Free Trials

Offer free trial periods on any recurring membership tier. Subscribers get full access immediately and are only charged when the trial ends.

Table of Contents

How It Works

When you add a free trial to a tier, subscribers get full access for the trial duration without being charged. Stripe handles the billing automatically.

  • Set any trial length from 1 to 730 days
  • Your payment page shows the trial duration with a "Start Free Trial" button
  • Subscribers get their Discord roles immediately
  • Stripe charges them automatically when the trial ends
  • If they cancel before the trial ends, they are never charged

Only Recurring Tiers

Free trials are available on recurring membership tiers (monthly, quarterly, yearly). One-time purchase tiers do not support trials.

Setting Up a Free Trial

On a New Tier

  1. Run /setup → Edit Pricing → Add Recurring
  2. Select billing interval (Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly)
  3. Fill in tier details — the "Free Trial (days)" field is at the bottom
  4. Enter trial length (e.g. 7 for a 7-day trial) or leave blank for no trial

On an Existing Tier

  1. Run /setup → Edit Pricing
  2. Select the tier you want to edit
  3. Click "Edit Details"
  4. Enter trial length in the "Free Trial (days)" field

Editing or Removing Trials

To change the trial length, follow the same steps as setting up an existing tier and enter the new number of days.

To remove a trial entirely, enter 0 in the trial field. The tier will revert to standard billing with no trial period.

Existing Subscribers

Changing or removing a trial only affects new subscribers. Anyone currently in a trial period keeps their existing trial.

What Subscribers See

Payment Page

The trial duration appears below the price on your payment page. The subscribe button changes to "Start Free Trial" so subscribers know exactly what they are signing up for.

After Subscribing

Subscribers can check their trial status with /subscription in your server. They see their trial end date and a note that billing starts automatically when the trial ends.

Cancellation During Trial

Subscribers can cancel anytime during their trial using /subscription. If they cancel before the trial ends:

  • They keep access until the trial end date
  • They are never charged
  • Their roles are removed when the trial expires

FAQ

Can I set different trial lengths for different tiers?

Yes. Each tier has its own trial setting. You could offer a 7-day trial on a basic tier and a 3-day trial on a premium tier.

Do subscribers need to enter payment details for a trial?

Yes. Stripe requires a payment method at checkout so billing can start automatically when the trial ends. Subscribers are not charged during the trial.

What happens if I delete a tier that has active trials?

Existing trial subscriptions continue until they expire or convert to paid. Archiving a tier only prevents new signups.

Can someone get multiple free trials?

Stripe tracks this per customer. If someone cancels a trial and tries to subscribe again, Stripe may charge them immediately depending on account settings.