> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hivenet.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to track your Compute costs in real time

> Avoid surprises and understand how billing works

Go to your Hivenet dashboard and navigate to **Dashboard > Billing**

There, you’ll find:

* **Current session duration**
* **Estimated cost in EUR**
* **Breakdown by instance**

<Tip>
  Costs are updated in near real time while your instance is running.
</Tip>

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/hivenet/_id7mrTdcSgCD0yF/images/compute-costs.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=_id7mrTdcSgCD0yF&q=85&s=8e9bc790703a4cb30d1516e516669c1e" alt="Compute Costs Pn" width="2299" height="979" data-path="images/compute-costs.png" />

## **How Compute pricing works**

Hivenet bills Compute by the minute, based on:

* GPU type (e.g., 1x RTX 4090 vs. 2x)
* Uptime (start time until instance is stopped or terminated)
* Optional extras (storage, bandwidth)

You’re only charged while the instance is active.

## **Stop vs. terminate: what’s the difference?**

* **Stop**: Pauses your session. You won’t be charged for compute time, but storage costs may still apply.
* **Terminate**: Deletes the instance completely. No further charges.

Stopping is ideal if you plan to restart soon. Terminate if you're done. [Learn more.](/documentation/essentials/stop-terminate-instance)

## **Edge cases: when costs might spike**

If something looks off (like being billed for multiple sessions), check:

* Did you accidentally create multiple instances?
* Was your instance left running overnight?
* Did your browser tab not update the stop status?

Reach out to support if your usage doesn’t match what’s billed.

## **How to request a refund**

Think you were overcharged? Hivenet Support is here to help:

* Open the chat widget on our website
* Mention your instance ID and timeframe
* We’ll investigate and refund any verified overcharges