Set up subscription pricing and payment plans

In this article: The difference between payment plans and subscriptions, how to set up each one, what your students experience with recurring billing, and how cancellations and failed payments work. All Plans

Not every student can pay $300 up front. Payment plans and subscriptions let you offer recurring billing so students can spread the cost over time or pay month-to-month for ongoing access. Both options require Stripe.

The key difference: a payment plan has a set number of payments and then stops. A subscription charges on an ongoing cycle until the student cancels. Which one you choose depends on how your course works and what makes sense for your students.

Ruzuku charges zero transaction fees on all plans. Stripe's standard processing fee (around 2.9% + $0.30 per charge) applies to each payment.

Payment plans vs. subscriptions

For example, if you sell a course for $297 and want to let students pay over time, a 3-payment plan of $109/month gives them a clear finish line. After three payments, they own access permanently.

If you run a monthly coaching community where you add new sessions and resources every month, a $49/month subscription keeps billing as long as students stay enrolled. When they cancel, their access ends.

Set up a payment plan

A payment plan splits your course price into monthly installments. After the last payment, the student keeps access permanently.

1. Open your course and go to Manage Course → Price Points.
2. Click Add Price Point.
3. Choose Payment Plan as the type.
4. Enter the monthly payment amount. This is what students pay each month.
5. Enter the number of payments. For example, 3 payments of $109.
6. Name the price point. Students see this name on your sales page and during checkout. Be specific: "3 Monthly Payments of $109" is clearer than "Payment Plan."
7. (Optional) Add a free trial period in days. Students enroll immediately but aren't charged until the trial ends. See Offer free trials for your course for details.
8. Click Create Price Point.

Your payment plan is now live.

Set up a subscription

A subscription charges students on a recurring cycle for as long as they stay enrolled. When they cancel, they lose access at the end of their current billing period.

1. Open your course and go to Manage Course → Price Points.
2. Click Add Price Point.
3. Choose Subscription as the type.
4. Enter the recurring amount.
5. Choose the billing cycle: monthly or annual.
6. Name the price point. Include the billing details so students know what to expect. For example: "Monthly Membership — $29/month" or "Annual Access — $249/year."
7. (Optional) Add a free trial period in days.
8. Click Create Price Point.

Your subscription price point is now live.

What your students experience

Enrolling

When a student clicks Enroll on a payment plan or subscription price point, they enter their credit card details through Stripe's secure checkout. Stripe saves their card for future charges.

If you've added a free trial, the student's card is stored but not charged until the trial ends.

After enrolling, the student lands in your course and can start immediately. They receive a confirmation email from Ruzuku with a link to access the course.

Ongoing payments

Stripe handles all recurring charges automatically. Students are charged on the same date each billing cycle. Stripe sends them a receipt after each payment.

For payment plans, charges continue on a monthly cycle until the final installment. After that, billing stops and the student keeps permanent access.

For subscriptions, charges continue indefinitely on the selected cycle (monthly or annual) until the student cancels or you cancel on their behalf.

Failed payments

If a student's credit card is declined on a recurring charge, Stripe automatically retries the payment over the next few days (typically 3-4 attempts over about a week). You can see the retry schedule and results in your Stripe dashboard.

If the payment ultimately fails after all retries, the student's subscription or payment plan is canceled. Their access to the course is removed.

Cancellations

When a student cancels a subscription: They keep access through the end of their current billing period. When the period ends, they lose access to the course. No further charges are made. Stripe handles this automatically.

When a student cancels a payment plan: Remaining installments are canceled and the student loses access. They are not refunded for payments already made unless you issue a refund through Stripe.

Students can contact you to cancel, or you can cancel their subscription directly through your Stripe dashboard.

When to use each option

Use a payment plan when:

• Your course has a set price (like $300 or $500) and you want to make it more affordable
• You want students to have permanent access after they finish paying
• You're selling a defined program with a clear start and end, like a 6-week or 12-week course

Use a subscription when:

• You add new content or sessions on a regular basis
• You run a community or membership where ongoing participation is the value
• You want students to keep paying for as long as they use the course
• You offer a library of courses or resources that grows over time

You can offer both

There's nothing stopping you from creating a payment plan and a subscription on the same course. For example, a coaching program might offer:

• A 6-month payment plan of $99/month (total: $594, permanent access after 6 payments)
• A month-to-month subscription at $79/month (cancel anytime, access ends when they stop paying)

This gives students who want commitment a lower total price and students who want flexibility a month-to-month option.

Managing recurring price points

View active subscriptions and payment plans

Go to Manage Course → Students to see your enrolled students. The enrollment details for each student show which price point they used and their payment status.

For a detailed view of all active subscriptions, failed payments, and upcoming charges, use your Stripe dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com. Stripe provides more granular billing data than Ruzuku's student list.

Refunding a payment

Refunds are handled through Stripe, not through Ruzuku. Log in to your Stripe dashboard, find the payment, and issue a full or partial refund. Refunding a payment does not automatically remove the student from your course. If you also want to remove their access, do that separately in Manage Course → Students.

Canceling a student's subscription

If you need to cancel a student's billing on their behalf:

1. Log in to your Stripe dashboard.
2. Find the student's subscription.
3. Cancel it. You can choose to cancel immediately or at the end of the current billing period.

Frequently Asked Questions

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