Subscriptions - Recurring Payments with Booking Credits

Offer subscription-based booking packages with recurring billing via Stripe. Subscribers pay automatically each billing period and receive booking credits to schedule appointments with you.

Overview

TidyCal subscriptions let you create recurring billing plans for your booking types. Instead of paying per booking, your clients subscribe and receive a set number of booking credits each billing period (week, month, or year). Credits reset at the start of each period -- unused credits do not roll over.

Subscriptions are available on all plans (Free, Individual, Agency, and Pro) and require a connected Stripe account for payment processing.

Prerequisites

• TidyCal account on any plan (Free, Individual, Agency, or Pro)
• Stripe account connected to TidyCal (go to Integrations → Payments)
• At least one booking type to attach the subscription to

Note: Subscriptions require Stripe. PayPal is not supported for subscription billing.

Creating a Subscription Booking Type

There are three ways to create a subscription booking type:

Option 1: Use the Subscription Preset

1. Go to Booking types.
2. Click + New booking type.
3. Select Subscription from the dropdown (described as "Recurring payments with booking credits").
4. Configure the booking type details and subscription settings.
5. Click Save.

Option 2: Convert an Existing Booking Type

1. Go to Booking types and click on an existing booking type to open the editor.
2. Click Pricing & Subscriptions in the editor sidebar.
3. Select Subscription from the three-option selector (Free / Per booking / Subscription).
4. Configure the subscription settings (see below).
5. Click Save.

Option 3: Start from the Subscriptions Page

1. Go to Subscriptions in the sidebar (under Revenue).
2. Click New subscription.
3. Under Quick start, choose a ready-made preset -- each one sets a number of sessions per billing period along with a suggested price -- or choose Custom subscription to set your own credits and price.
4. The booking type editor opens with those values already filled in. Change anything you like: a preset only sets the starting values.
5. Click Save.

Configuring Subscription Settings

When you select the Subscription pricing model, you will see these settings:

• Charge amount -- Set the subscription price and currency (e.g., USD $25.00 per month).
• Billing period -- Choose week, month, or year.
• Booking credits -- Set how many bookings subscribers get per billing period (e.g., "Subscribers get 4 bookings every month"). Default is 4.

Important: Credits reset to 0 at the start of each billing period. Unused credits do not roll over.

How Subscribers Book

When a booking type has an active subscription plan:

1. Visitors see a subscription sales page instead of the regular booking calendar.
2. They subscribe by entering their payment details via Stripe Checkout.
3. After subscribing, they return to the booking page and can book using their credits.
4. Each booking uses one credit from their subscription balance.

Subscribers with available credits see a "Book with credit" option instead of a payment form.

Managing Subscriptions

As a Host

You can view subscriber details from the Contacts page:

1. Go to Contacts in the sidebar.
2. Click on a contact who has subscribed.
3. View their subscription status, credits remaining, and billing details.

The Subscriptions Page

For a dedicated view of every subscriber, go to Subscriptions in the sidebar (under Revenue). It shows:

• Active subscribers, Monthly recurring revenue, Total revenue, and Cancelled totals across the top.
• A searchable list of subscriptions you can filter by All statuses, Active, Past due, or Cancelled.
• To inspect one subscription, open the More options menu (the vertical dots at the right of the row) and choose View details. The Subscription details panel shows the plan, the subscriber, credits remaining, and the date they subscribed.
• Cancel subscription from that panel if you need to end a subscriber's plan yourself, rather than waiting for them to cancel.

If you have no subscribers yet, the page shows an Offer a subscription screen with Quick start presets -- ready-made setups, each with a number of sessions per billing period and a suggested price -- plus a Custom subscription option. Selecting any of them opens the booking type editor with those values already filled in and fully editable.

Subscriber Self-Service

Subscribers receive a management link where they can:

• View their upcoming and past bookings made with subscription credits
• Cancel their subscription -- cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period (they keep their credits until then)

Limitations

• Stripe only -- Subscriptions require Stripe as the payment platform. PayPal is not supported for recurring billing.
• No credit rollover -- Unused credits reset to 0 at the start of each billing period.
• End-of-period cancellation -- When subscribers cancel, they retain access until the current billing period ends.
• One subscription plan per booking type -- Each booking type can have one active subscription plan.

Troubleshooting

Subscription option shows "Connect your Stripe account"

• Go to Integrations → Payments and connect your Stripe account first.
• After connecting Stripe, return to the booking type editor and select Subscription.

Subscriber says they have no credits

• Credits reset at the start of each billing period. If the subscriber used all their credits, they must wait for the next period.
• Check the subscriber's status in Contacts to verify their subscription is active.
• If a payment failed, the subscription may be suspended. Check your Stripe dashboard for payment issues.

Subscription payment failed

• Stripe handles automatic retries for failed payments.
• The subscriber may need to update their payment method in Stripe.
• Check your Stripe dashboard for details on failed payments.

ACH Bank Payments

In addition to credit and debit cards, subscribers in the United States can pay via ACH bank transfer (direct debit from their bank account). ACH payments typically have lower processing fees than card payments. When a subscriber selects ACH, they are redirected to verify their bank account through Stripe before the subscription is activated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which plans support subscriptions?

Subscriptions are available on all plans -- Free, Individual, Agency, and Pro. However, you need a connected Stripe account to process subscription payments.

Can I use PayPal for subscriptions?

No. Subscriptions require Stripe for recurring billing. PayPal does not support the subscription payment flow.

Do unused credits roll over?

No. Credits reset to 0 at the start of each billing period. Encourage subscribers to use their credits before the period ends.

What happens when a subscriber cancels?

Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. The subscriber keeps their remaining credits and can still book until the period ends. No further charges are made.

What is the difference between "Per booking" and "Subscription" pricing?

Per booking charges the customer once for each individual booking. Subscription charges the customer on a recurring basis (weekly, monthly, or yearly) and gives them a set number of booking credits to use during each billing period.

Need more help? Contact us at support@tidycal.com.