Seeing an unexpected invoice can be confusing, especially if you believe your plan includes more OTTO projects than you were billed for. This article explains why an OTTO overage invoice can appear, how to check your plan allowance, and what happens when a disputed charge is refunded as an HDC credit.
❓ Why Did I Receive an Invoice?
An OTTO overage invoice is generated when the number of OTTO projects active on your account is higher than the number your plan includes. Each plan has an OTTO allowance, and any projects above it may be billed as extra.
Common reasons for an overage invoice include:
- You added a new OTTO project after reaching your plan limit.
- A project you thought was removed or paused was still active when the billing cycle closed.
- Your plan changed (for example, from monthly to yearly) and the allowance on your account did not update as expected.
- A project was added by a team member with access to your account.
📦 Why Your Plan Allowance May Look Different
Some customers expect a different number of OTTO projects than the one shown on their account. For example, a yearly subscription may include 5 OTTO projects while your account shows 4. This can happen when:
- You switched to a yearly plan, and the new allowance has not been applied to your account yet.
- The invoice was created before the plan change was fully processed.
- You are looking at a previous plan's limit instead of your current one.
If the allowance on your account does not match what you purchased, that is a billing discrepancy and we can review it for you.
🔍 How to Check Your Plan and Invoice
- Open your account and go to the Billing or Subscription section.
- Check your current plan and billing period (monthly or yearly).
- Note the number of OTTO projects your plan includes.
- Open the invoice in question and read the line items. An overage charge is listed separately from your regular subscription fee.
- Compare the number of active OTTO projects on your account with your plan allowance.
Write down any differences. This will help us resolve your question much faster.
🛠️ What to Do If You Think the Charge Is Wrong
If your invoice does not match what you purchased, follow these steps:
- Review the invoice date. Check whether it was issued before or after your plan change or yearly purchase.
- Confirm your active projects. Make sure each OTTO project on your account is one you intend to keep.
- Gather details. Have your plan name, billing period, invoice number, and the number of OTTO projects you expected ready to share.
- Contact our team through chat. Our team can review your subscription, confirm the correct allowance, and correct the invoice if needed.
💳 How Refunds Issued as HDC Credit Work
When a disputed OTTO overage charge is found to be incorrect, the amount may be returned to you as an HDC credit instead of a refund to your original payment method. Here is what that means:
- The credit is applied to your Search Atlas account.
- It can be used toward future charges, so you do not need to take action to apply it.
- It is not sent back to your card or bank account as a separate payment.
After a credit is issued, we recommend that you:
- Check your Billing section to confirm the credit appears.
- Verify that your plan allowance now shows the correct number of OTTO projects.
- Review your next invoice to confirm the credit has been applied correctly.
If you would prefer a different refund method, or the credit does not appear on your account, let our team know so they can review your options.
✅ How to Avoid Unexpected OTTO Overage Charges
- Check your plan allowance whenever you upgrade, downgrade, or switch billing periods.
- Review your active OTTO projects before each billing cycle ends.
- Remove or pause projects you no longer need.
- Check with your team members before anyone adds new projects.
- Open your invoices when they are issued and review the line items.
💬 Need More Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.
To help us resolve your request quickly, please include your invoice number, your plan type, and the number of OTTO projects you expected to have.