Start Your First Subscription
Subscriptions are the core of BillPine. They automate billing, send invoices, and track recurring revenue.
What You'll Learn
Create a subscription linking customer + plan
Understand subscription states
Set billing cycles and trial periods
Track MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
Step-by-Step: Create a Subscription
Go to Subscriptions in the sidebar
Click + New Subscription
Select:
Customer — Who's subscribing
Product — What they're subscribing to
Plan — Which plan they want (Monthly, Annual, etc.)
Configure:
Start Date — When subscription begins
Billing Cycle — How often they're charged
Trial Period (optional) — Free days before first charge
Review:
Next billing date
First invoice amount
Auto-renewal status
Click Create Subscription
What Happens Next
BillPine automatically:
✅ Creates an invoice on day 1 (or after trial)
✅ Sends invoice to customer email
✅ Processes payment if available
✅ Renews subscription on next billing date
✅ Tracks MRR impact
Subscription States
Trial — Free period before first charge
Active — Customer is subscribed and paying
Paused — Temporarily stopped (can resume)
Cancelled — Subscription ended
Customer Actions
Your customers can:
Upgrade/Downgrade — Change to a different plan
Pause — Temporarily stop without cancelling
Cancel — End the subscription
View their billing history
Update payment method
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
MRR shows your predictable monthly revenue from subscriptions.
Example:
10 customers on $100/month plan = $1,000 MRR
5 customers on $500/month plan = $2,500 MRR
Total MRR = $3,500
Check your MRR on the Dashboard — it updates as subscriptions change.
Tips
Trial periods increase conversion (14-30 days is common)
Use annual plans with discounts to increase LTV
Allow upgrades/downgrades to reduce churn
Review MRR weekly to track business health