What is a card-free trial?
A card-free trial lets you try a paid product without entering a card, so nothing is charged unless you choose to add one when the trial ends.
Also called: No-card trial.
In plain words
Many trials ask for a card up front and start charging automatically when the trial ends, unless you remember to cancel. A card-free trial turns that around. You try the product first, and only add a card if you want to keep going.
For a small business, that makes trying a tool lower risk. You can connect an account, see whether it helps, and decide later, without watching the calendar for a cancellation date.
A card-free trial still has limits: it lasts a set time and usually includes a set amount of use. When it ends, the product pauses the paid parts until a card is added.
To get the most from a trial, connect the account your customers already message, give your agent a short note about your business, and let it answer real questions for a few days. That shows you far more than a demo would, and you decide with your own results in front of you.
How it works in Spaces
The Spaces trial starts when you connect your first account, with no card needed. Connecting accounts never asks for a card during the trial, and the trial includes the Starter allowance of actions. Spaces emails you before the trial ends with a link to add a card.
If the trial ends without a card, reads still work and accounts stay connected, and sending resumes as soon as a card is added. The trial length and plans are on the pricing page.
Related terms
- Connected account: A connected account is one of your own messaging accounts, such as your WhatsApp number or Instagram profile, that you have linked to a service so an AI agent can read and reply to its conversations.
- API key: An API key is a long secret code that proves to a service that a request comes from you, so it works like a password for software rather than for people.
- AI agent: An AI agent is an AI model, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Grok, that can take actions with tools you give it, like reading a message and sending a reply, rather than only chatting.
- MCP server: An MCP server is the web address a service publishes so AI agents can find and use its tools through the Model Context Protocol.
FAQ
Do I need a card to start a Spaces trial?
No. The trial starts when you connect your first account, with no card needed.
What happens when the trial ends?
Reads still work and accounts stay connected. Sending resumes as soon as you add a card.
Will I be charged automatically?
No card is taken during the trial, so nothing is charged unless you add one.
Will I get a reminder?
Yes. Spaces emails you before the trial ends with a link to add a card.
How long is the trial?
The pricing page has the current trial length and plans.
Useful next: Pricing and trial, Channels you can connect, Connect your AI agent. Every term: the glossary.