Credit-based billing
Gladia is moving from subscription billing (monthly invoice at end of cycle) to a credit-based model with a prepaid wallet. Pricing is unchanged — per-hour rates for pre-recorded and real-time transcription stay the same.
Who is affected?
This migration applies to Free, Starter, and Pro plans only.
Growth and On-demand accounts (also referred to as Custom) are not affected. Their billing model and contracts stay unchanged.
How it works
Prepaid credits — Purchase credits upfront; they are consumed as you use the API.
Real-time wallet — Your Developer Console shows your credit balance at all times.
Manual or automatic top-up — Add credits whenever you want, or enable auto top-up to refill when your balance drops below a threshold you set.
Notifications — You receive alerts for low balance, automatic top-ups, and failed payments.
API keys, endpoints, SDKs, and integrations are unchanged. There is no service disruption during the migration.
Migration timeline
Starter and Pro plans
Pro plans currently use anniversary billing: your card is charged at the end of each cycle for usage during that period. After migration, billing moves to a prepaid credit wallet.
Phase 1 — Early access (July 6)
The new billing interface is available in the Developer Console.
Auto top-up is enabled by default to avoid interruption to API access.
You can add credits and configure auto top-up (threshold, amount, enable/disable).
Phase 2 — Wallet provisioning (July 15)
Accounts without custom settings get auto top-up enabled by default.
Default rules, based on your last invoice:
Below 10€: no auto top-up
Between 10€ and 50€: 10€ topped up when balance drops below 5€
Above 50€: 50€ topped up when balance drops below 10€
A first top-up is triggered at this stage.
Phase 3 — Full migration (July 20)
Remaining accounts are migrated to the credit wallet.
You receive a final subscription invoice, then credits are consumed based on API usage.
Free plan
The Free plan currently includes 10 hours of transcription per month (monthly renewal). Under credit-based billing, you receive a one-time grant of 50€ in credits — roughly 80+ hours of pre-recorded or 60+ hours of real-time transcription at current rates. After that, top up your wallet or upgrade to Pro to continue.
Phase 1 — New interface and free credits (July 6)
The billing interface shows 50€ of free credits in your wallet.
You can view your balance and add credits if you upgrade to Pro.
Credits are not consumed yet — API access works as before.
Phase 2 — Credits go live (July 20)
Credits begin to be consumed based on API usage.
When free credits run out, top up or upgrade to Pro to keep using the API.
Auto top-up
Auto top-up adds credits to your wallet when your balance falls below a threshold. It charges your saved payment method. Configure threshold, top-up amount, or disable it anytime in the Developer Console.
FAQ
Are Growth or On-demand (Custom) accounts affected?
No. This migration applies to Free, Starter, and Pro plans only. Growth and On-demand (Custom) accounts keep their existing billing arrangements.
Do API prices change?
No. Per-hour rates are the same.
Do I need to update API keys, SDKs, or integrations?
No. Nothing changes technically.
Will I lose access during migration?
No. Free accounts receive 50€ on July 6 (consumption starts July 20). Starter/Pro accounts stay operational with auto top-up enabled by default.
What if my wallet runs out of credits?
API access pauses until you add credits. With auto top-up enabled, refill is automatic; you can also top up manually.
Do I need to re-enter my credit card?
No. Existing payment methods are carried over.
Where are my past invoices?
All previous invoices remain in your dashboard.
Can I switch back to subscription billing?
No. Credit-based billing replaces subscription billing for Free, Starter, and Pro plans.
Questions? Contact support from your dashboard or via your usual support channel.