Expiring API Credits - Please Make it Clear

[markcwoodworth]

This has been mentioned in other threads, but strangely there is no ability to reply to them.

First off, I’m not even sure I was aware there was an expiration of 1 year when I first purchased the credits (why that’s even a thing is a whole other question). Where was that info provided? Did I just miss it, or is it intentionally buried in some disclaimer we scrolled through?

Second, it’s difficult to figure out that your credits have expired. You make an API request, get an “exceeded limits” notification, and then when you check the billing section it just says $0.00 credits remaining. There is zero indication that the API credits expired, no advanced notification that expiration will occur, and no way (that I’m aware) to figure out from anywhere in the dashboard that your credits expired. The only way is simply remember that there was a 1-year limit (which I was never aware of to begin with), and then look at your billing history to see when you purchased the credits, and set a reminder to yourself.

This is a bad experience, and borders on intentional obfuscation. Please consider fixing it to, at the very least, make it clear when the credits expire both at purchase time and as the expiration approaches.

[_j]

This was buried in the terms and conditions over a year ago, and OpenAI is now enjoying the benefit.

From September 2023, I note this, shortly after a switch to the prepay requirement for new sign-ups.

@_j

If you are grandfathered in to a pay-as-you-go plan (monthly bill), then you won’t have access until:

• you make sufficient paid billings to your card on file to be charged (in the past $1+)
• OpenAI uses that as a qualifying criteria when again adding more gpt-4 users
• OpenAI decides on a different access policy for its long term users.

You might be able to remove all payment methods and cancel payment plan, and then be driven into the prepaid plan with minimum $5 purchase that grants gpt-4, but for now, you would not be able to switch back. Then purchasing non-refundable credits that expire after a year, at a maximum purchase and balance of $50.

The rather obscure place to observe credit amounts and their expiration is on the right side of this page link, usage for your whole organization:

https://platform.openai.com/organization/usage

[markcwoodworth]

Thanks. I knew I had seen the expiry somewhere before, but couldn’t find it again after looking for 20 minutes until seeing your reply.

Figured it was hidden in the T&C. That’s in very poor taste.

[jr.2509]

Hi @markcwoodworth -

The information about the expiration date of your credits is visible in your organization’s usage section on the developer platform:

[markcwoodworth]

Yes I’m aware as that was mentioned already in the thread by @_j.

When you first log in to platform.openai.com - there is no indication of where this info can be found, and the default dashboard shows “Default Project”, rather than “Organization Overview”:

I have to click that dropdown and change it to “Organization Overview” in order to see usage.

If you think this is clear - I would ask yourself why there are so many threads asking some variation of this same question.

[fgrbs5yfgn]

This happened to my account, while I and many other users were locked out due to a bug on their end they had with an email provider many accounts use. So after weeks of being unable to even use the API, and no resolution in this time, I finally get back into the account to find all the credits gone due to them expiring.

This is very disappointing, I’m hoping customer service is able to help. There should definitely be a clearer notice about the credit system being “use it or lose it” without refunding you for any unused credits, warning you about an upcoming expiration date, etc.