# Usage Billing

Usage billing enables you to bill your customers based on the volume of use in the billing period. For example, if you want to implement a credits-based pricing system, you can do so with usage billing.

Usage is tracked in the usage table and is reported to Stripe daily (customisable).

{% hint style="info" %}
Usage tracking is supported on [free accounts](https://docs.usegravity.app/gravity-server/free-accounts) but won't be reported to Stripe or billed.
{% endhint %}

## Enabling Usage Billing in Stripe

Usage billing uses the volume pricing in Stripe. 

You must create a new price and set the pricing model to volume pricing. Then, set the price per unit to whatever you want to charge per unit.

{% hint style="danger" %}
Stripe doesn't support switching from a non-volume pricing model to a volume pricing model on the same subscription. Ensure all of your prices are volume pricing to support changing plans.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://3357577683-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LlnrBGdA8s50Vnplq1j%2Fuploads%2FDrtSrL1xuzkRHo8pD9c4%2Fstripe_volume.png?alt=media&#x26;token=cd594e55-cdc4-4f9d-8bf0-24770a0b6f89" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Incrementing Usage

To track usage, use the `usage.increment` method. You can increment by a specific amount  passing `quantity` or omit it to increment by one.

```javascript
const usage = require('./model/usage');

// increment by 10 
usage.increment({ account: 'account_id', quantity: 10 });

// increment by 1
usage.increment({ account: 'account_id' });
```

You should call this function in any relevant API endpoint where you want to log use.

## Reporting Usage to Stripe

Usage is [reported to Stripe](https://stripe.com/docs/products-prices/pricing-models#reporting-usage) once per day using the `usage` [background job](https://docs.usegravity.app/gravity-server/background-jobs). You can customise how often this job runs in `config.worker_schedule.usage`

Shorter billing times are recommended to ensure Stripe always has the latest usage data for the current billing period and can charge your customers the correct amount.&#x20;

When usage is reported, the `report` column of the usage table for the corresponding report will be marked as `true`. The `end_period` will also be populated, and the report is closed.&#x20;

The worker will then open a new report, and any incrementation will be applied to the new open report.

## Getting Usage

You can use the usage.get method to fetch usage. The client application will fetch and display usage for the current billing period.

```javascript
const usageData = await usage.get({ 

  account: 'account_id', 
  period_start: '2023-10-10', 
  period_end: '2023-11-11'

});
```

## Prorations

On usage (and seat) tiered plans, `invoice_now` and `prorate` are enabled. Users will be charged at the end of the billing cycle for uncharged tiered usage.