Prepaid wallet vs. postpaid billing — how does Lava work?

Prepaid Wallet Model

Lava uses a prepaid wallet system. Users fund their wallet before consuming AI services, and usage is deducted in real time as API calls are made.

Why prepaid?

• No surprise bills. Users control exactly how much they spend by loading credits up front.
• Instant settlement. Merchants see revenue immediately — no waiting 30–60 days for invoices to clear.
• Fraud protection. Since funds are already deposited, there is zero risk of chargebacks on usage.
• Simpler for agents. AI agents making thousands of micro-calls per day can operate without credit checks or invoice thresholds.

Can users set up autopay?

Yes. Users can enable autopay to automatically reload their wallet when the balance drops below a configurable threshold. This gives the convenience of postpaid billing while retaining the safety of prepaid.

Do you support postpaid or invoicing?

Not currently. Lava's architecture is purpose-built around prepaid credits because it is better suited for high-frequency, variable AI usage. Traditional postpaid invoicing (net-30/net-60) introduces credit risk, delayed settlement, and complexity that does not align with real-time AI billing.

What about subscriptions?

Lava supports subscriptions with included credits. Merchants can configure subscription tiers that grant a monthly credit allowance. Usage beyond the allowance is deducted from the wallet balance, combining predictable pricing with usage flexibility.