How does SMS Billing Work (draft)

Birthday Club SMS is designed to be simple, predictable, and automated. This article explains how SMS billing works so you always know what to expect.

1. Monthly Plan

When you enable SMS in Birthday Club, you choose a monthly plan. Each allowance is billed at the start of your billing period/month (not the calendar month). SMS are sold in blocks of 100 messages. Click to see the pricing.

2. Automatic Top-Ups

If you use up your monthly allowance, the system automatically adds another block of 50 SMS for $5. This ensures that your Birthday Club keeps running without interruption.

Top-ups are billed immediately to the card on file and are valid until the end of the billing month. Unused top-ups do not roll over to the next month.

3. Monthly Spend Safeguard

To protect you from unexpected costs, you set a maximum spend safeguard when you configure SMS. This safeguard must be at least one block higher than your base allowance.

Example: If you select 200 SMS, your safeguard must be at least 300 SMS.

In case the maximum spend is approaching you will receive warnings via email. If the maximum limit is reached SMS will be disabled, which also mean customers will not be able to sign up.

4. Example Billing Scenarios

Here are some examples of how SMS billing works:

• A small café chooses 100 SMS ($9). They use 90 SMS this month. No top-ups are added. Their total is $9.

• A local car wash chooses 200 SMS ($18). They use 240 SMS. One top-up block is added for $5. Their total is $23.

• A busy restaurant chooses 300 SMS ($27). They use 480 SMS. Two top-up blocks are added for $5 each. Their total is $37.

5. Why This Model?

This billing model ensures:

• Your Birthday Club SMS service is not interrupted.

• You are always billed in simple, predictable $9 increments.

• You have control over your maximum monthly spend.

• Riiwards can keep SMS costs prepaid, so there are no unpaid balances.

6. Upgrade Suggestions

If you consistently use top-ups for several months, Birthda Club will suggest upgrading to a higher base plan. This helps you save money and avoid multiple top-up charges.

With this system, you can enjoy a hands-off SMS solution that grows with your business, while staying confident about costs.

7. Billing Cycle

⚡ When you first enable SMS in Birthday Club, a one-time setup fee (currently $49) is charged. This includes 100 SMS for your first month.

📅 Your billing month begins 7 days after you order the SMS feature and pay the setup fee. During these 7 days, Riiwards prepares your dedicated toll-free SMS number. You will also receive access to QR codes for posters, tents, menus, and more. This gives you time to prepare your collateral (print and online) before customers begin signing up.

🔧 By default, Birthday Club automatically sets your monthly allowance to $9 (100 SMS) and your safeguard limit to $27. You can change these settings at any time in your SMS Settings.