Your AI assistant cannot spend your money without asking.
FoxEra Calls is designed so that your AI assistant can prepare a campaign, preview the cost and fetch a top-up link — but calling only starts after you approve, and adding credit is a link you click yourself.
The concern every business owner has about AI agents and money
When you hear that an AI assistant can manage your cold calling, the first question is usually: can it spend my money without me knowing? It is a reasonable worry. AI tools are getting more capable, and the line between preparing a task and executing it can feel blurry.
The short answer for FoxEra Calls is no. Your assistant can do a lot — add leads, choose a calling agent, draft a pitch, preview a campaign — but it cannot make the calls happen or add credit to your account without your explicit approval.
How FoxEra separates preparation from spending
There are two distinct steps before any money is spent:
- Campaign preview — your assistant asks FoxEra how many leads are in the folder, which agent will call, and what the estimated cost is. This is a read-only check. No calls are placed, no credit is used.
- Campaign approval — you review the preview and confirm the campaign should go ahead. The campaign needs your confirmed number and a separate approval before anyone is phoned. Without that confirmation, nothing happens.
This two-step design means the assistant handles the preparation work while you keep the decision. It is the same principle as a shopping basket: filling the basket does not charge you, and checking out requires your action.
Top-ups are a link you click yourself
Your assistant can fetch a top-up link for you, but it cannot complete the payment. The link takes you to a payment page where you enter your details and confirm the amount. The assistant never sees your card information and cannot authorise a charge on your behalf.
New accounts start with £7 of free calling credit. After that, you top up when you choose to, in the amount you choose. There is no subscription, no recurring charge and no automatic billing. You pay for connected minutes only, from 12p per connected minute.
If your balance runs out mid-campaign, the remaining calls pause. They do not continue on credit or overdraft. You top up when you are ready, and the campaign resumes.
What your assistant can and cannot do
It helps to see the boundary clearly:
- Can do without approval: add leads to a folder, choose a calling agent (Cass, Alex or Andrea), draft or edit a calling script, preview campaign cost and headcount, fetch call transcripts and results.
- Needs your approval: start a calling campaign, which requires your confirmed number and a separate go-ahead.
- Cannot do at all: add credit to your account, enter payment details, change your account settings or delete your data.
This is by design, not a limitation. The assistant is most useful when it handles the repetitive work — uploading leads, checking costs, reading results — and leaves the spending decisions to you.
Comparing this to other AI-connected tools
Not every AI-connected service works this way. Some tools let agents execute purchases, book services or commit to contracts with minimal human oversight. FoxEra takes the opposite approach: the assistant is a capable helper that stops short of spending.
If you are evaluating AI cold calling software, ask each provider exactly what an AI assistant can do without your approval. The answer tells you how much control you keep. With FoxEra, the answer is: everything except starting the calls and adding credit.
For a broader look at how AI calling is priced, see the pricing guide. Understanding the cost model makes the approval step more useful — you know what you are approving before you approve it.
Setting up your assistant with spending controls in mind
Connect your AI assistant through the FoxEra developer connector. The connector gives your assistant access to your account's calling features without giving it access to your payment method.
Start with a small test: upload ten leads, preview the campaign cost, approve it, and review the results. That test will show you exactly how the approval flow works and what the assistant can see at each stage. Read the guide on connecting ChatGPT or the transcript guide to see the full workflow.
The £7 of free calling credit on new accounts is enough to run a short campaign and verify the controls yourself before committing any of your own money.
Frequently asked questions
Can ChatGPT or Claude spend money on FoxEra without my permission?
No. Your assistant can preview a campaign cost and fetch a top-up link, but calling only starts after your explicit approval. Adding credit requires you to complete the payment yourself.
What happens if my balance runs out during a campaign?
The remaining calls pause. No calls continue on credit or overdraft. You top up when you are ready and the campaign resumes.
Is there a subscription or recurring charge?
No. FoxEra Calls is pay-as-you-go, from 12p per connected minute. You top up manually when you choose. New accounts get £7 of free calling credit.
Can I set a spending limit for my AI assistant?
Your assistant cannot spend at all — it can only prepare and preview campaigns. You approve each campaign individually, so you control spending on a per-campaign basis.