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

# Pay-as-you-go

> Smaller upfront commitment for CPL orders: a 20% deposit covers the start, the rest is billed automatically as fans get delivered.

Pay-as-you-go is an alternative billing mode for CPL orders. Instead of locking the full order amount on your balance up-front, only a **20% deposit** is charged at order creation. The remaining 80% is billed automatically as fans are delivered.

It's designed for clients running multiple parallel campaigns who want to keep working capital flexible without losing the predictability of CPL.

<Note>
  Pay-as-you-go is available **automatically** for [Platinum and Diamond tier](/studio-levels) clients. No opt-in needed: when you place a CPL order, the system applies it.
</Note>

## How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Place an order">
    Choose an offer, set the number of subscribers, and confirm. If pay-as-you-go is active for your account, the order summary shows the split clearly: how much is charged now and how much is billed later.
  </Step>

  <Step title="20% deposit charged immediately">
    On order creation, **20% of the order value** is deducted from your balance. This deposit secures the campaign start and is recorded in your wallet ledger.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Per-subscriber billing as fans arrive">
    As the contractor delivers fans, the platform charges your balance per delivered subscriber. The first 20% (covered by the deposit) is already paid; charges start once delivery exceeds that.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Order completes">
    When the target volume is reached, the order is closed. Your wallet shows every deduction as a separate line, so the audit trail is complete.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Example

You order **200 subscribers at \$2.55/sub** (total: \$510).

* **At order creation:** \$102.00 charged (20% deposit, covers the first 40 subscribers)
* **As fans arrive:** \$2.55 billed per delivered subscriber, starting from subscriber #41
* **At completion:** the remaining \$408.00 has been billed across the campaign

Your balance is debited gradually instead of all at once. The total cost is identical to prepaid billing.

## Refunds and Cancellation

The deposit is fully protected. If anything goes wrong, you only pay for what was actually delivered.

| Scenario                            | What happens                                                          |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Order cancelled before any delivery | Full deposit returned to your balance                                 |
| Order cancelled mid-flight          | Deposit returned, minus the cost of fans already delivered            |
| Order completes normally            | Deposit was applied to the first 20% of fans; nothing extra to refund |
| Contractor under-delivers           | You can stop the campaign at any time; remaining deposit is refunded  |

<Warning>
  If your balance goes negative, Pay-as-you-go is automatically disabled and **will not re-enable on its own**. Future orders fall back to full prepaid billing at creation. If the negative balance grows significantly, account sanctions including suspension may apply. Keep your balance positive and top up early.
</Warning>

## Where to See It

Pay-as-you-go visibility is built into the order flow:

* **Order page**: when you open an offer, the summary card shows "Charged now" and "Charged later" cells with exact amounts
* **Quick Order**: the same breakdown appears in the multi-offer summary before you confirm
* **Wallet ledger** ([wallet](https://accounts.onlytraffic.com/wallet)): every deposit and per-subscriber chunk shows as a separate transaction, deep-linkable from the order's Payments tab
* **Order Summary modal** → **Payments tab**: full audit trail per order

## Tier Eligibility

| Tier                 | Pay-as-you-go                                  |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Bronze, Silver, Gold | Not available, orders use full prepaid billing |
| Platinum, Diamond    | Available automatically                        |

The tier check runs at order creation. If your tier changes (up or down), the new mode applies to your **next** order. In-flight orders continue under the rules they were created with.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does pay-as-you-go change the total price?">
    No. The total cost is exactly the same as prepaid billing. Only the timing of payments changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I switch to prepaid for a specific order?">
    Currently the mode is account-level. If you have a strong preference for prepaid on certain orders, contact support.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if my balance runs out mid-order?">
    Charges stop and the campaign pauses until you top up. No subscribers are lost: delivery resumes as soon as the balance is restored.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if the balance goes negative?">
    Pay-as-you-go is automatically disabled and won't re-enable itself. Future orders fall back to full prepaid billing at order creation. A significantly negative balance can lead to account sanctions, so keep an eye on the balance.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where is each charge recorded?">
    In two places: the dedicated **Payments tab** of the order summary, and your global **wallet ledger** at accounts.onlytraffic.com/wallet. Each line carries a UUID that links the two, so reconciliation is straightforward.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Place a CPL Order" icon="cart-shopping" href="/how-to-place-cpl-order">
    Step-by-step ordering guide
  </Card>

  <Card title="Loyalty Tiers" icon="trophy" href="/studio-levels">
    How tiers and discounts are calculated
  </Card>

  <Card title="Top Up Your Balance" icon="circle-plus" href="/how-to-top-up-balance">
    Add funds for orders
  </Card>

  <Card title="Refund Policy" icon="rotate-left" href="/how-to-refund">
    What happens if an order doesn't go as planned
  </Card>
</CardGroup>