Billing Management

Effective billing management ensures uninterrupted access to Aethera’s AI capabilities while maintaining cost control and administrative efficiency. Understanding payment methods, billing cycles, and account administration helps you optimize your subscription experience.

Payment and Billing

Payment Methods

Supported Payment Types:

Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
Debit Cards: Bank-issued debit cards with major network logos
Secure Processing: PCI-DSS compliant payment processing for maximum security
International Support: Global payment processing for worldwide access

Payment Security:

Encryption: All payment data encrypted in transit and at rest
Compliance: Full PCI compliance for payment card industry standards
Fraud Protection: Advanced fraud detection and prevention systems
Data Protection: Payment information never stored on Aethera servers

Aethera uses industry-leading payment processing to ensure your financial information remains secure while providing reliable billing services.

Billing Cycles

Monthly Billing:

Charge Date: Same date each month as your initial subscription
Credit Allocation: Full monthly credits granted at billing cycle start
Invoice Generation: Automatic invoice creation and delivery
Payment Processing: Automatic charge to your selected payment method

Yearly Billing:

Annual Charge: Single payment for entire year with significant savings
Monthly Credits: Credits distributed monthly despite annual payment
Pro-rated Changes: Mid-year plan changes handled proportionally
Renewal Management: Automatic renewal with advance notification

Billing Date Management:

Consistent Dates: Billing occurs on the same calendar date monthly
Leap Year Handling: February billing dates adjusted appropriately
Month-End Dates: Billing dates at month-end adjust for shorter months
Holiday Processing: Billing processed on next business day when needed

Account Administration

Accessing Billing Settings

Navigate to Settings

Go to your account settings from the main navigation or user menu.

Select Billing Tab

Click on the “Billing” tab to access all billing-related settings and information.

Review Current Plan

Check your current subscription tier, billing cycle, and next billing date.

Manage Payment Methods

Add, update, or remove payment methods as needed.

View Usage and History

Access usage reports, billing history, and invoice downloads.

Billing Information Display

Current Plan Overview:

Subscription Tier: Your current tier (Free, Tier 1-7)
Billing Cycle: Monthly or yearly billing frequency
Next Billing Date: When your next payment will be processed
Current Period: Start and end dates of your current billing cycle

Credit Information:

Monthly Allocation: Total credits provided each month for your tier
Current Balance: Remaining credits for the current billing cycle
Usage Summary: Credits consumed and remaining for the current period
Reset Date: When your credits will refresh to full allocation

Payment Details:

Payment Method: Currently active payment method (masked for security)
Billing Address: Associated billing address information
Currency: Billing currency and regional settings
Tax Information: Applicable taxes and tax-exempt status if relevant

Managing Payment Methods

Adding Payment Methods:

Card Information: Enter card number, expiry date, and security code
Billing Address: Provide complete billing address for verification
Verification: Automatic card verification before saving
Default Setting: Option to set as default payment method

Updating Payment Information:

Card Updates: Change card details for existing payment methods
Address Changes: Update billing address information
Expiry Management: Automatic notifications for expiring cards
Verification Requirements: Re-verification may be required for security

Removing Payment Methods:

Active Method Protection: Cannot remove the last active payment method
Backup Methods: Maintain backup payment methods for reliability
Automatic Cleanup: Expired cards automatically removed after replacement
Security Measures: Secure deletion of payment information

Plan Management

Subscription Changes

Upgrading Your Plan:

Immediate Access: Upgraded features and credit allocation available instantly
Prorated Billing: Only pay the difference for the current billing period
Credit Adjustment: Receive additional credits proportional to remaining billing period
Seamless Transition: No interruption to service during upgrades

Downgrading Your Plan:

End-of-Cycle Changes: Downgrades typically effective at next billing cycle
Credit Management: Current credit balance maintained until next cycle
Advance Notice: Confirmation of downgrade effective date
Flexible Options: Can upgrade again immediately if needs change

Plan Comparison Tools:

Tier Comparison: Side-by-side comparison of tier features and credits
Usage Analysis: Recommendations based on current usage patterns
Cost Calculator: Estimate costs for different tier and billing cycle combinations
Migration Guidance: Personalized recommendations for optimal tier selection

