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

# Pricing

One simple service fee, explained — with a worked example.

SpendGhost makes money one way: a small **service fee** on each order. No subscription, no markup games, no monthly minimum.

## The fee

**$2.50 + 3%** per order.

You always see the full breakdown — item, buffer, and fee — before you confirm. Nothing is charged until you say yes.

## What you actually pay

When you order, the ghost authorizes a total made of three parts:

| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| **Item subtotal** | The product price × quantity. |
| **Tax & shipping buffer** | A small ceiling so the order never fails because tax or shipping pushed it a little over. |
| **Service fee** | $2.50 + 3%. |

The buffer is a *ceiling*, not a charge. If the real tax + shipping comes in lower (it usually does), **the unused buffer is refunded to your wallet automatically** after the order settles. You only ever pay for what the order actually cost, plus the fee.

## A worked example

Say you order a desk organizer that costs about **$30**:

```
Item                 ~$30.00
Service fee           ~$3.50   ($2.50 + 3%)
+ a small tax/shipping buffer  (refunded if unused)
─────────────────────────────
You authorize        ~$33.50  (in USDC), plus the buffer
```

After the order settles, anything left over from the buffer comes straight back to your balance — so your real cost lands right around the item price plus the fee.

## Cards & gift cards

The same `$2.50 + 3%` fee applies to [prepaid cards](/cards/prepaid-cards) and [gift cards](/cards/gift-cards) — you pay the card's face value plus the fee, with no buffer (there's nothing to estimate).

Say you load a **$50** prepaid card:

```
Card value           $50.00
Service fee           $4.00   ($2.50 + 3% of $50 = $2.50 + $1.50)
─────────────────────────────
You pay              $54.00  (in USDC)
```

So a $50 card is **$50 + $2.50 + $1.50 = $54**. A $50 gift card works out the same way.

Prepaid cards today are **US cards** — they issue instantly and the ghost always shows the full cost before you confirm. See [Prepaid cards](/cards/prepaid-cards).

## Swapping & cashing out

Moving your own funds around — [swapping](/wallet/swap) a token into spendable USDC, sweeping stray deposits, or [cashing out](/wallet/cash-out) to an address you control — carries **no SpendGhost fee**. You only cover the **network and swap costs** the move actually incurs.

A **private swap** (mixing your funds into a fresh, unlinked wallet) is a different move and does carry the **$2.50 + 3%** fee, since the ghost is doing real work to break the on‑chain trail — the ghost always shows the fee before you confirm.

## What's free

- Setting up — no sign‑up fee.
- Funding your wallet — SpendGhost takes no deposit fee. Send USDC to your address and the only cost is the network fee to send it from your own wallet; gas to *spend* from your balance is covered for you. See [How funding works](/funding/how-funding-works).
- Checking your balance and seeing what you hold across chains — including the live "did it land?" check.
- Order tracking, notifications, refunds, your dashboard, and data wipe.
- Earning [points](/rewards/points-and-referrals), referrals, and connecting your X account.

## Refunds

If an order can't be completed, or you cancel it before it's fulfilled, you're refunded in full automatically. See [Refunds & returns](/using/refunds-and-returns).