This guide covers how billing works for HotDoc's AI Document Assistant – your plan and pricing, your free trial, and what happens if you go over your limit.
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In this article |
1. What you'll be charged
Document Assistant is billed monthly based on how many documents you process. There are four plans:
- $99/month – up to 400 documents
- $159/month – up to 1,000 documents
- $329/month – up to 2,500 documents
- $449/month – up to 4,000 documents
Every clinic starts on the entry plan ($99/month, up to 400 documents). Each document you upload counts toward your monthly limit, and documents over your plan's limit are billed at 25c each (prices exclude GST).
2. Your free trial
Your first 30 days are free, starting the day you accept the terms and turn on Document Assistant. The trial is uncapped, so you won't be charged anything during that time. The free trial is available once per clinic.
We'll email you a reminder 7 days before your trial ends, showing how many documents you've processed and which plan we'd suggest. You will also be able to see your trial end in the Usage and Billing pages of the dashboard.
After your trial ends, you'll default to the $99/month Starter plan, pro-rated for your first billing period.
3. If you go over your document limit
Nothing stops working - we never hold up your documents, even if you're over your limit.
| Any documents processed above your plan's limit are billed at 25c each and added to your next invoice |
Your overage is worked out once, when your monthly invoice is produced. So if you move up a plan throughout the month, documents you've already processed count against your new, larger allowance. If you go over your limit, this will be shown in your Dashboard usage.
You will also receive email notifications to the email address(es) you provided when signing up for Document Assistant. These will be sent when you have reached 85% and then 100% of your current plan's limit.
4. Viewing your usage and billing
Your usage can be seen within the Dashboard in two places –
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In the Dashboard, go to Document Assistant > Usage to see how many documents you've processed this month against your plan's limit.
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You can also go to Billing > Document Assistant > Current Usage to see your current plan and what you'll be charged this month.
5. Changing or cancelling your plan
Changing your plan can easily be actioned through the Dashboard.
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Go to Billing → Usage History → Document Assistant.
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Find the plan you want and click Upgrade or Downgrade.
Upgrading
An upgrade takes effect straight away and applies to your whole current billing month, including the larger document allowance. Because documents you've already processed count against the new allowance, any overage you'd built up earlier in the month can be reduced or removed entirely. Your month is billed at the new plan's full price (in a part-month, that price is pro-rated).
| Example: You're on Starter and have processed 600 documents by 10 October – 200 over your 400 allowance. You upgrade to Standard on 15 October. The month finishes at 900 documents. Your invoice is $159 with no overage, because 900 sits inside Standard's 1,000. |
Downgrading
A downgrade takes effect from the 1st of the following month. The month you're in stays on your current plan and allowance – a downgrade never lowers the plan or price for the month already in progress.
If you downgrade partway through a month, you'll still be billed at your current (higher) plan for the rest of that month. Your new, lower plan starts on the 1st. |
6. Cancelling your plan
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Go to Billing → Usage History → Document Assistant.
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Click Cancel plan
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Tick to confirm you are authorised to cancel Document Assistant on behalf of your clinic, and click Continue to cancel
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The Dashboard will show that your plan has been cancelled. You will still be able to access Document Assistant up until the end date of your existing plan, which will be shown here.
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7. Reactivating Document Assistant
If you have cancelled your Document Assistant plan and later wish to switch it back on, please contact HotDoc Support.
Once this has been actioned:
- Your first month back is pro-rated from the day you reactivate, with a full document allowance for that month.
- You choose a plan when you reactivate – there's no automatic starting plan, and there's no new free trial.
- You won't be able to cancel again until you've completed your first full calendar month.
If you switch back on before a cancellation has taken effect, nothing changes – billing simply continues and your document count carries on.
8. Emails about your plan and usage
Document Assistant sends a small, fixed set of automatic emails. Usage and plan emails go to your Document Assistant notification address (set in the Dashboard). Invoices go to your billing contact – which may be a different address.
| When it's sent | |
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| Document Assistant is on | When you accept the terms and switch it on. |
| Trial ending soon | 7 days before your free trial ends. |
| 85% of plan used | When you reach 85% of your included documents for the billing period. |
| 100% of plan used | When you reach 100% of your included documents. |
| Plan upgraded | As soon as you confirm an upgrade. |
| Plan change scheduled | As soon as you confirm a downgrade (it starts on the 1st of next month). |
| Cancellation | As soon as you confirm a cancellation (after the trial). |
| Reactivation | When you switch Document Assistant back on. |
| Invoice | On the 1st of each month, for the previous calendar month – to your billing contact. |
9. FAQs
Which plan do I start on?
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Every clinic starts on the entry plan ($99/month, up to 400 documents). You can view your usage and change your plan in the Dashboard at any time.
What happens if I process more than 4,000 documents a month?
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You'll stay on the $449/month plan and pay 25c for each document over 4,000.
How do I pay my bill?
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Charges are added to your normal HotDoc invoice – there is no separate bill to pay.
How do I change or add a new usage notification email address?
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Go to Document Assistant > Settings to update or add a new usage notification email address.
What counts as a billable document?
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You're billed for every document that is uploaded to Document Assistant – not for every document you import to Best Practice. If a document is uploaded but you don't import it, it still counts towards your document total for that billing period.