Kling video tasks usually require a top-up before you can call them. Teams in China most often ask four questions: should we use the official channel or a domestic gateway, which currency is used, can we get an invoice, and how should balance and refunds be managed? Video generation top-ups are often sizable, and an unclear process can leave idle balances, difficult reimbursements, and runaway quotas.

This article compares the two paths across account opening, payment, invoicing, and after-sales support, and provides a checklist. Prices, exchange rates, and invoice rules change; use the in-site model pricing page and Kling's official purchase page as the authority.

Note: Kling and Kling AI are trademarks of Kuaishou Technology and its affiliates. This article is for technical explanation only and implies no affiliation with or agency for the rights holders. Prices, interfaces, and billing rules are subject to official documentation and the in-site pricing page.

1. Distinguish the two top-up paths first

Item Official Kling channel Domestic AI gateway (ZSQH as an example)
Account entity Kling account; real-name or enterprise verification may be required In-site account; complete real-name verification as required
Billing currency Often CNY on the domestic site, USD on overseas sites Priced in CNY; rules follow the site
Payment form Video or image resource packs; some sites offer an account balance Wallet balance, possibly with quota and validity rules
Payment methods Online payment, corporate transfer, or international cards, depending on the site Domestic payment methods supported by the site
Model scope Kling video, image, and related capabilities Models already integrated by the gateway; see the pricing page
Invoices Requested according to the official purchase page and service agreement Requested under gateway rules; confirm type and cycle
Best for Teams that use only Kling and need the official console Teams that want one bill across models and domestic payment

The official channel also splits into domestic and overseas sites: account systems, currencies, available models, and invoicing entities may all differ, so do not mix tutorials. Before signing, confirm which site you registered on and who issues the invoice.

2. Official top-up: resource packs and account balance

The Kling open platform usually requires buying a video or image generation resource pack first, then creating an API key to call the service. The official platform generally offers trial resource packs for integration testing, while production usage deducts from the resource pack or balance. The console shows call volume, resource pack consumption, and itemized deductions.

Official paid agreements usually state that balance is virtual consumption funds: it cannot be withdrawn or transferred, and top-ups generally cannot be refunded; resource packs have their own validity periods, as stated on the purchase page. Activated or used resource packs usually cannot be returned, and a top-up sent to the wrong account may not be adjustable. Confirming validity periods and refund windows before payment is more effective than appealing afterward.

Authentication across sites and versions may use an API key, AK/SK signing, or JWT; follow the official documentation. Video tasks mostly use asynchronous interfaces, so after creating a key, validate with the shortest task rather than running batch scripts immediately.

3. Steps to top up through a gateway

Using ZSQH AI Gateway as an example:

  1. Open the registration page, create an account, and sign in.
  2. Complete real-name or enterprise information, ensuring it matches the invoicing entity.
  3. Go to the wallet or top-up page, choose an amount and payment method, and confirm the currency and settlement notes.
  4. After payment, return to the console to confirm the balance is credited, create a project-specific key, and set a quota cap.
  5. Confirm whether the gateway has enabled the Kling video channel, and read the in-site task parameter and callback documentation.
  6. Submit one test task at the lowest configuration and check the charge and billing record.
  7. Export first-day usage and reconcile it against the top-up amount and task count.

After topping up, first verify that the key works:

export ZSQH_API_KEY="sk-your-key"

# Model list endpoint, used to confirm key and gateway connectivity; path follows in-site docs
curl "https://ai.zhongshangqihang.com/v1/models" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ZSQH_API_KEY"

An OpenAI-compatible endpoint for text models does not necessarily work for video tasks. Kling video usually requires separate task submission and polling interfaces, with fields defined by the in-site documentation. For the first test, use the shortest duration and lowest resolution.

4. Currency, exchange rates, and "looks cheaper"

Cross-border top-ups cannot be compared on list price alone. USD pricing also involves exchange rates, bank fees, and foreign-exchange losses on refunds; a domestic gateway uses CNY, which makes payment and reimbursement more direct, but the price may include service cost. Neither side is a simple matter of a higher or lower number.

