> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://codebeans-cb-notifylyst.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Your allowance runs out

> What happens when your plan's allowance or your wallet is used up, how the app tells you, and how waiting alerts go out again.

**Who:** you, the merchant · **Goal:** keep restock alerts going without overpaying

```mermaid theme={"system"}
flowchart LR
  A[Plan allowance used up] --> B{Wallet has credit?}
  B -- yes --> C[Sends paid from wallet]
  B -- no --> D[Alerts wait]
  D --> E[Home and Dashboard warn you]
  E --> F[Top up] --> G[Waiting alerts go out]
  E --> H[Or change plan] --> G
  E --> I[Or wait for the next cycle] --> G
```

**1. The allowance runs out**

Each cycle your plan includes a number of email & web push notifications. When they are used, sends
continue from your wallet automatically. SMS is always paid from the wallet.

**Dashboard → Plan & usage** shows what's left: for example **0 of 20 sent**, **Wallet empty**.

**2. The wallet is empty too — alerts wait**

Nothing is dropped and nothing is charged. The app tells you in three places:

* Home → **Needs your attention**, for example **SMS alerts are paused** — *SMS is switched on, but
  your wallet is empty. Shoppers who signed up by SMS hear nothing until you add credits.*
* The Dashboard: **N restock alerts are waiting to be sent**.
* **Usage**: **Sends are waiting for credit**.

![Home's Needs your attention card showing SMS alerts are paused because the wallet is empty, with an Add credits button.](https://mintcdn.com/codebeans-cb-notifylyst/helB_Y1ZQRw5r3Uo/images/journey-merchant-01-needs-attention.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=helB_Y1ZQRw5r3Uo\&q=85\&s=69342cc93b941799e3666fb5e985c96f)

**3. Decide: top up, change plan, or wait**

| If… | Do this |
| - | - |
| It's a one-off spike — a big restock | **Add credits**: a top-up from \$10, with bonus credit on bigger amounts. |
| You run out every cycle | A bigger plan usually costs less than paying per send. Compare on **Plans**. |
| The cycle ends in a day or two and nothing urgent is waiting | Wait — the allowance refills on the **Allowance resets** date. |

A late restock alert is worth much less than one on time, so if shoppers are waiting for a product
that is back *now*, top up.

**4. Top up**

**Add credits** → choose an amount → check the **Order summary** → **Confirm**. The amount goes on
your next Shopify bill; the credit is usable at once.

![The Add credits page with the top-up packages, How your wallet is spent, and the Order summary.](https://mintcdn.com/codebeans-cb-notifylyst/helB_Y1ZQRw5r3Uo/images/app-25-add-credits.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=helB_Y1ZQRw5r3Uo\&q=85\&s=f1acfd003488b441fc0638d3733a0689)

**5. The waiting alerts go out**

As soon as there is credit again — after a top-up, a plan change or the new cycle — the alerts that
were waiting are sent by themselves. You don't need to do anything else. Each one is still checked
first: if the shopper has bought it meanwhile, or the product sold out again, it is skipped.

## What happens behind the scenes

Every send first uses the plan's allowance, then the wallet — the credit that expires soonest first.
When neither can pay, the send is held rather than dropped, and released when credit appears.

## Where it can go wrong

| Symptom | Why | Fix |
| - | - | - |
| Top-up refused: **You need an active plan before you can top up…** | No active plan | Choose a plan first |
| Top-up limited on a development store | Shopify doesn't bill development stores, so top-ups are capped there | Expected — use a live store for real volume |
| WhatsApp still shows **Setup in progress** | WhatsApp pricing isn't finalised, so WhatsApp alerts aren't sent yet | Nothing to do; use another channel |
| Credit disappeared | It passed its **Valid until** date | Check **Usage history → Wallet** |

> [card] [Billing and credits](https://codebeans-cb-notifylyst.mintlify.site/app/guides/billing-and-credits.md)
>
> The allowance, the wallet and rates in detail.

> [card] [Change your plan](https://codebeans-cb-notifylyst.mintlify.site/app/guides/change-your-plan.md)
>
> Switch to a plan that fits your volume.


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