0%
What is this $5 charge from upgrading to Pay As You Go (PAYG)?
What is this $5 charge from upgrading to Pay As You Go (PAYG)?
Written by 
Kyle Zhang
Kyle ZhangPublished on October 22, 20251 min read
When you upgrade to a Pay As You Go (PAYG) plan, Alchemy places a temporary $5 pre-authorization hold on your payment method. This is not an actual charge—it’s a standard verification step used to confirm your card’s validity.
The hold is automatically canceled after verification by our payment processor Stripe, which typically happens in 7 days. Then your bank usually immediately releases the hold but it could take a few days longer depending on the bank.
Alchemy does not collect this $5, and you won’t be billed for it. Once released, the authorization will disappear from your statement.
Was this article helpful?
Related FAQs
Billing
Why did I get my account suspended?
Learn why your account got suspended and read more about how to resume services and prevent it in the future.Billing
How can I resume my service after being suspended?
Learn how to restore your service after being suspended due to delinquent invoices.Billing
How does Alchemy bill me for my usage?
Learn how Alchemy bills you for your usage each month and why you might get multiple invoices per monthly billing cycle.