API Billing behaviour

Goxy · November 8, 2025, 1:56pm

I am integrating Kimi API and need a clear understanding of the billing behavior once my pre-paid balance is depleted.

When my account balance hits zero from API usage, what is the specific process?

Does the system automatically charge my linked credit card to top up the balance, allowing uninterrupted service?
Or, does the system allow my balance to go into a negative value (accrue debt) before charging the card at the end of the billing cycle?

Best regards!

yuikns · November 8, 2025, 5:03pm

Dear Goxy,

Thank you for your inquiry about our billing process. Here is a simple explanation of how Moonshot AI handles account balance depletion:

Moonshot AI operates on a prepaid-only model. The system does not automatically charge your linked credit card to top up your balance.

Billing Confirmation Period: After each API call, billing information enters a short confirmation period (a few minutes) before being deducted from your balance. During this window, you can continue making API calls even if your usage exceeds your current visible balance.
Service Suspension at Zero: When all pending charges are confirmed and your balance officially reaches zero, the system immediately suspends service. New API requests will be rejected with this error:
```
{
    "error": {
        "type": "exceeded_current_quota_error",
        "message": "Your account {organization-id}<{ak-id}> is suspended, please check your plan and billing details"
    }
}
```
Post-Suspension Charges & Negative Balance: After suspension, any remaining charges from calls made during the confirmation period will still be processed. This may result in a negative balance on paper only—this is not actual debt. The system will not attempt to collect this negative amount or charge your credit card.
Restoring Service: To resume API access, you may manually recharge your account to bring the balance back to a positive value. No automatic charging occurs at any point.

Best regards