Billing Overview
Overview
DM Champ uses a subscription + credits billing model. Your subscription gives you access to the platform and determines your feature limits. Credits are the currency that powers AI responses, outgoing campaigns, and channel connections.
Subscription Plans
Your subscription plan is managed in the Billing tab. It determines:
The number of contacts and campaigns you can have.
Which features are available to you (e.g., webhooks, API access, white-labeling).
Your AI response limits per chat.
How many free AI credits you receive each month.
For a detailed breakdown of what each plan includes, see Subscription Tiers.
Credit System Explained
Credits are the core unit of usage in DM Champ. Think of credits like prepaid minutes on a phone plan - each action your account performs uses a set number of credits. Here is how they work:
AI Credits
Credits are deducted when the AI "thinks" - meaning when it processes messages and generates a response. They are not charged for every individual message sent or received.
Example: A contact sends you 5 messages in a row. When the AI processes all of those messages and generates a single response, that costs 1 credit. It does not matter how many messages the contact sent or how many messages the AI sends back in its response - it is 1 credit per AI response cycle.
Outgoing Campaigns
When you launch an outgoing campaign, the first message to each contact costs 1 credit per contact.
Example: You send a campaign to 100 contacts. That costs 100 credits for the initial outreach. Subsequent AI responses in those conversations follow the standard AI credit pricing (1 credit per response cycle).
Channel Connections
Each connected channel costs 50 credits per month ($5.00). This applies to:
Phone numbers (Twilio or Telnyx)
WhatsApp Web connections
Instagram connections
Facebook Messenger connections
This is an infrastructure fee that covers messaging delivery costs and is charged regardless of usage.
AI Tool Usage
When the AI uses tools during a conversation (such as booking an appointment, checking availability, performing a web search, or executing a custom function), each tool call costs 1 credit.
Adding Credits
To add credits to your account:
Click Add Credits in the billing section or the credit counter in the top navigation.
Choose the number of credits you want to purchase.
Complete the payment.
Credit pricing: Each credit costs 10 cents ($0.10 USD).
Auto-Recharge
Auto-recharge ensures you never run out of credits unexpectedly:
Go to Billing or your account settings.
Enable Auto-Recharge.
Configure:
When balance falls below - Set the threshold that triggers a recharge (e.g., when credits drop below 50).
Add this many credits - Set how many credits to purchase automatically (e.g., add 200 credits).
Make sure you have a payment method on file.
When your credit balance drops below the threshold, DM Champ automatically purchases the specified number of credits using your saved payment method.
Monthly Free Credits
Depending on your subscription tier, you receive free AI credits every month:
Starter
50
Growth
200
Scale
500
Agency
1,000
These credits are automatically added to your account at the start of each billing cycle. Unused free credits do not roll over to the next month.
What Happens When Credits Run Out
When your credit balance reaches zero:
The AI stops responding to messages. Contacts can still send messages, and they will be stored, but the bot will not generate replies.
Outgoing campaigns cannot be launched.
Channel connections remain active (they are billed monthly, not per-message).
To restore AI functionality, either add credits manually or enable auto-recharge to prevent future interruptions.
Payment Methods
DM Champ accepts credit and debit cards via Stripe (our secure payment processor). To add or update your payment method:
Go to Billing.
Click Manage Payment Method or Add Credit Card.
Enter your card details through the secure Stripe checkout. Your card information is handled entirely by Stripe and is never stored on DM Champ servers.
Invoices and Payment History
To view your billing history:
Go to Billing.
Click Manage Subscription or Customer Portal.
The Stripe customer portal opens in a new window and shows:
All past invoices and payment receipts.
Your subscription details and renewal dates.
Options to update your payment method.
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
If your subscription includes BYOK (available on Scale and Agency tiers), you can connect your own AI provider account - such as Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google Gemini - instead of using DM Champ's built-in AI credits. Think of it like bringing your own phone plan instead of paying per minute.
When BYOK is active:
All AI-related features are free of credit charges - no credits are deducted for AI responses, tool usage, campaign optimization, FAQ generation, or any other AI operation. You pay the AI provider directly through your own account with them.
Channel connection fees still apply - the monthly 50-credit fee per connection covers messaging infrastructure costs and is not affected by BYOK.
This is ideal for high-volume users who want predictable costs through their own AI provider billing.
First Month Free
New accounts receive free AI credits for the first 30 days. During this period, AI operations do not deduct credits from your balance, giving you time to set up campaigns and test the platform without worrying about credit costs.
Need Help?
If you have billing questions or need help with credits, reach out via our help form.
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