For comparison, normalize to "cost per usable video": include the top-up amount, failed retries, storage and traffic, and invoice deductions. Minimum top-up amounts and balance validity also affect cost; topping up a large sum for a discount and then not using it all can be more expensive.

This article does not list specific unit prices or exchange rates because both change. Before ordering, check model pricing and the official purchase page, and confirm whether tax is included and whether extra fees apply.

5. Invoices and enterprise procurement

Enterprise procurement usually goes through supplier onboarding, contracts, payment, and reimbursement. Before topping up, clarify the following items:

  • Invoice type: general or special VAT invoice, and the tax rate.
  • Invoicing entity: whether the invoice title matches the paying entity and contracting entity.
  • Timing: invoice at top-up, after consumption, or monthly in aggregate.
  • Contract and order: whether there is a formal contract, order number, and terms of service.
  • Data and compliance: how assets and prompts are stored, how long they are retained, and whether they are used for training.
  • After-sales: channels and time limits for balance anomalies, task failures, and invoice errors.

Prepayments also require payment vouchers, top-up records, and consumption details. Export the bill monthly and archive it by project and key to avoid gathering materials at year-end. Invoice type and cycle depend on the provider's qualifications and your enterprise information; do not rely only on the marketing page.

6. Balance alerts and team quotas

Video tasks have a high per-clip cost, and a runaway script can consume a large balance quickly. After topping up, do three things immediately:

  1. Split keys by project, separate test and production, and forbid multiple people from sharing one key.
  2. Set balance alerts and daily and monthly budgets, covering at least one owner and one finance contact.
  3. Limit concurrency, per-task duration, and maximum retries, and pause automatically on anomalies.

Review usage weekly: which model consumes the most, whether the failure rate is rising, whether tasks are being resubmitted, and whether balance decline matches expectations. Alerts must go somewhere a person will act on them; an alert nobody reads is no alert at all.

7. Refunds, validity periods, and common pitfalls

Refund rules vary by channel. Official balances and resource packs usually cannot be refunded on demand; used, expired, or promotional credit often cannot be returned. Gateway wallets follow the in-site terms, consumed amounts generally cannot be refunded, and cross-border refunds may lose exchange value.

Common pitfalls include treating a resource pack as a general balance, ignoring validity periods, topping up the wrong account, failing to invoice after payment, mixing promotional credit with cash balance, and sharing a key until the quota is exceeded. The safer approach is a small first top-up: complete submission, polling, download, and invoicing, then add budget according to usage.

FAQ

How long does a Kling API top-up take to arrive?

Online payment is usually fast; corporate transfer may be delayed. Use the in-site settlement notice and balance page as the authority. If it does not arrive for a long time, check the payment receipt first and then contact the provider; do not pay twice.

Can I get a special VAT invoice?

It depends on the provider's qualifications and your enterprise information. Confirm the invoice type, tax rate, invoicing cycle, and whether invoicing happens at top-up or after consumption. Purchasing through a personal account may affect invoicing; an enterprise entity is recommended.

Do official balances and resource packs expire?

Rules differ. Official balances usually state a usage period in the paid agreement, while resource pack validity is stated on the purchase page; unused packs may lapse. Gateway balance rules follow the in-site terms; do not assume they are valid forever.

Which is more cost-effective, topping up in CNY or USD?

Do not look only at the list price. Include exchange rates, fees, taxes, minimum top-up amounts, validity periods, and refund losses, then compare cost per usable video. When usage is unstable, several small top-ups are usually easier to control.

Why does it still say insufficient balance after topping up?

Check whether settlement is delayed, whether the key has a quota cap, whether the model is enabled, and whether requests hit a higher-priced tier. Failed video retries also consume balance; if necessary, pause tasks before investigating.

Next steps

Start with a small top-up and run one shortest video task to confirm settlement, charges, downloads, and invoicing all work, then add budget by project. You can begin at the ZSQH AI Gateway registration page; prices and available models are on the model pricing page.

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