> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.getsoundlink.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Paying for campaigns

> New paid growth campaigns are funded from your credit wallet. Top up if balance is short; keep a backup card for renewals.

When you finish campaign setup, the **Review** step shows **Payment** for the **first cycle**. New paid growth campaigns are funded from your **credit wallet** — there is no separate “pay with card vs pay with wallet” choice at checkout.

Your daily budget and campaign duration determine the cycle total shown in the app.

## Cycle total at creation

For the first cycle, the total is:

**Daily budget × campaign duration (days)**

Soundlink debits that full amount from your wallet when the campaign is created.

<Note>
  **Renewals** use a calculation that includes your workspace plan's **Ad fees**. The renewal amount can differ from the first-cycle total shown at creation. See [Renewals](/docs/learn/wallet/renewals).
</Note>

## How payment works

1. Review shows your **Wallet balance** and the first-cycle total.
2. If balance covers the total, you create the campaign. Credits are deducted from the wallet.
3. If balance is short, create is blocked until you **Top up wallet** from the Review step (you do not leave campaign creation).
4. If you have no saved payment method and balance is short, Review asks you to **Add backup card & top up** first.

After a successful create, the campaign runs in **wallet** payment mode. Renewals also debit the wallet (with [auto-recharge](/docs/learn/wallet/auto-recharge) as a fallback when enabled).

## Backup payment method

A saved card (or other payment method) is your **backup** so ads can keep running when wallet balance is low at renewal time.

* Adding a backup card at create does **not** charge you for the campaign itself.
* The card is used for [wallet top-ups](/docs/learn/wallet/top-up) you choose to run, and for [auto-recharge](/docs/learn/wallet/auto-recharge) when that setting is on.
* At renewal, copy in the app explains that wallet credits are applied first; if balance is short and auto-recharge is enabled, Soundlink can charge the active backup method (subject to the monthly cap).

Manage methods anytime under **Settings → Credit wallet & payment methods**. See [Payment methods](/docs/learn/wallet/payment-methods).

## Insufficient balance at create

Partial wallet balance alone is **not** enough. You must top up so the balance covers **100%** of the first cycle total before create succeeds.

You can:

* Click **Top up wallet** (or **Add backup card & top up**) on the Review step
* Top up from **Settings → Credit wallet & payment methods**, then return to finish create

## After the campaign is live

* Spend and renewals draw from your **credit wallet**.
* Turn **auto-renew** on or off in campaign insights while the campaign is active and the cycle end date is still in the future.
* With [auto-recharge](/docs/learn/wallet/auto-recharge) on, Soundlink can charge your active payment method when balance is short at renewal.
* Raise or lower daily budget with wallet credits — see [Campaign budget changes](/docs/learn/wallet/campaign-budget-top-up).

<Note>
  Card charges for top-ups and auto-recharge are processed securely by Stripe. That is separate from campaign billing: new campaigns are not created as per-campaign Stripe subscriptions in this flow.
</Note>