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

# Powerbeans Billing & Subscription FAQ for Publishers

> Common billing questions answered: invoice cycle, plan upgrades, cancellation, quota overages, ad revenue payouts, and the Free-via-Ads programme.

Here are answers to the most common questions about billing, subscriptions, and payments for Powerbeans publisher accounts. If you can't find what you're looking for, reach out to [support@powerbeans.ai](mailto:support@powerbeans.ai) and the team will get back to you.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How am I charged?">
    Your monthly subscription fee is billed **in advance** at the start of each billing cycle, by credit or debit card via Stripe. Subscriptions auto-renew each month until you cancel. Any add-ons you have active are billed at the same time and will appear as separate line items on your invoice.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?">
    Yes, you can change your plan at any time from your dashboard.

    * **Upgrades** take effect immediately. You'll be charged a prorated amount for the remainder of the current billing period to cover the difference between your old and new plan.
    * **Downgrades** take effect at the start of your next billing period. You keep all current plan features until your billing cycle resets.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I cancel?">
    Cancellation takes effect at the **end of your current billing period**. You retain full access to all products and features until that date — nothing is cut off immediately. Fees already paid for the current period are non-refundable. After the period ends, your widgets will deactivate and audio generation will stop.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What counts toward my monthly summaries quota?">
    Your monthly quota is consumed as follows:

    * **1 summary** for each AI text summary generated
    * **5 summaries** for each full-length audio article generated

    Unused summaries do **not** roll over to the next billing cycle. Your quota resets at the start of each billing period. If you reach your limit before the cycle ends, audio and summary generation will pause automatically until the quota resets or you purchase additional summaries.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I exceed my quota?">
    You can add extra capacity yourself from your dashboard at any time — you don't need to wait to be contacted. That said, when you approach or reach your summaries limit, your account manager (Scale and Enterprise) or the Powerbeans team will often reach out proactively to flag it. You have two options:

    1. **Add extra summaries** — a recurring add-on billed at \$150/month per block of 1,000 summaries. It takes effect immediately, then renews automatically every month alongside your subscription (as a separate invoice line item) until you remove it — it's not a one-time top-up.
    2. **Upgrade your plan** — move to a higher tier with a larger monthly quota.

    See [Add-Ons](/billing/add-ons) for details on purchasing extra summaries.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When do I receive ad revenue payouts?">
    Payouts are made within 60 calendar days of the end of the month in which revenues were received from demand partners, subject to a \$200 minimum threshold. See [Payouts](/monetization/payouts) for the full schedule and payment methods.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is Free via Ads?">
    Free via Ads is a programme available to eligible **Scale and Enterprise** publishers where ad revenue covers your subscription fee before any surplus is paid out. See [Free via Ads](/monetization/free-via-ads) for how it works and how to check eligibility.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do you offer refunds?">
    Subscription fees are non-refundable as a general policy. Exceptions are made for **verified billing errors** — for example, a duplicate charge or an incorrect amount billed. If you believe you've been charged incorrectly, contact [support@powerbeans.ai](mailto:support@powerbeans.ai) with your invoice details and the team will investigate promptly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a trial period?">
    Powerbeans doesn't offer a self-serve trial, but you can [book a 30-minute demo](https://calendly.com/matias-pb/mati-30-min-eu) to see the products live on a site similar to yours, walk through CMS setup, and get realistic revenue and engagement estimates based on your traffic. Contact [sales@powerbeans.ai](mailto:sales@powerbeans.ai) to discuss trial options for your publication.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I get an invoice?">
    Invoices are generated automatically at the start of each billing cycle and are available in your dashboard under **Billing → Invoices**. You can download them as PDFs at any time. If you need a past invoice reissued or have questions about a specific charge, contact [support@powerbeans.ai](mailto:support@powerbeans.ai).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>