Billing and payments
Clients pay for teleoperation time, operators earn from it, and Stripe handles the money on both sides. This page explains the pricing plans, how session time becomes an invoice, how operator payouts work, and what happens when a session goes wrong and needs a refund.
Last updated 2026-08-09
Pricing plans
There are two ways to pay as a client. Pay-as-you-go bills teleoperation time at 15.00 EUR per hour with no commitment. The Starter plan costs 99.00 EUR per month and includes 10 hours of teleoperation time, which makes it the better deal once you regularly use more than about six and a half hours a month.
| Pay-as-you-go | Starter | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 15.00 EUR per hour | 99.00 EUR per month |
| Included time | None, you pay for what you use | 10 hours per month |
| Commitment | None | Monthly subscription |
| Good for | Evaluation and occasional sessions | Regular data collection |
The authoritative numbers are always the ones on the pricing page and in the public pricing API; if this page and the pricing page ever disagree, the pricing page wins. Operator pricing is separate from client pricing: operators set their own hourly rate, and regional pricing adjustments are available for operators in different countries.
How session time becomes a charge
Sessions are tracked to the minute. When a session completes, its duration is fixed, and from that duration two amounts are recorded: what the client is charged at their plan rate, and what the operator earns at their hourly rate. The platform margin lives between those two numbers. Both amounts are visible where they belong: the client sees the charge on the session and the invoice, the operator sees the earning in the earnings view.
Sessions that end early or are cancelled before any active time accrues do not produce charges. If a session ran but the result was unusable, that is what the dispute process below is for; the charge is created first and corrected afterwards, not silently suppressed.
Monthly invoices
Clients receive one invoice per month. Each invoice shows the billing period, the total teleoperation hours in that period, the amount, and its payment status. Payment is collected automatically via Stripe from the payment method saved on your account, so there is nothing to do each month as long as a valid payment method is on file.
You can review invoices in the dashboard and manage your payment method through the Stripe billing portal, which the dashboard links to. Adding or replacing a card happens entirely inside Stripe: the platform stores no card numbers, it only keeps a reference to the Stripe customer.
Operator earnings and payouts
Operators earn per completed session at the hourly rate set in their profile. Earnings accumulate in your balance, which you can see in Dashboard > Earnings along with the session history behind it. From there you withdraw to your bank account via Stripe Connect. The minimum payout is 10.00 EUR, and payouts typically arrive within 2 to 7 business days.
Stripe Connect onboarding
Before the first payout, every operator completes Stripe Connect onboarding once. Stripe collects your bank details and runs an identity verification; the platform never sees or stores this data.
- 1Start onboarding
Open Dashboard > Earnings and start the Stripe Connect setup. You are redirected to a Stripe-hosted flow.
- 2Provide bank details
Enter the bank account that should receive payouts. This account must be in your name; Stripe rejects mismatches during verification.
- 3Verify your identity
Stripe performs identity verification, typically against a photo id. Depending on country this completes in minutes but can take longer if documents need manual review.
- 4Payouts enabled
Once Stripe reports the account as verified, payouts are enabled and you can withdraw any balance above the 10.00 EUR minimum.
Refunds and disputes
If a session had real problems, for example the robot malfunctioned or the recorded data is unusable, the client can open a dispute for that session from the dashboard. Describe concretely what went wrong; a dispute that names the session, the time range, and the observable problem is resolved much faster than a general complaint.
An admin reviews each dispute, looking at the session events and the recorded data, and decides on a full refund, a partial refund, or a rejection with an explanation. Refunds always go back to the original payment method through Stripe; refunds to a different card or account are not possible.
Frequently asked questions
When exactly am I charged?▾
Session charges are collected on your monthly invoice, automatically via Stripe from your saved payment method. You do not pay per session at session end; the invoice aggregates the month.
How precisely is session time measured?▾
To the minute. Each session records its duration when it completes, and the invoice sums those durations for the billing period.
How do I change my payment method?▾
Through the Stripe billing portal, linked from the dashboard. Card data lives only at Stripe; the platform never stores it, so there is no payment form on AY-Robots itself.
What is the minimum payout and how long does it take?▾
The minimum payout is 10.00 EUR. After you request a withdrawal, Stripe Connect transfers the money to your bank account, typically within 2 to 7 business days.
Why can I not request a payout yet?▾
The two usual reasons: your balance is below 10.00 EUR, or your Stripe Connect onboarding is not finished. Check the Connect status in Dashboard > Earnings; payouts stay disabled until Stripe reports your account as verified.
Can a refund go to a different card?▾
No. Refunds are processed by Stripe back to the payment method that was originally charged. This is a Stripe constraint and also the reason refunds remain traceable.
How AY-Robots sessions work: the PENDING to COMPLETED lifecycle, every activity event explained, session chat, ratings, extensions, and training data.
Answers to common questions about AY-Robots: pricing, supported robots, becoming an operator, data ownership, payouts, policy training, and security.