for the request.