Credit-based billing
Gladia uses a credit-based model with a prepaid wallet for Free, Starter, and Pro plans. Pricing is unchanged — per-hour rates for pre-recorded and real-time transcription stay the same.
Who is affected?
Credit-based billing applies to Free, Starter, and Pro plans.
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.
Free plan
New Free accounts 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.
These free credits are one-shot: once consumed, they do not renew. There is no monthly refresh of the €50 grant. After they run out, top up your wallet or upgrade to a paid plan to continue.
Starter and Pro plans
Paid self-serve plans use a prepaid credit wallet. You can add credits manually or enable auto top-up.
Auto top-up defaults
When auto top-up is enabled without custom settings, typical default rules based on recent spend are:
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€
You can change the threshold, top-up amount, or disable auto top-up anytime in the Developer Console.
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. Credit-based billing applies to Free, Starter, and Pro plans only. Growth and On-demand (Custom) accounts keep their existing billing arrangements.
Do Free plan credits renew every month?
No. The €50 Free grant is one-time. Once used, it is not replenished automatically.
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.
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. Free accounts can upgrade to a paid plan to continue.
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.
Questions? Contact support from your dashboard or via your usual support channel.