Payments

This page explains how payments work on DanubeData, including accepted payment methods, card verification, automatic billing, and what happens if a payment fails.

Accepted Payment Methods

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. We accept the following payment methods:

Your card details are encrypted and never stored on our servers. Stripe handles all payment data in a PCI-compliant environment.

Adding a Payment Method

1. Navigate to Billing > Payment Methods
2. Click Add Method (or Add Payment Method if no card is on file)
3. Enter your card details in the secure Stripe form
4. Click Add Card

Card Verification

When you add a new card, a temporary EUR 1.00 authorization hold is placed to verify the card is valid and has sufficient funds. This hold is released immediately and you will not be charged.

If the verification fails, check that:

• The card number, expiry date, and CVC are correct
• The card has not expired
• The card is not blocked for online transactions
• Sufficient funds are available

Primary and Backup Methods

You can add several cards and arrange them into a fallback order:

• Primary method: Charged automatically when an invoice is generated
• Backup methods: Tried automatically, in order, if the primary card is declined
• Health badge: Each saved card shows a status badge, so you can spot an expiring or failing card at a glance
• Expiry reminder: We email you before a saved card is due to expire, giving you time to replace it

Setting a Primary Method

1. Go to Billing > Payment Methods
2. Click Make Primary on the card you want to use as default

Removing a Payment Method

1. Go to Billing > Payment Methods
2. Click the delete icon on the card you want to remove
3. Confirm the removal

You can remove any card except your last one. If you remove the card currently set as default, a backup is automatically promoted to default.

Note: You need at least one payment method to create resources. If your account still has active resources (for example, serverless containers), remove or settle those first — you'll get a clear reminder rather than an unexpected error.

How Billing Works

DanubeData uses hourly billing with monthly invoicing:

1. Resource usage is recorded in 5-minute intervals throughout the month
2. Invoices are generated on the 1st of each month for the previous month's usage
3. Payment is charged immediately upon invoice generation
4. If the automatic charge fails, you must pay manually within the deadline

Due Date

Invoices are due immediately upon generation. When an invoice is created, we automatically attempt to charge your primary payment method.

If that charge does not succeed, nothing on your account is restricted straight away. You have 21 days before any resource is stopped, and we retry the charge and email you several times during that window. The full escalation is set out below.

Billing Currency

All prices and invoices are in Euro (EUR). The billing calculation uses 730 hours per month (365.25 days / 12 months x 24 hours).

Stopped Instances

Instances are billed at the full rate from the moment creation completes until the instance is deleted. Stopping an instance does not reduce or pause billing. To stop being charged for a resource, you must delete it.

What Happens if the Automatic Charge Fails?

If the automatic charge fails, we'll email you and show an unpaid-invoice banner across the dashboard so it doesn't go unnoticed. You can settle the invoice yourself at any time:

1. Log into DanubeData and go to Billing > Invoices
2. Find the unpaid invoice and click Pay Now
3. Complete the payment — you may be prompted for 3-D Secure confirmation if your bank requires it

You can also add or promote a card under Billing > Payment Methods. When you add a new card or make one your default, we automatically retry any unpaid invoices with it.

Note: You can retry a failed payment a maximum of 5 times. If you still experience issues after that, please contact support.

Payment Receipts

Every time an invoice payment succeeds, we automatically email you a receipt showing the amount and the date charged — matching what you see in your billing history. There's nothing to enable, and duplicate receipts are prevented even if a payment is processed more than once.

Late Payments

If you do not pay your invoice on time, your account will be in arrears. Depending on how late the payment is and your payment history, the following steps may be taken:

General Consequences of Late Payments

We will first send you payment reminders and warnings by email. If we still do not receive your payment, we may take one or more of these steps:

Day numbers are counted from the invoice's due date. If your account is on payment terms or pays by SEPA Direct Debit, the clock starts when those terms or the settlement period lapse — not when the invoice was issued. We also retry the payment automatically at each step up to suspension, so an expired or temporarily declined card often resolves itself without any action from you.

Each time a later invoice is charged successfully to a saved card while an earlier one is still unpaid, we retry the earlier invoice once with your saved payment methods. This happens at any point on the timeline, including after a suspension, and a retry that succeeds settles the invoice and ends the late-payment process for it. Accounts that pay by bank transfer are never charged automatically.

We evaluate each case individually, taking into account your payment history and the circumstances of the late payment.

Important: Once your account is terminated on Day 45, all data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. Update your payment method or contact support immediately if you are having payment difficulties.

Resolving a Late Payment

1. Go to Billing > Payment Methods and ensure a valid card is on file
2. Go to Billing > Invoices and click Pay Now on the overdue invoice
3. If your card is being declined, contact your bank or try a different card
4. If your account has been suspended, payment will automatically restore your resources

If you are experiencing temporary financial difficulties, contact our support team before your account reaches suspension. We may be able to offer a grace period extension.

Promotional Credits

New users receive a EUR 25.00 signup bonus when they create their first project. Credits are automatically applied to your monthly invoices before your payment method is charged.

How Credits Work

• Credits are applied automatically to invoices — oldest expiring credits are used first
• Credits reduce the invoice total before tax is calculated
• Unused credits expire 60 days after the grant date
• View your credit balance and history in Billing > Credits

Promotional Codes

If you have a promotional code:

1. Go to Billing > Credits
2. Enter your code in the Promotional Code field
3. Click Redeem

The credit will be applied to your account immediately.

Referral Program

Earn credits by referring others to DanubeData:

• You earn: EUR 15.00 in credit for each qualified referral (valid for 90 days)
• They get: EUR 10.00 in credit when they sign up (valid for 60 days)
• Maximum: 50 referrals per project

How to Refer

1. Go to Billing > Referrals
2. Copy your unique referral link
3. Share it with friends and colleagues
4. Once they sign up and qualify (within 90 days), both accounts are credited

Tax Information

VAT for EU Customers

• VAT is charged based on your country of residence
• Businesses with a valid VAT number can benefit from the reverse charge mechanism
• Provide your VAT number in Billing > Tax Settings

Billing Address

Update your billing address and company details in Billing > Tax Settings. This information appears on your invoices.

Budget Alerts

Set spending limits to stay in control of your costs:

1. Go to Billing > Budget
2. Enable the budget and set your monthly limit
3. Receive notifications when approaching your budget threshold

Related Documentation

• Billing Overview — How billing works
• Pricing — Detailed pricing for all resources
• Invoices — Managing invoices and billing history