Instead of billing you after the fact, SyllHost's Reseller API uses a prepaid account balance. This makes spending predictable and protects you from surprises.
How it works
- You add funds to your account.
- When you place an API order, the price is deducted from your balance in the same step.
- If the balance is insufficient, the order is refused and nothing is created or charged.
Minimum balance
Each account can have a required minimum balance (a reserve). An order is accepted only if the balance left after paying would still be at or above that minimum. GET /account shows balance, minimum_balance and available_to_spend.
{"data": {"balance": "92.00", "minimum_balance": "5.00", "available_to_spend": "87.00"}}
Prices and discounts
You buy at the retail price minus your reseller discount. Catalogue endpoints return prices that already include it, and they are exactly what is charged. Domains are never priced below cost.
Renewals
Renewal invoices are created before their due date and billed at the price you bought at. With auto-renew on they are paid from your balance automatically. Keep enough balance for upcoming renewals, or pay invoices yourself with POST /invoices/{id}/pay.
Why prepaid is good for you
- No debt: you never owe more than you have deposited.
- Safe automation: a bug or leaked key can only spend what is on the balance. See key security.
- Clear accounting: every deduction appears in
GET /transactions.
Good habits
- Track the balance in your own dashboard.
- Alert yourself when available_to_spend drops under a threshold.
- Top up before large batches or renewal dates.
- Do not keep a large idle balance.
What happens on a 402
You receive 402 insufficient_balance. Add funds and retry with the same Idempotency-Key. See error handling.
A worked example
Your balance is $92.00 and your minimum balance is $5.00, so available to spend is $87.00. You place an $8.00 hosting order. The balance becomes $84.00 and available to spend $79.00. Later, a $120.00 order would be refused with 402 insufficient_balance because it exceeds what you can spend. Nothing is created and nothing is deducted.
Planning for renewals
List your upcoming renewals for the next 30 days using GET /invoices and GET /services. Add them up, compare with available_to_spend and top up before the due dates. Many resellers schedule a weekly check.
Security advantage
Because spending is limited to the funded balance, the worst case of a stolen key is bounded. Combine a modest balance, IP restrictions and quick revocation for strong protection.
FAQ
Can I get a refund of unused balance?
Ask our team through a ticket; conditions follow our refund policy.
Does the minimum balance count as spendable?
No. It stays in your account as a reserve.
Build with our API: read the Reseller API reference and the step-by-step guide. API access is enabled per account, so contact us to request it.