---
title: "How paid chat works for fans: credits and 15-second billing | PaidChatPlatform"
url: https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/how-paid-chat-works-for-fans/
language: en
publisher: Premiums Only LLC (the company behind hello.fan)
---

# How paid chat works for fans: credits and 15-second billing

[For fans](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/topic/for-fans/) By the PaidChatPlatform team October 17, 2026 7 min read

For fans, paid chat works like a prepaid card for talking to a person. You buy credits (on hello.fan, 100 credits = $1), each creator sets a per-minute price for video, voice and chat, and you're charged per started 15 seconds only while you're both connected. Ringing is free, a call nobody answers costs nothing, and because you pay from credits you already hold, you can never spend more than your balance.

Key takeaways
- Credits are prepaid: 100 credits = $1, one balance for calls, bookings and gifts.
- Each creator sets per-minute prices; video costs the most, chat the least (sometimes nothing).
- You pay per started 15 seconds, only while you're both connected.
- Ringing, unanswered calls and calls that never connect cost nothing.

Disclosure: this site is published by the team behind hello.fan. The prices below are examples built from hello.fan's real rules; each creator sets their own rates.

## What are credits, and why not just pay by card?

Credits are the money inside a paid chat platform. On hello.fan, 100 credits are worth $1, so a price of 300 credits a minute means $3 a minute. You top up once, and the same balance pays for live calls, booked sessions, gifts and Icebreakers.

A prepaid balance has three advantages for you as a fan:

- **No surprises.** You can't be charged more than you've put in.

- **No interruptions.** A call never stops halfway through to ask for a card.

- **One place.** Every creator, every kind of call, one balance.

Your first top-up currently comes with a launch offer of 20% extra credits. See [how the first top-up bonus works](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/first-top-up-bonus-credits-explained/).

## Who sets the price of a call?

The creator does. On hello.fan, prices range from 50 to 5,000 credits a minute ($0.50 to $50), and each kind of call has its own price, in a fixed order: video is the same as or more than voice, and voice the same as or more than chat. Chat may even be free. That order makes sense, because a video call includes everything a voice call does, and a voice call more than typing.

| Example price | Per minute | Per 15 seconds | 10 minutes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 100 credits/min (chat) | $1 | 25 credits | 1,000 credits ($10) |
| 200 credits/min (voice) | $2 | 50 credits | 2,000 credits ($20) |
| 400 credits/min (video) | $4 | 100 credits | 4,000 credits ($40) |

These are examples. The real prices are on each creator's page, next to the Call buttons.

## How does 15-second billing work?

Time is counted in 15-second steps, and each started step is charged. So a call that lasts 3 minutes and 5 seconds is 13 steps: twelve full ones and one that had started. Here is what that means at an example price of 200 credits a minute (50 credits per step):

| Call length | Steps charged | Credits | Dollars |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0:40 | 3 | 150 | $1.50 |
| 3:05 | 13 | 650 | $6.50 |
| 10:00 | 40 | 2,000 | $20.00 |

Compare that with billing by the started minute, where 3 minutes and 5 seconds would be charged as 4 full minutes (800 credits). Small steps mean you pay for close to the time you actually used. For the term itself, see [15-second billing](https://paidchatplatform.com/glossary/#15-second-billing) in the glossary.

## When does the clock start and stop?

The clock starts only when you're both connected. For a voice call, that means the creator's microphone is on; for a video call, their camera too. Your own camera and microphone don't hold anything up: if you'd rather stay off camera, that's your choice.

The clock stops the moment either of you hangs up. During the call you see the time and the running cost, so there's no guessing.

## What do you never pay for?

- **Ringing.** However long it rings, it's free.

- **A call that isn't answered**, or one you cancel while it rings.

- **A call that never connects.** No connected time, no charge.

- **Joining, browsing and hearting creators** to get an alert when they're online.

- **Asking a creator to open bookings** when they have none yet.

## What else can you spend credits on?

- **Booked sessions** have a fixed length and price set by the creator, paid when you book.

- **Weekly sessions** repeat at the same time every week, booked and paid from your credits.

- **Gifts** are a thank-you you can send during a call or from a creator's page; a **Super Hello** is a gift with a private note.

- **Icebreakers** are one-line hellos for 10 credits, handy when a creator is offline.

We explain the last two in [gifts, Super Hello and Icebreakers](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/gifts-super-hello-and-icebreakers-for-fans/), and how to choose between calling and booking in [book a session or call now?](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/book-a-session-or-call-now/)

## Is there a monthly fee for fans?

No. Joining hello.fan is free, and you don't need a subscription to talk to anyone. You buy credits when you want them, spend them on the creators you choose, and leave whatever is left in your balance for next time. If you find yourself topping up often, an optional automatic top-up exists, but nothing renews unless you turn it on.

## Where does your money go?

Most of it goes to the person you talked to. On hello.fan the creator keeps 60% of what you pay, or 70% if they run a linked store.fan shop. The rest pays for the platform: the calls, the payments, the safety tools and the payouts to creators' banks.

## How can you keep your spending in check?

- **Top up what you plan to spend.** Your balance is your limit.

- **Choose the kind of call.** Chat and voice usually cost less than video.

- **Watch the meter.** The running cost is on screen the whole time.

- **Go in with a question.** A clear reason makes a short call feel complete.

- **Book a fixed session** when you want to know the total price in advance.

## The short version

Buy credits, pick a creator, pay only for connected time in 15-second steps. Nothing is charged for ringing, and nothing beyond your balance can ever be spent. For the whole picture from the creator's side, read [paid chat platforms explained](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/paid-chat-platforms-explained/), or see every number in one place on the [hello.fan fact sheet](https://paidchatplatform.com/hello-fan/).

**Written by the PaidChatPlatform team**
PaidChatPlatform is published by Premiums Only LLC, the company behind hello.fan. We recommend hello.fan, describe other services fairly from their public information, and don't publish ratings, reviews or testimonials we can't stand behind.

[How we compare →](https://paidchatplatform.com/about/)[hello.fan facts →](https://paidchatplatform.com/hello-fan/)

## Keep reading

[For fans · 7 min read
### How to video call a creator you follow: a step-by-step guide

Find their hello.fan link, join free, add credits and tap Call while they're online. Ringing is free; you pay per started 15 seconds once you're connected.](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/how-to-video-call-a-creator-you-follow/)[For fans · 6 min read
### Speaking practice with a native speaker, paid by the minute

Short, regular calls with a native speaker are the quickest way to start speaking. How to find one, plan a 10-minute session and use subtitles as support.](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/language-speaking-practice-with-native-speakers/)[For fans · 7 min read
### Get expert advice in 10 minutes, without a big consultation fee

Most questions need ten good minutes with someone who knows. How per-minute calls work for advice, what fits a short call, and how to prepare your question.](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/expert-advice-without-a-consultation-fee/)

[More in For fans →](https://paidchatplatform.com/blog/topic/for-fans/)

## Talk to someone right now

See who's online on hello.fan and call by video, voice or chat. Ringing is free — you only pay once you're connected.

[See who's online](https://hello.fan/creators?online=1&utm_source=paidchatplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=blog-how-paid-chat-works-for-fans&utm_content=blog-how-paid-chat-works-for-fans-final-fan)[How paid chat works for fans](https://paidchatplatform.com/fans/)