Trial Billing Scenarios
Last updated on Aug 27, 2026
These tables show exactly what's charged, and when, for each combination of trial type, Product type, setup fee timing, and card status. See Understand Trialing Subscriptions for what the trial types and column headers mean.
Free trial without Products
The following trialing examples contain two types of trials:
- Free trials that do not include a setup fee
- Free trials that do include a setup fee
While a free trial with a setup fee isn't truly free, it's included below for completeness.
| Setup fee | Trial type | Card required on signup? | Collection Method | Charges applied at signup | Status at end of trial successful charge | Charges applied at end of trial | Status at end of trial with failed charge | Status at end of trial with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | N/A | Setup fee | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | No | Automatic | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | No | Remittance | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee | Past Due | Active |
| Before Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | N/A | Setup fee | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Past Due |
| After Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | No | N/A | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee | Past Due | Past Due |
| N/A | No Obligation | No | Automatic | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | No Obligation | No | Remittance | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Active |
| N/A | Payment Expected at End of Trial | No | N/A | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Past Due |
Free trial with Metered and On/Off Products
The following trialing examples contain two types of trials:
- Free trials that do not include a setup fee
- Free trials that do include a setup fee
While a free trial with a setup fee isn't truly free, it's included below for completeness.
| Setup fee | Trial type | Card required on signup? | Collection Method | Charges applied at signup | Status at end of trial successful charge | Charges applied at end of trial | Status at end of trial with failed charge | Status at end of trial with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | N/A | Setup fee | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | No | Automatic | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | No | Remittance | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Active |
| Before Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | No | N/A | Setup fee | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Past Due |
| After Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | No | N/A | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Past Due |
| N/A | No Obligation | No | Automatic | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | No Obligation | No | Remittance | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Active |
| N/A | Payment Expected at End of Trial | No | N/A | $0 | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Past Due |
Free trial with Quantity Based Products
The following example contains signups for free trials without a setup fee. All of the trials use the "No Obligation" trial type.
| Proration Method | Trial Type | Collection Method | Total charges applied if Product added at signup | Total increase in "Current Balance" if Product is added during trial | Total charges applied at first renewal | Status after trial ends with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prorate + Accrue | No Obligation | Automatic | $0 | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Prorate + Process | No Obligation | Automatic | $0 | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Full Cost + Accrue | No Obligation | Automatic | $0 | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Full Cost + Process | No Obligation | Automatic | $0 | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| No Cost Change | No Obligation | Automatic | $0 | No change in balance | Cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Prorate + Accrue | No Obligation | Remittance | $0 | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Active |
| Prorate + Process | No Obligation | Remittance | $0 | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Active |
| Full Cost + Accrue | No Obligation | Remittance | $0 | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Active |
| Full Cost + Process | No Obligation | Remittance | $0 | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Active |
| No Cost Change | No Obligation | Remittance | $0 | No change in balance | Cost of Plan | Active |
Whether a Quantity Based Product added during an active trial is charged or prorated immediately depends on your Site's configured Proration Method. Under Prorate + Accrue, Prorate + Process, Full Cost + Accrue, or Full Cost + Process, the Product's cost is added to the Subscription's balance right away. Under No Cost Change, no charge occurs until the trial ends.
Paid trial without Products
The following examples contain signups for paid trials, where the subscriber is charged during the trial itself:
| Setup fee | Trial type | Card required on signup? | Charges applied at signup | Status at end of trial successful charge | Charges applied at end of trial | Status at end of trial with failed charge | Status at end of trial with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | Setup fee + Trial cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| Before Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup Fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | No Obligation | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
Paid trial with Metered and On/Off Products
The following examples add Metered and On/Off Product charges to the same paid-trial scenarios:
| Setup fee | Trial type | Card required on signup? | Charges applied at signup | Status at end of trial successful charge | Charges applied at end of trial | Status at end of trial with failed charge | Status at end of trial with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | Setup fee + Trial cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | No Obligation | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| Before Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| After Trial Period | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Setup fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | No Obligation | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee + Product Charges | Past Due | Trial Ended |
| N/A | Payment Expected at End of Trial | Yes | Trial period cost | Active | Recurring Plan fee | Past Due | Trial Ended |
Paid trial with Quantity Based Products
The following example contains signups for paid trials without a setup fee. All of the trials use the "No Obligation" trial type, but require a credit card at signup.
| Proration Method | Card Required on Signup | Total charges applied to credit card when Product added at signup | Current balance due after signup | Total increase in "Current Balance" if Product is added during trial | Total charges applied at first renewal | Status after trial ends with no card on file |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prorate + Accrue | Yes | Cost of Trial Period | Cost of Products added on signup | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Prorate + Process | Yes | Cost of Trial Period | Cost of Products added on signup | Prorated cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Full Cost + Accrue | Yes | Cost of Trial Period | Cost of Products added on signup | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| Full Cost + Process | Yes | Cost of Trial Period | Cost of Products added on signup | Full cost of Product | Current balance + cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
| No Cost Change | Yes | Cost of Trial Period | Cost of Products added on signup | No change in balance | Cost of Plan | Trial Ended |
Related information
For what these trial types and column headers mean, see Understand Trialing Subscriptions.
For ways to end a trial before its scheduled end, see End a Trial Early.
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