Cancellation Management

Subscription Cancellation:

End-of-Cycle Cancellation: Service continues until current billing period ends
Immediate Cancellation: Option for immediate cancellation with pro-rated refund policies
Data Retention: Account data preserved for potential future reactivation
Confirmation Process: Clear confirmation steps to prevent accidental cancellation

Cancellation Effects:

Feature Access: Continued access to paid features until billing period ends
Credit Usage: Ability to use remaining credits until expiration
Data Access: Continued access to created content and data
Reactivation Options: Easy reactivation process for returning users

Consider downgrading to a lower tier instead of canceling if your usage has decreased. This maintains access to your data and account while reducing costs.

Invoice and Receipt Management

Invoice Generation

Automatic Invoicing:

Invoice Creation: Automatic invoice generation at each billing cycle
Detailed Breakdown: Line-item details for all charges and credits
Tax Calculation: Automatic tax calculation based on billing address
Currency Conversion: Invoices in your local currency when supported

Invoice Delivery:

Email Delivery: Automatic email delivery to account email address
Portal Access: Invoice access through your account billing section
PDF Download: High-quality PDF invoices for record keeping
Historical Access: Complete billing history available in your account

Receipt and Record Keeping

Receipt Information:

Payment Confirmation: Immediate receipt for successful payments
Transaction Details: Complete transaction information and reference numbers
Business Records: Professional invoices suitable for business accounting
Tax Documentation: Appropriate tax information for business expense reporting

Record Management:

Download Options: Easy download of invoices and receipts
Bulk Downloads: Download multiple billing documents simultaneously
Export Formats: PDF and CSV export options for accounting systems
Long-term Storage: Historical billing information preserved indefinitely

Billing Support and Assistance

Common Billing Issues

Payment Failures:

Card Declined: Instructions for resolving declined payment issues
Expired Cards: Automatic notifications and update procedures
Insufficient Funds: Retry policies and notification procedures
Fraud Holds: Working with card issuers to resolve fraud protection holds

Billing Disputes:

Charge Questions: Process for questioning billing charges
Refund Requests: Policies and procedures for refund requests
Proration Issues: Resolution of billing proration questions
Tax Questions: Assistance with tax-related billing questions

Support Resources

Self-Service Options:

Billing FAQ: Comprehensive answers to common billing questions
Account Tools: Self-service tools for common billing tasks
Usage Reports: Detailed reports to understand credit consumption
Plan Recommendations: Automated recommendations based on usage patterns

Direct Support:

Billing Support: Dedicated support for billing and payment questions
Live Chat: Real-time assistance for urgent billing issues
Email Support: Detailed assistance for complex billing questions
Phone Support: Direct phone support for billing emergencies

⚠️

Keep your payment information up to date to avoid service interruptions. Aethera will notify you before billing failures, but maintaining current payment methods ensures uninterrupted AI access.

Advanced Billing Features

Team and Organization Billing

Centralized Billing:

Single Payment Point: One payment method for entire team or organization
Consolidated Invoicing: Single invoice covering all team members
Administrative Control: Centralized billing management and oversight
Usage Monitoring: Team-wide usage tracking and reporting

Seat Management:

Dynamic Seat Allocation: Add and remove team members as needed
Prorated Billing: Fair billing for mid-cycle team changes
Usage Tracking: Individual team member usage monitoring
Cost Allocation: Tools for allocating costs across departments or projects

Enterprise Billing Options

Volume Discounts:

Tier Discounts: Potential discounts for higher-tier subscriptions
Team Size Discounts: Volume pricing for large team deployments
Annual Commitment: Additional savings for annual billing commitments
Enterprise Negotiations: Custom pricing for large enterprise deployments

Advanced Payment Options:

Purchase Orders: Support for enterprise purchase order processes
Invoice Billing: Net payment terms for qualifying organizations
Multi-Currency: Billing in local currencies for international organizations
Tax Exemption: Support for tax-exempt organizations with proper documentation

Effective billing management ensures your Aethera subscription remains current and cost-effective while providing the administrative tools needed for individual and team usage optimization.