Client billing quick start

This guide takes you from client billing switched off to your first client on a plan, with their first payment request in their inbox. It follows the order the app expects, tells you what to choose at each step and why, and shows what happens over the first month.

Nothing changes for any client until you switch billing on for that client, so you can work through the setup at your own pace.

Your first billed client, start to finish

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1. 1
   You

   Switch client billing on

   Client billing, Settings tab

2. 2
   You

   Add your payment details

   Currency, payment terms and bank details

3. 3
   You

   Create a plan

   Plans tab, New plan

4. 4
   You

   Switch the client on

   Track only, with the plan

5. 5
   You

   Add who pays and send the payment

   Billing email addresses, then Send reminder

6. 6
   Your client

   Client pays

   Bank transfer, or card if Stripe is connected

7. 7
   You

   Payment marked paid

   By you, or by Stripe for card payments

Before you start

You need	Why
The agency owner for steps 1 to 3	Only the owner can switch client billing on, change the Settings tab and connect Stripe. An admin can do every step from step 4 on. Members cannot see billing.
The client set up with its agents	Billing counts calls and chats from the agents selected for the client. Each agent can belong to one billed client. See Create a workspace.
The email address of the person who pays	Billing emails go to the addresses you add for the client, and to any client users you mark as billing contacts. The person who pays does not need a portal login.
Your bank details	They appear on every payment email and payment page, so your client knows how to pay you.
A price in mind	You turn it into a plan in step 4. The example below shows one.

Client billing is included on every Voice AI Portal plan, and the portal adds no fee to the payments your clients make. You keep paying your voice provider directly, as you do today. See Pricing.

Using Stripe? Start it now

Stripe can take a few days to check your details, and your first client doesn’t need to wait. Start the Stripe setup in step 3 today, bill your first client by bank transfer, and move clients to Stripe once it is ready. See Connect Stripe.

The decisions you make

1. Track only or Track and enforce

Choose	When	What happens
Track only	Your first period with a client, or any client you never want cut off	Every call and chat is counted, warnings are emailed, payments are requested. Calls are never stopped.
Track and enforce	Once the plan fits the client’s real usage	New outbound calls and campaigns stop when the client’s minutes and overflow run out, or while you pause them, and start again within a minute of new minutes arriving. Inbound calls and text are refused once our team turns on provider changes for the client, on request. Until then they are counted.

Recommended: Track only for the first period. You see real usage against the plan, your client gets the usage emails, and nothing is ever blocked. Move to Track and enforce later in one click. If you plan to stop inbound calls later, ask us to turn on provider changes for the client now, at setup, so they are ready in time. See When minutes run out.

On a plan without an overflow price, overflow is a free buffer, and time used past the overflow comes out of next month’s minutes. On Track only, where calls never stop, give the plan an overflow price so that time is billed, or tell the client it will come out of next month.

2. Manual payments or Stripe

How the client pays	Choose it when	What the client does
Manual payments	You are starting out, your clients pay by bank transfer, or you invoice from your own accounts software	Opens the payment page from the email, pays you using your bank details and the reference, and can select I’ve paid
Stripe invoices	You want Stripe to number and email each invoice	Pays the Stripe invoice emailed each period
Card (automatic)	You want to be paid on renewal without chasing	Adds a card once; it is charged at each renewal

Recommended: Manual payments for your first client. It needs no Stripe account and works today. New clients start on Manual payments unless the agency owner sets New clients pay by to a Stripe option on the Stripe tab, and you can move a client to Stripe at any time on its Billing page.

The first period is always billed as a payment request with a payment page. If your Stripe account is taking payments, that page also offers Pay by card, so a card payment works from day one even on manual payments. See Manual payments or Stripe: which should you use?

