🔍 Overview

If you log in and are unexpectedly redirected to a "Choose a Plan" screen — even though you have an active Pro plan and existing projects — your account may have been locked due to a failed OTTO top-up payment. This article explains why this happens and what steps to take to restore full access.

⚠️ Why This Happens

Search Atlas uses recurring billing for OTTO AI top-up quotas. If a scheduled top-up payment fails (for example, due to an expired card, insufficient funds, or a temporary bank decline), the system may flag your account as having an incomplete billing status. In some cases, this can cause the platform to treat your subscription as inactive, redirecting you to the plan selection screen despite your underlying Pro plan remaining valid.

Common scenarios that trigger this issue include:

• A recurring OTTO top-up invoice that failed to process automatically
• A payment method that expired or was replaced since your last billing cycle
• A temporary bank or card processor decline that was not retried successfully
• A billing period that became frozen following a failed payment recovery attempt

✅ Steps to Restore Access

1. Check your payment method. Navigate to your account menu by clicking your avatar in the top-right corner of the platform, then go to Billing → Plans & Top-ups. Confirm your card on file is current and has not expired.
2. Look for a failed invoice. In your billing section, review recent invoices for any marked as failed, past due, or unpaid. A failed OTTO top-up invoice is the most common cause of this lock.
3. Update your payment method if needed. If your card has expired or changed, add a new payment method and set it as the default before attempting to pay the outstanding invoice.
4. Pay the outstanding invoice manually. Once your payment method is confirmed, locate the failed invoice and select the option to pay it manually. After successful payment, the system should recognise your subscription as active.
5. Refresh and log back in. After the payment processes, log out of Search Atlas and log back in. You should be directed to your normal dashboard instead of the plan selection screen.
6. Verify your projects and OTTO quota. Navigate to OTTO SEO → All Sites (SEO Automation) via the left sidebar (or go to /seo-automation-v3) and confirm your projects are intact and your OTTO quota has been restored.

🛠️ If Access Is Still Blocked After Payment

In some cases, a system sync delay may prevent access from being restored immediately after payment. If you have paid the outstanding invoice but are still being redirected to the plan selection screen, try the following:

• Wait up to 15 minutes and then log out and back in again
• Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the platform
• Try accessing the platform in a different browser or an incognito window

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it is possible that your account requires a manual billing reconciliation on our end. This can occur when a top-up charge does not appear correctly in the billing system even after payment, or when the billing period remains frozen due to a previous failed recovery attempt.

📋 What to Prepare Before Contacting Support

To help our team resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please have the following ready:

• The email address associated with your Search Atlas account
• The date and approximate amount of the failed or disputed invoice
• A confirmation or receipt of any payment you have already made
• A brief description of what you see when you log in (for example, the exact screen or error message displayed)

💬 Still Need Help?

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.