Payment & Billing
How am I billed for Cloud Services?
Customers are billed via a credit card that is on file with Brinkster. To start using Cloud Services you will need to add Units to your account via the Cloud Services Control Panel (click Billing, then Add Units). When you use any Cloud Services the cost of those services is deducted from the Units you have purchased.
What happens if I run low or run out of Units?
If the billing system attempts to use your Units for Cloud Services that are running, and you do not have enough Units, the system will automatically shut down those services it is attempting to bill for. To avoid this you can either regularly purchase enough Units manually or select the “Auto Top-Up” option. Auto Top-Up will automatically purchase more Units when you run low.
Am I charged when my Cloud Server is turned off?
When you turn a Cloud Server off, and you choose the hourly billing option, you will not be billed for that server, starting the hour after you turn it off. You will still be billed for the disk storage space that the server is using (even if the server is off).
How do I stop being charged?
To stop the billing for a Cloud Service Item turn the resource off or delete it from your Cloud Services Control Panel.
What payment types do you accept?
Visa, MasterCard, American Express
During signup you are asking for my credit card – will I be charged before I create/start any Cloud Services?
No you will not be charged during the account sign up process. We do authorize a small amount on your card to verify that it is a valid credit card. An authorization simply verifies the amount is available and holds it for a small amount of time.
When will my credit card be charged?
Your credit card is only charged for Cloud Services when you manually purchase Units, or if you select the Auto Top-Up option (which auto fills up your Units when you run low).
Do you offer refunds for unused unit balances?
No refunds are available for purchased Units.
What happens if my Unit balance is negative? Why is my Unit balance negative?
Once your Unit balance reaches -1,000 Units any resources you have running will be automatically stopped. To restart resources you will need to purchase Units and then manually click to restart a resource.
Understanding Units: 1 Unit = $ .01 USD
To allow for the use of global currencies, Brinkster Cloud Servers are accessed through the purchasing and allocating of Units. Each unit is the equivalent of one cent = (US $0.01). For example, if you purchase a Cloud Server that costs $50 per month, the equivalent cost in Units would be 5000 Units.
How can I purchase Units?
Units can be purchased from inside the Cloud Services Control Panel in either set block amounts or in auto top-up block amounts. Click on “Billing” in the top menu, then click “Buy Units”.
What is an auto top-up unit and how does it work?
When you select to purchase auto top-up Units the purchase of the first block will be purchased immediately. Once your Units balance reaches 25% of the auto top-up amount, the selected auto top-up unit block will automatically be purchased again. This pattern will continue until you turn this off by click on “Billing” from the top menu in the Cloud Services control panel, then “Buy Units”, then click the button next to the auto top-up you want to turn off.
Example Conversion Table:
| Units |
US Dollars |
| 10,000 |
$100.00 |
| 50,000 |
$500.00 |
| 100,000 |
$1,000.00 |