# Prepaid and postpaid accounts

> How prepaid and postpaid billing work, when you're charged, and how to switch to postpaid.

- URL: https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/prepaid-and-postpaid/
- Section: Billing and account
- Type: overview
- Applies to: All countries
- Last reviewed: 2026-11-09

Every account is either **prepaid** (you pay first, then use the service) or **postpaid** (you use the service, then pay a monthly invoice). New accounts are prepaid.

**On a free trial?** Free trial accounts are always prepaid. Postpaid billing and direct debit are only available once your account is active. See [Your free trial](https://kb.voipcloud.online/getting-started/free-trial/).

## Check your billing type

Go to **Billing** › **Home**. Your billing type is shown under **Type**, next to your account name and number. The **Balance** box shows your current balance, your **Credit limit** and your **Billing date**.

![Billing home page showing the account type Prepaid and the Balance box with Top up, Credit limit and Billing date](https://kb.voipcloud.online/images/billing/prepaid-and-postpaid-home-header.webp)

## Prepaid and postpaid compared

| | Prepaid | Postpaid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How you pay | Top up your balance in advance. Subscriptions and calls are taken from it. | Pay an invoice each month for the previous month's subscriptions and usage. |
| Invoices | A tax invoice and receipt are created and emailed with every top-up. No monthly invoice. | An invoice is issued on the 1st of each month, with 14-day payment terms. |
| Credit limit | Shown in the **Balance** box. It's $0 unless the support team has set one for your account. | Set by the accounts team, based on your security deposit. Your balance can go negative down to the credit limit. |
| What happens if you go over | By default, outgoing calls and outgoing SMS stop when your balance reaches $0. If the support team has set a credit limit, they stop when your balance reaches minus that limit. New calls stay blocked until you top up. | Calls stop once your balance reaches the credit limit. |
| Deposit | None. | A fully refundable security deposit equal to one month's subscriptions and usage. |
| Best with | [Automatic top-ups](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/automatic-payments/) and [low balance notifications](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/low-balance-notifications/). | [Automatic payments](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/automatic-payments/) for each invoice. |

A call that's already in progress when the balance runs out isn't cut off: it finishes normally, and only new calls are blocked. Monthly fees are still charged to your balance while outgoing calls and SMS are stopped.

To raise your credit limit, contact the support team. For example, a postpaid account with a $100.00 credit limit keeps working until its balance reaches −$100.00.

## When you're charged

These apply to every account, prepaid or postpaid:

- **Subscriptions** (licences, numbers and plans) are charged on the 1st of each month.
- **Included call value** on call plans resets on the 1st of each month. Check the critical information summary for your plan to see what's included.
- **New services are charged pro rata.** When you order a service partway through the month, you pay only for the days left until the end of the month. Included call value is pro-rated the same way, except on unlimited plans, which give unlimited calls straight away. From the next 1st, you pay the full monthly amount.

For example, if a service costs $20.00 a month and you order it with half the month left, you're charged $10.00 for that month.

Your monthly subscription total is listed under **Active subscriptions** in [Account details](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/account-details/).

## Overdue invoices

If an invoice becomes **Overdue** and stays unpaid, a penalty is deducted from your balance after 10 days, and your account is suspended after 30 days. See [Invoices](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/invoices/).

## Switch from prepaid to postpaid

1. [Raise a support ticket](https://kb.voipcloud.online/support/support-tickets/) to ask for postpaid billing. Include your account number.
2. The accounts team contacts you to arrange the security deposit.
3. Once the deposit is paid, they move your account to postpaid and set your credit limit.

If the request doesn't come from an authorised contact on the account, it can't be processed.

## For partners

In the partner portal, open **Customers** and select the customer. Their billing type is shown in **Billing Type**, under **Customer Status** on the **Details** tab. To manage customer billing, see [Customer billing](https://kb.voipcloud.online/partners/customer-billing/).

## Where to go next

- [Payment methods](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/payment-methods/)
- [Automatic payments](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/automatic-payments/)
- [Invoices](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/invoices/)
- [Billing FAQs](https://kb.voipcloud.online/billing/billing-faqs/)