# Top-ups and auto-recharge > Buy credits once with a top-up, or let auto-recharge buy them when the balance runs low - packages, bonuses, limits, and what a failed charge does. > Source: https://playcode.io/docs/account-and-billing/top-ups-and-auto-recharge - last reviewed 2026-10-10. On Pro or Max, an Admin of the workspace can buy credits at any time. A top-up is a one-time purchase; auto-recharge buys credits for you when the balance falls below a level you set. Both charge the workspace's card through Stripe. ## Do it yourself ### Buy a top-up 1. Open **Settings**, then **Billing & plans**. 2. Under **Credits**, choose **Top up**. 3. Pick a package, or type a dollar amount under **Custom amount**. The packages: $25 for 100 credits; $50 for 210 credits (10 of them a bonus); $100 for 440 credits (40 of them a bonus); $200 for 960 credits (160 of them a bonus). 4. Check **You will receive** and **Cost**, then choose **Get N Credits**, where N is the credits you will receive. > [!COST] > The workspace's saved card is charged at once. The Terms of Service make credit top-ups final and non-refundable, and a top-up cannot be cancelled after you buy it. 5. With a saved card, the app says "Payment processed! Your balance will update shortly." Without one, Stripe's checkout page opens: pay there, and Stripe saves the card for the next time. Only you enter card details. After a top-up, the app may offer to turn on auto-recharge: choose **Turn on auto-recharge** or **Not now**. ### Turn on auto-recharge 1. In **Billing & plans**, choose **Auto-recharge settings**. 2. If the window says "Add a payment method first", choose **Add Payment Method** and save a card on Stripe's page. Nothing is charged. Then open **Auto-recharge settings** again. 3. Turn on **Enable automatic top-ups**. 4. Set **When balance falls below** and **Top up to**, in credits. 5. Optional: set **Monthly card maximum**, in dollars. 6. Choose **Save Settings**. The app says "Auto-recharge settings updated successfully". > [!COST] > When the balance falls below your first number, Playcode charges the card for the credits needed to reach **Top up to**, at 4 credits per dollar, with no bonus. Each automatic charge is at least $15. The window states the charge under the two numbers, for example "Each time it fires, your card is charged at least $15.00 (60 credits)". If the balance is already below your first number when you save, the first charge can come at once. The window then says "Your balance is already below" your first number, with the amount. Auto-recharge watches everything that spends credits: the agent, Cloud computers, and your app's AI and email. To change the card that top-ups and auto-recharge use, choose **Change** under **Payment Method** in **Auto-recharge settings**, and save the new card on Stripe's page. ## If it doesn't work ### "Failed to process payment. Please try again." The top-up did not go through. Before you pay again, look at your credits in **Billing & plans**: if they went up, the payment went through after all. If not, try again. ### Stripe's checkout page opened although a card is saved The saved card was declined, or your bank asked for an extra check. Pay on that page, with the same card or another one. ### The credits did not appear yet Credits arrive when Stripe confirms the payment. Reload **Billing & plans**. If they still do not appear, do not pay again: [get help from a person](/docs/help/get-help-from-a-person) with the date and the amount. ### The Save Settings button stays grey A number is outside its range, or **Top up to** is not higher than **When balance falls below**. The ranges are under Limits. ### Auto-recharge turned itself off A card payment failed, or the workspace's plan ended. When any card payment of the workspace fails, a declined top-up included, Playcode turns auto-recharge off and does not try again: fix the card with **Change**, then turn **Enable automatic top-ups** on again. When the plan ends, Playcode turns auto-recharge off and charges nothing more; turn it on again after you start a new plan. ### "Auto-recharge comes with the Pro and Max plans." The workspace has no plan, so auto-recharge cannot be turned on. If it was left on from before, you can still turn it off. See [Plans](/docs/account-and-billing/plans). ### There is no Top up button On the Free plan, the app offers **Upgrade** instead: see [Plans](/docs/account-and-billing/plans). A member who is not an Admin sees "This workspace is out of credits. Ask a workspace owner or admin to add more." ## Limits - A custom top-up is $25 to $1,000. It gets the same bonus as the packages: 5% from $50, 10% from $100, 20% from $200. - Top-up credits last 12 months from your latest top-up. Credits from auto-recharge join this period's plan credits and carry over with them at the next renewal. See [Credits and balance](/docs/account-and-billing/credits-and-balance). - Auto-recharge ranges: **When balance falls below**, 4 to 400 credits. **Top up to**, 40 to 4,000 credits. **Monthly card maximum**, $15 to $1,000, or empty for none. - The monthly card maximum counts automatic charges in a calendar month, starting on the 1st. Playcode checks each charge whole, the $15 minimum included: a charge that would pass the maximum does not happen. - The window's charge line counts from your first number, so it gives the least one firing charges. The real charge counts from the balance at that moment: more if the balance fell further first, and never less than $15. - Auto-recharge is part of a paid plan. When the plan ends, Playcode turns it off and charges nothing more; a workspace without a plan cannot turn it on. - The agent cannot buy credits or change these settings. Playcode keeps only the card's brand, last four digits and expiry date; the card itself stays with Stripe.