3. The plan you start with

A plan is a monthly price with included minutes, and optionally overflow minutes and chats. Here is a plan many agencies start with, as you would enter it:

Field	Example	Why
Name	Growth 500	The client sees this name on emails and their Billing page.
Monthly price	99	The amount of each period’s payment request, in the plan’s currency.
Currency	GBP	Pre-selected from your Default currency. It is fixed once a client is on the plan.
Included minutes per month	500	Minutes the client can use each period across all their agents.
Overflow minutes	100	A buffer after the included minutes. The form suggests 10% to 20% of the included minutes.
Overflow price per minute (optional)	0.20	Empty makes overflow a free safety buffer. With a price, overflow used is billed at renewal.
Rounding	Per second (the default)	How each call’s length is rounded up. Per started minute turns a 61-second call into 2 minutes.
Unused minutes	Expire at renewal (the default)	Or let them roll over for one period, or keep banking up to a cap.
Trial minutes on first assignment (optional)	Empty	Extra minutes given once, the first time a client gets the plan.

A month on this plan, in numbers:

The client uses	They pay
420 minutes	£99.00, the plan price. 80 included minutes are unused and expire at renewal.
500 minutes	£99.00. Overflow starts after this.
560 minutes	£99.00, plus 60 overflow minutes at £0.20 = £12.00, billed at renewal. £111.00 in total.
650 minutes, on Track only	£99.00, plus 100 overflow minutes (£20.00) plus 50 minutes over the limit at the overflow price (£10.00). £129.00 in total.

On Track and enforce, new calls would stop once the 100 overflow minutes are used, so that last month would end at about £119.00 (calls already in progress finish, and their extra time is billed the same way). Until our team turns on provider changes for the client, inbound calls carry on, so inbound time past the limit keeps being billed at the overflow price.

If your clients also use web chat or WhatsApp, add a chat allowance to the same plan. See Bill your clients for chats and Sell voice, WhatsApp and web chat bundles. For every plan field, see Create client plans.

4. Whether to show billing to the client

Choose	When	What the client sees
On	Clients with a portal login. The usage emails link to the client’s Billing page, so they need it to follow the link.	A Billing page in their menu with their plan, minutes left, chats, payments and how to pay. Shown to billing contacts only.
Off	Clients who only use the emails you send, or you would rather they only see what you email them	No Billing page. Payment emails still reach them, and their payment page opens without a login.

You set it per client, and the agency switch Show billing to clients sets the starting value for clients you switch on later.

5. The settings to change

Change Default currency (USD until you change it), Payment terms if 7 days is not what you agreed, and your bank details, and leave everything else on its default. Set up client billing explains every setting.

Bill your first client, step by step

1. Switch client billing on (agency owner)

   In your agency menu, select Client billing, then the Settings tab. Turn on Client billing at the top of the page.

   It saves straight away and reads On. Each client follows its own setting in Client settings (Off by default). No client is metered, emailed or blocked yet.

2. Set your currency, payment terms and payment details (agency owner)

   On the same page:

   • In Defaults for clients, set Default currency, for example GBP.
   • Turn on Show billing to clients if you chose to show billing in decision 4.
   • In Calls and payments, check Payment terms. 7 days means each payment is due at the end of the seventh day after it is raised, in the client’s timezone.
   • In How clients pay you, fill in the bank details your clients use: Account name, Bank, Sort code and Account number for UK accounts, IBAN and BIC / SWIFT for international payments, or Routing number (US).

   Select Save settings at the bottom of the page. You see Settings saved. To send numbered PDF invoices from the portal as well, see Get paid without Stripe.

3. Connect Stripe (agency owner, optional)

   To take card payments or send Stripe invoices, the owner connects Stripe on the Stripe tab. Your first client works without it, so start it now and carry on while Stripe checks your details. See Connect Stripe.

4. Create your first plan

   Open the Plans tab and select New plan. Fill in the fields from decision 3 and select Create plan.

   You see Plan created, and the plan appears in the list with its price, for example £99.00/mo, its included minutes and its overflow.

5. Switch billing on for the client

   In your agency menu, select Clients and open the client. In the Agency only box, select Client settings, then scroll to Client billing, or select Client billing in the section menu. Under Billing for this client, select Track only.

   The Switch billing on dialog opens. Choose your plan in Plan and select Switch on. You see Billing is on for this client.

