Change the price of existing subscriptions
Learn how to upgrade and downgrade subscriptions by changing the price.
When a customer changes their subscription, you must change the subscription item to reflect the new selection. For example, a customer might upgrade to a premium tier or downgrade to a basic tier, prompting you to replace the underlying price of that subscription item. You can do this using a few different methods.
Retrieve the identifiers
Regardless of the method you choose, you need to provide identifiers for the objects you’re updating. Use the list subscriptions method with a relevant filter (such as the ID of the customer-configured Account or Customer object) to find the subscription and item to update.
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The returns the set of subscriptions for the specified customer, from which you can retrieve the subscription ID ( id), any subscription item IDs ( items.data.id) and the subscription items price ID ( items.data.price.id).
Retrieve subscriptions response sample
{
"object": "list",
"url": "/v1/subscriptions",
"has_more": false,
"data": [
{
"id": "su_1NXPiE2eZvKYlo2COk9fohqA",
"object": "subscription",
"application": null,
"application_fee_percent": null,
"automatic_tax": {
"enabled": false
},
"items": {
"object": "list",
"data": [
{
"id": "si_OK3pbS1dvdQYJP",
"object": "subscription_item",
"billing_thresholds": null,
"created": 1690208774,
"metadata": {},
"price": {
"id": "price_1NOhvg2eZvKYlo2CqkpQDVRT",
"object": "price"
}
}
]
}
}
]
}
Update the subscription
Update a subscription including the following parameters:
- item ID : You must specify the subscription item to replace the current price with the new price. Otherwise, updating the subscription with a new price adds a new subscription item so both prices are active for the subscription.
- item price : Provide the identifier for the replacement price.
- item quantity : Updating a subscription price automatically reverts the quantity to the default value of 1 . If the existing subscription quantity is anything other than 1 and you want to preserve that value, you must include it in the update.
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Common mistake
You must specify the subscription item to replace the current price with the new price. Failing to do so results in adding the new price so both prices are active for the subscription.
Alternatively, you can delete the current subscription item and create a new subscription item with the updated price.
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Update the subscription item
Update a subscription item using the following parameters:
- price : Provide the identifier for the replacement price.
- quantity : Updating a subscription price automatically reverts the quantity to the default value of 1 . If the existing subscription quantity is anything other than 1 and you want to preserve that value, you must include it in the update.
Use this option if you don’t need to make any other changes at the subscription level.
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Billing periods
If both prices have the same billing periods (combination of interval and interval_count), the subscription retains the same billing dates. If the prices have different billing periods, the new price is billed at the new interval, starting on the day of the change. For example, switching a customer from one monthly subscription to another doesn’t change the billing dates. However, switching a customer from a monthly subscription to a yearly subscription moves the billing date to the date of the switch. Switching a customer from one monthly subscription to another monthly subscription while introducing a trial period also moves the billing date (to the conclusion of the trial).
Subscription schedules
If you’re changing a subscription at the end of its billing period, consider using a subscription schedule to manage the transition. When using subscription schedules, follow best practices to prevent unexpected subscription overwrites.
Usage-based billing with Billing Meters
Details on mid-cycle updates for prices attached to a Billing Meter are described in the pricing models section. Passing clear_usage when updating a price with a Billing Meter has no effect.
Usage-based billing with Usage Records Legacy
If you have a metered price backed by legacy usage records and update to a new usage records price, the usage is transferred to the new price.
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Proration
Changing a subscription often results in a proration to apply the new price to the remaining days in the billing period. You can prepare your customer for any additional expense resulting from a price change by previewing a proration. Alternatively, you can disable prorations.
Immediate payment
Stripe immediately attempts payment when a subscription’s billing cycle anchor is reset. Learn more about resetting a subscription’s billing cycle anchor.
When billing is performed immediately, but the required payment fails, the subscription change request succeeds and the subscription transitions to past_due.
To bill a customer immediately for a change to a subscription on the same billing period, set proration_behavior to always_invoice. This calculates the proration, then immediately generates an invoice after making the switch. Combine this setting with pending updates so the subscription doesn’t update unless payment succeeds on the new invoice.
Credit prorations
Credit prorations are issued when customers downgrade their subscriptions or cancel subscription items before the end of their billing period. Stripe offers two approaches for calculating credit prorations, depending on your subscription’s billing_mode setting. See Credit prorations for more details.
Handle zero-amount prices and quantities
If you’ve subscribed a customer to a zero-amount price (for example, as a trial), changing the price to a non-zero amount generates an invoice and resets the billing period to the date of the change.
If you’ve subscribed a customer to a price with a non-zero amount and a zero-amount quantity, changing the quantity to a non-zero amount doesn’t generate an invoice or reset the billing period.