Coins & payments
Which coins get spent first
Last updated
When you spend coins on Orbit, whether joining a paid group or buying a cosmetic, the app decides automatically which coins to use. You never get to choose, and understanding the order helps explain why your balances move the way they do.
The rule
Free coins are always spent before paid coins. If you have 40 free coins and 200 paid coins and you spend 60 coins, the transaction takes all 40 free coins first, then 20 from your paid balance.
Why this order exists
Paid coins are the ones you can eventually withdraw. Spending free coins first keeps your withdrawable balance intact for as long as possible, rather than draining it while non-withdrawable free coins sit unused.
This works in your favour every time — there's no scenario where a different spending order would leave you better off.
Seeing it happen
Your transaction history breaks down each purchase or entry fee by coin type, so you can see exactly how much came from free coins and how much came from paid coins for any given transaction.
What this means for group owners
If a member pays to join your group using a mix of coin types, you receive the matching mix — not a converted or blended amount. The distinction between free and paid coins carries through the whole transaction, not just the spender's side.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I choose to spend paid coins first instead?
- No, the order is fixed and automatic. There's no setting to change it, since spending free coins first is always the better outcome for you.
- Does this order apply to cosmetics purchases too?
- Cosmetics are bought exclusively with free coins, so the spending order question doesn't apply there — see the cosmetics store overview for details.
- What happens if I don't have enough of either coin type?
- If your combined balance is short, Orbit blocks the purchase and offers to take you to the store to top up before trying again.
Still stuck? Contact support or browse the full Help Center.