   At that moment:

   • The plan’s first period starts today, and the plan renews on the same day each month, at midnight in the client’s timezone. A plan started on the 29th, 30th or 31st renews on the last day of shorter months.
   • Calls and chats are counted from now on. Nothing from before is billed.
   • The first payment request is created for the plan price, and emailed to the client’s billing contacts if it has any.
   • The Client billing section now shows Show billing to the client, Billing email addresses, Invoice to and the client’s Options.

   Because you chose Track only, the overflow emails and banners tell the client calls continue after the overflow runs out. They say calls stop only for clients on Track and enforce.

6. Add who pays

   Still in Client billing, under Billing email addresses, enter the email of the person who pays, such as the owner or the accounts inbox, and select Add. You can add up to 3. These addresses get every billing email with a link to pay, and need no login.

   Then:

   • Turn on Show billing to the client if you chose to show billing and it is not on already.
   • If you issue invoices from the portal, fill in Invoice to and select Save invoice details.
   • Leave the Options on Agency default.

   If the person who pays has a client login, you can instead turn on Billing contact next to them under Users with access on the same page. Do that before step 5 and the first payment email goes out by itself. See Invite a client user.

7. Send the first payment request

   In the Agency only box, select Billing. In Payments, you see the request: Plan, a description such as “Growth 500, 3 Nov to 3 Dec 2026”, the amount, the due date, the status Due and a reference such as PR-1A2B3C4D.

   Select the row’s actions button, then Send reminder. You see Reminder sent: the payment email has gone to the addresses from step 6. The same dialog has:

   • Copy payment link: to send the payment page yourself, by text or chat.
   • Open payment page: to see exactly what the client sees.

8. Choose Stripe for this client (optional)

   If your Stripe account is taking payments and this client should pay through Stripe, open How this client pays on the same Billing page and choose Collection:

   • Stripe invoices: Stripe invoices the client from the next renewal. This first period stays the payment request you already sent.
   • Card (automatic): select Copy card setup link and send it to the client. The link works for 24 hours. When the client adds a card, it pays this first period’s request and renews by card from then on.

   See Connect Stripe.

9. See what your client sees

   In the Agency only box, select View as client and open Billing. You see the client’s Billing page exactly as a billing contact does, read only. This works while Show billing to the client is on.

Test it on yourself first

Switch a test client on with a plan, add a billing email address you can read, such as a second address of your own, then select Send reminder on its payment. You receive the same payment email and payment page your clients will. With Stripe connected, pay the payment link with your own card, then refund it in your Stripe Dashboard and select Undo payment on the payment in the portal. Switch the test client back to Off when you are done: balances and history are kept.

What your client receives

A payment email such as Payment of £99.00 due by 10 Nov 2026, with your bank details, the reference and a View and pay button. It opens a payment page that needs no login, where the client can copy your bank details, pay by card when Stripe is taking payments, or select I’ve paid. When you mark the payment paid, they get Payment received: £99.00. See Client billing for your clients for every email and screen.

When the client pays

1. Bank transfer, cash or anything outside the portal

   On the client’s Billing page, in Payments, select the row’s actions button, then Record a payment. Check Amount received, choose Paid by and select Mark as paid. You can also select Mark as paid on the Payments due tab under Client billing, which lists every client’s open payments.

   The status changes to Paid and the client gets the Payment received email. If less arrived than was due, enter the amount received and select Record part payment: the request stays open for the rest.

2. Card through the payment page or Stripe

   Nothing to do. The payment is marked paid by itself and shows Paid in Stripe.

3. The client says they have paid

   You get an email, and the payment shows Client says paid. Reminders pause for 5 days while you check your bank. Then mark it paid as in the first step.

See Get paid without Stripe for part payments, bank statement matching and undoing a payment.

Your first month, day by day

This example switches on a client in London on Tuesday 3 November 2026, on Growth 500 at £99 a month, with 7-day payment terms and the default reminders.

