{
  "slug": "openai-api",
  "name": "OpenAI API",
  "domain": "platform.openai.com",
  "category": "developer-infrastructure",
  "categoryName": "Developer infrastructure",
  "description": "OpenAI Platform API billing for model usage on platform.openai.com. This is not ChatGPT Plus, Go, Pro or Business.",
  "directAnswer": "Stop OpenAI API billing from Billing Overview on platform.openai.com: click Cancel plan for monthly billing, and turn Auto recharge off for prepaid credits. It takes about a minute; a final invoice can still cover current-month usage. Purchased credits expire after one year and are non-refundable.",
  "price": "Usage-based",
  "priceMonthlyUsd": null,
  "planName": "Prepaid billing",
  "subscriptionPlans": [
    {
      "id": "prepaid-billing",
      "name": "Prepaid billing",
      "billingOptions": [],
      "priceNote": "Usage-based prepaid credits; minimum purchase $5; credits expire after 1 year",
      "sourceUrl": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8264778-what-is-prepaid-billing"
    },
    {
      "id": "monthly-billing",
      "name": "Monthly billing",
      "billingOptions": [],
      "priceNote": "Legacy pay-as-you-go; cancel with Cancel plan on Billing Overview",
      "sourceUrl": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8156175-how-can-i-stop-my-api-subscription"
    }
  ],
  "difficulty": "Easy",
  "difficultyScore": 2,
  "billingMethods": [
    "web"
  ],
  "accountTypes": [
    "personal",
    "team",
    "enterprise"
  ],
  "cancellationUrl": "https://platform.openai.com/account/billing/overview",
  "cancellationTime": "~1 minute",
  "cancellationTimeSeconds": 60,
  "steps": {
    "web": [
      {
        "title": "Open Billing Overview",
        "body": "Go to platform.openai.com/account/billing/overview while signed in as an owner of the API organization."
      },
      {
        "title": "Click Cancel plan if monthly billing is shown",
        "body": "OpenAI documents cancelling the API pay-as-you-go service with Cancel plan. You still receive a final invoice for usage in the current billing month. After that invoice the saved payment method is no longer charged, and API access is paused unless you re-add a payment method."
      },
      {
        "title": "Turn Auto recharge off for prepaid credits",
        "body": "New accounts use prepaid credits. Auto recharge is on by default during setup. Turn it off if you do not want automatic top-ups."
      },
      {
        "title": "Optionally remove the payment method",
        "body": "In the API organization's settings, open Billing, then Payment methods, and remove the card. Removing the only valid payment method while paid services are active can suspend or restrict those services."
      }
    ],
    "ios": [],
    "android": [],
    "team": [
      {
        "title": "Keep this separate from ChatGPT subscriptions",
        "body": "API billing lives on the organization's platform.openai.com Billing pages. Cancelling ChatGPT Plus, Go, Pro or Business on chatgpt.com does not stop API prepaid credits or Auto recharge."
      }
    ]
  },
  "platformNotes": {
    "web": {
      "note": "This is Platform API billing only. ChatGPT consumer plans have a separate guide.",
      "warning": "Purchased credits expire after one year and are not refunded. Cancel plan does not refund usage already accrued in the current month."
    }
  },
  "refundInfo": "Purchased API credits expire after one year and are non-refundable except where required by law. Cancelling monthly billing does not refund usage already accrued in the current month. A disputed or refunded payment removes an equivalent credit amount.",
  "pauseInfo": "No pause option is documented. Turning Auto recharge off stops new automatic credit purchases. Existing credits remain until used or expired.",
  "downgradeInfo": "There is no cheaper named API seat plan. After Cancel plan you keep a free platform account and API access is paused unless you re-add a payment method. Prepaid leftover credits stay until they expire.",
  "dataRetentionInfo": "Cancel plan does not delete organization data. Deleting an API key only revokes that key. Deleting the OpenAI account is a separate, permanent action and prevents access to ChatGPT and the API.",
  "factRows": [
    {
      "k": "Cancellation fee",
      "v": "None documented"
    },
    {
      "k": "Refund window",
      "v": "Credits non-refundable (except where required by law)"
    },
    {
      "k": "Effective",
      "v": "After the final current-month invoice"
    },
    {
      "k": "Free plan after",
      "v": "Platform access remains; API paused without payment"
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "question": "Is this the same as cancelling ChatGPT Plus?",
      "answer": "No. ChatGPT subscriptions are cancelled on chatgpt.com or through Apple or Google. This guide is only for platform.openai.com API billing."
    },
    {
      "question": "What happens after I click Cancel plan?",
      "answer": "You still get a final invoice for usage in the current billing month. After that invoice the saved card is no longer charged. API access is paused unless you re-add a payment method."
    },
    {
      "question": "How do I stop prepaid auto top-ups?",
      "answer": "Turn Auto recharge off on the billing page. It is on by default during prepaid setup."
    },
    {
      "question": "Can I get unused API credits refunded?",
      "answer": "No, except where law requires it. Purchased credits expire after one year and are non-refundable."
    },
    {
      "question": "Does deleting an API key cancel billing?",
      "answer": "No. Deleting a key only stops that key from working. Auto recharge or monthly billing continues until you change billing settings."
    }
  ],
  "officialSources": [
    {
      "title": "How can I stop my API subscription?",
      "url": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8156175-how-can-i-stop-my-api-subscription",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "How can I set up prepaid billing?",
      "url": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8264644-how-can-i-set-up-prepaid-billing",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "What is prepaid billing?",
      "url": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8264778-what-is-prepaid-billing",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "Service credit terms",
      "url": "https://openai.com/policies/service-credit-terms/",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "OpenAI API Pricing",
      "url": "https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/pricing",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "How can I delete or remove my payment method?",
      "url": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12362718-how-can-i-delete-or-remove-my-payment-method",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "How to delete your account",
      "url": "https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6378407-how-to-delete-your-account",
      "lastCheckedAt": "2026-08-17"
    }
  ],
  "verified": true,
  "manuallyVerifiedAt": "2026-08-17",
  "nextReviewAt": "2026-10-16",
  "urls": {
    "guide": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/openai-api",
    "json": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/openai-api.json",
    "markdown": "https://canicancelit.com/cancel/openai-api.md"
  }
}