# Source: https://docs.runpod.io/references/billing-information.md


> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.runpod.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.


## Billing information

> Understand how billing works for Pods, storage, network volumes, refunds, and spending limits.

All billing, including per-hour compute and storage billing, is charged per minute.

## How billing works

Every Pod has an hourly cost based on [GPU type](/references/gpu-types). Your Runpod credits are charged every minute the Pod is running. If you run out of credits, your Pods are automatically stopped and you'll receive an email notification. Pods are eventually terminated if you don't refill your credits.

<Important>
  Runpod pre-emptively stops all your Pods when your account balance is projected to cover less than 10 minutes of remaining runtime. This ensures your account retains a small balance to help preserve your data volumes. If your balance is completely drained, all Pods are subject to deletion. Setting up [automatic payments](https://www.console.runpod.io/user/billing) is recommended to avoid service interruptions.
</Important>

You must have at least one hour's worth of runtime in your balance to rent a Pod at your given spec. If your balance is insufficient, consider renting the Pod on Spot, depositing additional funds, or lowering your GPU spec requirements.

## Storage billing

Storage billing varies depending on Pod state. Running Pods are charged \$0.10 per GB per month for all storage, while stopped Pods are charged \$0.20 per GB per month for volume storage.

Storage is charged per minute. You are not charged for storage if the host machine is down or unavailable from the public internet.

## Network volume billing

Network volumes are billed hourly based on storage size. For storage below 1TB, you'll pay \$0.07 per GB per month. Above 1TB, the rate drops to \$0.05 per GB per month.

Network volumes are hosted on storage servers located in the same datacenters where you rent GPU servers. These servers are connected via a high-speed local network (25Gbps to 200Gbps depending on location) and use NVME SSDs for storage.

<Warning>
  If your machine-based storage or network volume is terminated due to lack of funds, that disk space is immediately freed up for use by other clients. Runpod cannot assist in recovering lost storage. Runpod is not designed as a cloud storage system—storage is provided to support running tasks on GPUs. Back up critical data regularly to your local machine or a dedicated cloud storage provider.
</Warning>

## Refunds and withdrawals

Runpod does not offer the option to withdraw your unused balance after depositing funds. When you add funds to your Runpod account, credits are non-refundable and can only be used for Runpod services. Only deposit the amount you intend to use.

If you aren't sure if Runpod is right for you, you can load as little as \$10 into your account to try things out. Visit the [Discord community](https://discord.gg/pJ3P2DbUUq) to ask questions or email [help@runpod.io](mailto:help@runpod.io). Refunds and trial credits are not currently offered due to processing overhead.

If you have questions about billing or need assistance planning your Runpod expenses, contact support at [help@runpod.io](mailto:help@runpod.io).

## Spending limits

Spending limits are implemented for newer accounts to prevent fraud. These limits grow over time and should not impact normal usage. If you need an increased spending limit, [contact support](https://www.runpod.io/contact) and share your use case.

### Payment methods

Runpod accepts several payment methods for funding your account:

1. **Credit Card**: You can use your credit card to fund your Runpod account. However, be aware that card declines are more common than you might think, and the reasons for them might not always be clear. If you're using a prepaid card, it's recommended to deposit in transactions of at least \$100 to avoid unexpected blocks due to Stripe's minimums for prepaid cards. For more information, review [cards accepted by Stripe](https://stripe.com/docs/payments/cards/supported-card-brands?ref=blog.runpod.io).

2) **Crypto Payments**: Runpod also accepts crypto payments. It's recommended to set up a [crypto.com](https://crypto.com/?ref=blog.runpod.io) account and go through any KYC checks they may require ahead of time. This provides an alternate way of funding your account in case you run into issues with card payment.

3. **Business Invoicing**: For large transactions (over \$5,000), Runpod offers business invoicing through ACH, credit card, and local and international wire transfers.

If you're having trouble with your card payments, you can contact [Runpod support](https://www.runpod.io/contact) for assistance.