Short answer
Spend can keep accruing for up to 24 hours after a pause, and that cost is billable. Reported spend may also change after delivery stops because spend reporting lags 7–8 hours, but it won't exceed the budget limit.
What to do
- Pause a day before the end of a planned flight if the budget is tight
- Read spend the next day, not right after pausing
- Don't raise budgets to "catch up" based on same-day spend
Questions
Can I get a refund for that spend?
OpenAI's billing article doesn't describe refunds or credits.
Facts checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. Platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
