With subscriptions, you don't just sell once. Instead, you automatically receive a payment every month (or every quarter, or every year). In this article, I'll explain what subscriptions are, how they work in Plug&Pay and which payment methods you can use for them.
ℹ️ This feature is available from Plug&Pay Premium. Are you using Plug&Pay Lite? Upgrade to Premium or Ultimate to use this feature.
What is a subscription?
A subscription is a payment type in which a customer pays an amount at fixed intervals, for as long as the subscription is active. Think of monthly access to an online course, a community or another digital product.
You set the subscription up once, and Plug&Pay then automatically takes care of the recurring direct debit. You don't have to do anything yourself.
Why are subscriptions valuable?
Subscriptions create recurring revenue: at the start of the month, you already know how much income is coming in. That makes your business more predictable and more stable.
A few benefits at a glance:
Predictable revenue. Your monthly income is clear, regardless of how many new customers you bring in.
Higher customer value. A customer who pays monthly often delivers a lot more over time than someone who buys once.
Less sales pressure. You don't have to sell again every month. Your existing subscribers simply continue paying.
Lower barrier. You sell access to your service (instead of ownership), which makes it easier for customers to get started.
Subscriptions are ideal for products where customers receive ongoing value, such as a membership, an online community or a course platform.
How do subscriptions work in Plug&Pay?
Within Plug&Pay, you can offer three different periods for your subscription: monthly, quarterly and annual. On the checkout, your customers choose their preferred period.
As soon as a customer pays, they give permission for future debits. Plug&Pay then automatically collects on the configured interval dates.
Which payment methods can you use?
Not every payment method can be used to buy a subscription on the checkout. The automatic direct debit requires a mandate, so future payments can run automatically.
The payment methods that work for subscriptions in Plug&Pay are:
Credit card
SEPA Direct Debit
iDEAL (+ SEPA)
Bancontact (+ SEPA)
❗️Please note: The iDEAL and Bancontact payment methods can only be used if SEPA Direct Debit is activated.
If you have both SEPA Direct Debit and iDEAL activated as payment methods, for example, your customer can first pay with iDEAL on the checkout. Thanks to SEPA Direct Debit, the subscription is then automatically debited from that point on.
Get started
Now that you know how subscriptions work, you're ready to set one up. In the next article, you'll create your first subscription product in Plug&Pay step by step.