To maximize the value you get, Subanana uses a "stack and carry over" mechanism rather than the traditional pay-the-difference (prorated) model. This means you don't need to — and can't — upgrade by "paying only the difference". But you will never pay twice, and the remaining value of your old plan never disappears.
Upgrading to a higher plan (e.g. Lite to Pro)
When you upgrade to a higher plan, there is no need to worry about your old plan's remaining value being written off or lost. Instead, the system will:
Keep all your remaining minutes: any unused minutes from your old plan migrate to the new plan in full.
Upgrade every benefit: the minutes you carry over immediately get the new plan's advanced features.
In other words, upgrading doesn't just buy new minutes — it also "levels up" all the minutes you already hold. Simply subscribe to the new plan directly, and the system automatically merges your minutes and applies the upgrade, with no manual price-difference payment needed. Upgrades take effect immediately.
Switching from monthly to annual billing (e.g. Max monthly to Max annual)
Switching billing cycles uses the same "stack and carry over" mechanism — it is not treated as a completely separate new charge:
No double payment: once you subscribe to the annual plan, your existing monthly subscription is canceled automatically and you will no longer be charged the monthly fee.
All remaining minutes kept: unused minutes from your monthly plan migrate to the annual plan as well.
Immediate effect: you don't need to wait for the current month to end — the switch takes effect immediately.
How to do it: on the plans page, switch the "Monthly/Annual" option, then choose the plan you want.
Downgrading, or moving from annual back to monthly
A downgrade also takes effect immediately: your current plan ends right away, any unused transcription minutes move to the new plan, and your billing date starts from that day. The rest of the subscription period is not refunded.
Moving from an annual plan to a monthly plan is a downgrade, and it is not a way to get a refund on the annual fee. An annual plan releases the whole year's minutes at the start, so the value has already been delivered.
Before switching from annual to monthly, it is worth comparing what you actually use: monthly plans grant a smaller allowance each month and unused minutes do not roll over, so heavy months are capped in a way an annual plan is not.
If you have any questions about your account, contact us via the in-app support chat or by email at hello@subanana.com.