# Payment & Billing

This page provides detailed information on the payment mechanism, service pricing logic, and a guide to the features available on your Payment & Billing page.

***

### Payment & Billing Mechanism

All transactions and service usage costs on Pictor are managed through your **Credit Balance**.

#### Payment Mechanism

* **Credit Top-up**: You purchase Credits to load into your Pictor account. The base exchange rate is 1 USD = 1 Credit and 1 USDT = 1 Credit.
* **Payment Methods**: We support top-ups via two main methods:
  * **Crypto Payment** (USDT): You can deposit USDT directly from your Web3 wallet, which is used for account login.
  * **Fiat Payment** (USD): You can top up USD via PayPal.
* **Credit Deduction**: Costs for using services (3D Rendering and GPU Renting) are deducted directly from your Credit Balance.

#### Billing Overview

* **Transaction History**: Recording all activities affecting your credit balance, including:
  * **Payment**: Credit purchases (top-ups).
  * **Charge**: Credit spent on services (e.g., 3D rendering, GPU renting).
  * **Promotion**: Credits received through promotional programs or top-up bonuses.
  * **Refunds** and other balance adjustments.
* **Invoice**: Every recorded activity includes an attached **Invoice**, allowing you to download the transaction details.

***

### Service Pricing Logic

The two main services on Pictor utilize different billing mechanisms with distinct cost components:

#### 1. 3D Rendering Service 

This service uses the P**ost-Payment per Completed Task** mechanism.

* **Billing Point**: Credits are deducted immediately after each Task within a Job is successfully completed.
* **Cost Components**: The price is based on the total Compute resources (*GPU, CPU, RAM, Storage, and Rendering Time*) consumed to complete that specific Task.
* **Insufficient Credit Handling**:
  * If your Credit Balance is insufficient to cover the next completed Task, the Job will be paused automatically.
  * You can resume the paused job once you have added enough credits to your account.

#### 2. GPU Renting Service

This service uses the **Pre-Payment per Rental Period** mechanism, which requires upfront payment for the chosen rental period. 

GPU Renting costs are divided into two main components:

* **Compute**: Cost for machine resources (GPU, VRAM, CPU, and RAM)
* **Storage**: Cost for disk data storage on the Instance

**⚠️ Billing Rules:**

* **Running Instance**: You are charged both the Compute Fee and the Storage Fee.
* **Stopped/Paused Instance**: You are NOT charged the Compute Fee, but you are STILL charged the Storage Fee for the allocated disk capacity.

**🚨 Termination Policy:**

* If your Credit Balance reaches 0, regardless of the instance status (Running or Paused), the instance will be **TERMINATED** (completely destroyed/deleted). The instance and all its contents (most importantly, the data) will be permanently lost.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Warning**:

* Pictor will send notifications if you have enabled **Low Balance and Low Remaining Tim**e alerts in the [account settings](https://app.pictor.network/setting) page.
* You need to recharge credits to avoid machine termination or take necessary actions, such as backing up data.
  {% endhint %}

***

### Payment & Billing Page

The Payment & Billing page in your account at [Pictor App](https://app.pictor.network/) is divided into three main tabs: Payment, Billing, and Invoice Settings.

<figure><img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FkEwIzEFL1CEAjcvPnCKU%2FPictor_Payment%20%26%20Billing%20page.png?alt=media&#x26;token=422fca72-d456-4258-b1f2-c6243b03c447" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 1. Payment Tab&#x20;

🔹 The payment tab is where you manage your Credit Balance and purchase more credits.

* **Credits Balance**: Displays your current total Credit balance.
* **Crypto Payment / Fiat Payment**: Select your preferred payment method $$\implies$$Enter the amount of USDT/USD to deposit $$\implies$$The system will apply any current promotions.