When	What happens	Who hears
3 Nov	The period 3 Nov to 3 Dec 2026 starts with 500 minutes and 100 overflow minutes. A Plan payment request for £99.00 is raised, due 10 Nov 2026. You add who pays and send it.	The client gets the payment email. Your team gets an email that the client is on the plan.
Every minute	New calls and chats are read from the client’s provider account and counted against the plan.	You see them on the client’s Billing page and the Overview tab.
7 Nov	The “3 days before” reminder, if the payment is still unpaid.	The client.
10 Nov	The payment is due by the end of the day, London time. The “on the due date” reminder arrives this morning.	The client.
From 11 Nov	Still unpaid: the payment shows Overdue, and the Payments due tab shows a count. Reminders follow at 3 and 7 days after the due date.	The client gets each reminder. Your team hears that it is overdue.
At 400 minutes used	The 80% usage warning, and a banner on the client’s pages.	The client and your team.
At 500 minutes used	Overflow starts. On Track only, calls carry on whatever happens, even past the overflow.	The client and your team.
At 80 overflow minutes used	The overflow warning.	Your team only.
30 Nov	The renewal reminder.	The client.
3 Dec, at midnight	Renewal. The next period starts with 500 new minutes, unused minutes expire, and a new £99.00 Plan request is raised, due 10 Dec. Any overflow used is billed as an Overflow minutes request, for example £12.00 for 60 minutes.	The client gets the payment emails.

Reminders are sent by a daily run early each morning (UTC), and each one arrives on its day in the client’s timezone. A reminder is never sent once the payment is paid.

Want one email a month instead?

Turn on Monthly statement on the Settings tab. At each renewal, clients on manual payments get one email with what their agents did last period and the payments now due, in place of separate payment emails. Turn on Daily summary for your team for one morning email in place of a payment email to your team for each event.

After the first period: switch to Track and enforce

Once you have seen a full period of real usage and the plan fits, you can let the portal stop calls at the limit:

1. Ask us to turn on provider changes for the client. Inbound calls and text are refused once our team turns on provider changes for the client, on request. Until then they are counted. Asking at setup means it is ready in time.

2. Check the client has room to grow: overflow on the plan, a minute pack they can buy, or both.

3. In the client’s Client settings, under Billing for this client, select Track and enforce.

4. Read the Stop calls when minutes run out? dialog and select Turn on Track and enforce. You see Track and enforce is on.

Read When minutes run out first: it explains exactly what stops on ElevenLabs, Retell AI and Vapi, and what callers hear.

If something goes wrong

What you see	What to do
No Client billing in your agency menu	It shows for agency owners and admins. Ask your owner to change your role. See Team and roles.
The Settings tab is greyed out with Only the agency owner can change these settings.	Ask your agency owner to do steps 1 to 3. Admins can do everything from step 4 on.
The client’s Client billing section says Client billing is switched off for your agency.	Select Switch it on, or turn on Client billing on the Settings tab.
The Switch billing on dialog only offers No plan: minute packs only	You have no plan yet. Create one on the Plans tab, then try again.
“An agent of this client is also used by…”	Each agent can belong to one billed client. Remove the agent from one of the two clients in Client settings, then switch billing on.
The client did not get the payment email	Check the client has an address under Billing email addresses or a Billing contact under Users with access, and that Billing emails to the client is on. Then select Send reminder on the payment. Ask the client to check their spam folder too.
Send reminder says “No reminder sent: this client has no billing contacts, or billing emails to the client are off.”	Add a billing email address or a billing contact, then try again.
A client on Track only hasn’t paid	Switch it to Track and enforce, then select Pause calls on its Billing page. Outbound calls and campaigns stop straight away. Inbound calls also need provider changes, turned on by our team on request.
You switched the client on with the wrong plan	On the client’s Billing page, select Change plan. A plan with more minutes or a higher price starts today, with its own payment request; a smaller plan starts at renewal. Select Void request on any payment the client should no longer pay.
Billing emails come from the platform’s address	Set up your own email domain so clients see your name. See Configure custom email.
The client wants to see their minutes but has no Billing page	Turn on Show billing to the client in Client billing, and make the client user a Billing contact.

More answers are in Client billing questions answered.

Related

• Client billing overview
• Set up client billing
• Create client plans
• Manual payments or Stripe: which should you use?
• Get paid without Stripe
• Connect Stripe
• Bill a client
• When minutes run out
• Client billing for your clients
• Client billing questions answered
• Product page: Client billing