> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vaudiolink.eu/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Hosted time
> Understand included hours, 20-hour refills, session behavior, and where to check your balance.
Hosted time is the allowance used when a signed-in creator runs ASMR Collab, Music Collab, or Scene Share through the vAudioLink hosted relays. Self-hosted sessions do not use it, and an accountless guest does not need to buy time.
## What the Creator plan includes
* The Creator plan includes **20 hosted hours per Paddle billing period**.
* The current included balance resets with the active subscription period; unused included hours do not become purchased credit.
* vAudioLink spends included time before purchased refill time.
* The sponsoring host or Scene Share Stage owner is charged for active hosted media. Waiting backstage without a selected Scene Share feed does not consume media time.
The current balance appears in the shared footer of each signed-in dock and in the vAudioLink panel.
## Add 20 hours
When the balance is low or empty, select **Add 20 hours** in the dock or open **Billing** in the panel. A refill adds 20 hours after Paddle confirms the completed payment.
Only an active paid Paddle Creator subscription can buy or spend refill time. Trial, paused, past-due, canceled, expired, manual, or admin-only access does not unlock refills. Purchased time remains recorded if the paid subscription becomes inactive, but it cannot be spent until eligible paid access is active again.
If payment completed but the balance has not changed, do not start another checkout. Refresh the account status, check Billing in the panel, then contact support with the transaction time if activation remains pending.
## When the balance reaches zero
* A hosted session that is already carrying media can continue until you end it.
* You cannot start another hosted audio session with an empty balance.
* A Scene Share host cannot select a guest and start that guest's full Program feed until hosted time is available.
* After adding time, refresh account status in the dock before retrying.
The footer may say **Current session will continue until you end**. That message protects an active production from a sudden disconnect; it does not grant another session.
## Included, purchased, and self-hosted time
| Balance or mode | What happens |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Included time | Resets with the current eligible billing period and is spent first |
| Purchased refill time | Persists across billing-period resets and is spendable only with an active paid Creator subscription |
| Self-hosted mode | Does not use the hosted-time balance |
| Accountless guest | Uses the host's temporary credential and does not purchase hosted time |
Check subscription state, hosted time, and refill availability.
Work through account refresh and pending-payment checks.