<figure><img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FMOUM8reexnPw15UHoCRv%2FPayment%20%26%20Billing_Payment.png?alt=media&#x26;token=83c005f6-c73a-4a7c-837f-d59655e89aa5" alt=""><figcaption><p>Purchase credits using Crypto (USDT) with a promotion</p></figcaption></figure>

🔹 Payment methods

Pictor currently supports two payment methods: **Crypto (USDT via the logged-in wallet)** and **Fiat (USD via PayPal).**

<div><figure><img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FHIO3iAwgfKfx2wcBXKC4%2FPictor_Deposit%20Crypto.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=ab5069ca-fc44-4329-a36e-a0afd5a1e93d" alt=""><figcaption><p>Purchase credits using Crypto (USDT) </p></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FMDVu9lZJ4VFmFtt5uwWg%2FPictor_Deposit%20Fiat.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=f14be0f6-8d76-4c03-a41b-e1994c35428c" alt=""><figcaption><p>Purchase credits using Fiat (USD) via PayPal</p></figcaption></figure></div>

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Note**:

* 1 USDT = 1 Credit
* PayPal charges **4.4%** the payment amount + **$0.3** fee
  {% endhint %}

#### 2. Billing Tab

<figure><img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FydMuwrAoKaySlzU6tYOR%2FPayment%20%26%20Billing_Billing.png?alt=media&#x26;token=8b862e62-7352-4288-b802-ae3b35b9bd8a" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

This is where you track your transaction history.

* **Credits Usage**: A chart showing the percentage of Credits used relative to the total top-up.
* **Credits Used**: Displays the total Credits spent.
* **Credits Balance**: Displays the remaining balance.
* **Billing Overview**: Detailed transaction history table:
  * **Time**: Time of the transaction.
  * **Type**: Transaction type (Charge - credit deduction, Payment - credit addition, Promotion, Refund, and Other).
  * **Amount**: The quantity of Credits added (<mark style="color:$success;">**+**</mark>) or deducted (<mark style="color:red;">**-**</mark>).
  * **Description**: Detailed transaction description (e.g., `Machine rental charge`, `Storage charge`).
  * **Transaction ID**: Link to view transaction on-chain.
  * **Invoice**: Button to download the detailed invoice for that transaction.

#### 3. Invoice Settings Tab&#x20;

This is where you set up the official information for invoice generation.

* Name
* Email (*required*)
* Address
* TAX information

{% hint style="warning" %}
Note: Changes on this tab only apply to invoices generated in the future.
{% endhint %}

***

### FAQs

<details>

<summary>What payment methods and currencies can I use to top up Credits?</summary>

Currently, you can top up Credits using two primary methods:

* **USDT** (Crypto Payment): You can top up Credits using USDT via the cryptocurrency wallet you have previously logged in with.
  * **Transaction Fee**: Free (Pictor sponsors the network transaction fees).
* **USD** (Fiat Payment): You can top up Credits using USD via PayPal.
  * **Transaction Fee**: You will be responsible for the PayPal processing fee, which is 4.4% of the top-up amount plus a fixed fee of $0.30.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the monetary equivalent of 1 Credit?</summary>

1 Credit is equivalent to 1 USD/USDT (excluding top-up bonuses or promotions).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I recover my GPU data if the machine is terminated due to insufficient credit?</summary>

No.&#x20;

When a machine is TERMINATED (destroyed/deleted) because the Credit Balance reached zero, all Storage and data are permanently erased. You must monitor Low Balance/Low Remaining Time notifications to top up credits in time.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What do I need to do to get invoices with my company details?</summary>

You can go to the [Invoice Settings](https://app.pictor.network/payment-billing) tab and fill in all details, including Company Name, Address, and other relevant information. Subsequent invoices will use this information.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Am I charged any fees when my GPU Instance is 'stopped'?</summary>

You are NOT charged the Compute Fee, but you are STILL charged the Storage Fee for the allocated disk capacity.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How is the Storage Fee calculated?</summary>

The storage fee is calculated based on capacity per hour at a rate of 0.00028 credit/GB/hour.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How can I prevent my GPU Instance from being Terminated?</summary>

You should ensure your Credit Balance remains positive.&#x20;

Don't forget to set up Low Balance and Low Remaining Time Notifications on the [Settings](https://app.pictor.network/setting) page and top up your credits when you receive an alert.

</details>