Account & Settings
Billing & Subscriptions
Manage your CheckStatus subscription, payments, and understand billing
Learn how to manage your CheckStatus subscription, understand our billing system, and handle common subscription scenarios.
Plans Overview
CheckStatus offers plans to fit teams of all sizes:
| Feature | Free | Starter | Growth | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status Pages | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Components per Page | 5 | 20 | 50 | 150 |
| Subscribers | 50 | 500 | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| Team Members | 2 | 5 | 10 | 100 |
| Incident History | 90 days | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Custom Domain | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Priority Support | - | - | - | Yes |
Free Trial
When you upgrade from the Free plan to any paid plan, you receive a 30-day free trial.
During Your Trial
- Full access to all features of your chosen plan
- Payment method is optional during signup (you can add it anytime)
- Dashboard shows a banner with days remaining
- No charges until the trial ends
Before Your Trial Ends
We recommend adding a payment method before your trial ends to ensure uninterrupted service. You can do this anytime during your trial:
- Click your profile icon and select Billing
- Click Add Payment Method
- Enter your card details
If you add a payment method, your subscription will continue automatically when the trial ends.
What Happens When Your Trial Ends
With Payment Method Added
Your subscription continues seamlessly:
- First charge occurs on the day your trial ends
- All your status pages remain active
- No interruption to your service
Without Payment Method
If you haven't added a payment method when your trial ends:
- Subscription Paused: Your subscription enters a "paused" state (not canceled)
- Status Pages Suspended: Your status pages become temporarily inaccessible to the public
- Data Preserved: All your data (pages, incidents, subscribers) is kept safe
- Dashboard Access: You can still log in and manage your account
You'll see a warning banner throughout the dashboard prompting you to add a payment method.
Recovering from a Paused Subscription
If your subscription is paused, you have three options:
Option 1: Add Payment Method (Recommended)
This is the quickest way to restore full service:
- Go to Billing in your account menu
- Click Add Payment Method
- Enter your card details
- Your subscription resumes immediately
- All your status pages are automatically reactivated
Option 2: Downgrade to Free Plan
If you decide not to continue with a paid plan:
- Go to Billing in your account menu
- Click Change Plan
- Select the Free plan
- One status page is reactivated (the oldest one you created)
- Additional status pages remain inactive but your data is preserved
Note: You may need to reduce team members or subscribers to meet Free plan limits before downgrading.
Option 3: Switch to a Different Paid Plan
If you want to continue with a different paid plan instead:
- Go to Pricing from your account menu
- Your current (paused) plan shows a yellow "Paused" badge
- Select a different plan and click Change Plan
- You'll be directed to checkout to complete payment setup
- Your subscription resumes with the new plan
Important: If switching to a plan with lower limits (e.g., from Growth to Starter), you may need to reduce your usage first. For example, if you have 3 status pages and try to switch to Starter (which allows 1), you'll see an error explaining what needs to be adjusted.
Option 4: Cancel Subscription
If you want to cancel entirely:
- Go to Billing in your account menu
- Click Cancel Plan
- Your subscription is canceled immediately
- A Free plan is created automatically
- Status pages remain suspended until you create a new one under the Free plan
Payment Failures
If your payment method fails (card declined, expired, etc.):
What Happens
- Automatic Retries: We retry the payment several times over the next few weeks
- Status Pages Suspended: To prevent service interruption, your pages are temporarily suspended
- Email Notifications: You'll receive emails about the failed payment
- Dashboard Warnings: A banner appears prompting you to update your payment method
How to Resolve
- Go to Billing in your account menu
- Click Update Payment Method
- Enter new card details
- Once payment succeeds, your status pages are automatically reactivated
Managing Your Subscription
Changing Plans
To upgrade or downgrade your plan:
- Click your profile icon and select Billing
- Click Change Plan
- Select your new plan
- Upgrades: Take effect immediately with prorated billing
- Downgrades: May require reducing usage to meet new plan limits
Downgrade Blocking: If your current usage exceeds the limits of the plan you're switching to, you'll see an error message. For example:
- Status pages: If you have 3 pages but the new plan allows 1, remove extra pages first
- Team members: If you have 5 members but the new plan allows 3, remove members first
- Subscribers: If you have 1,000 subscribers but the new plan allows 500, some must unsubscribe first
Canceling Your Subscription
If you're on a paid plan and want to cancel:
- Go to Billing
- Click Cancel Plan
- Your subscription remains active until the end of your current billing period
- After that, you're moved to the Free plan automatically
Your data is never deleted. You can upgrade again anytime to restore full access.
Updating Payment Method
To update your card on file:
- Go to Billing
- Click Update Payment Method or Add Payment Method
- Enter your new card details
- The new card will be used for future payments
Understanding Your Bill
Billing Cycle
- Monthly plans: Charged on the same day each month
- Annual plans: Charged once per year (with discount)
Prorated Charges
When you upgrade mid-cycle:
- You're charged the prorated difference for the remaining days
- Your new plan features are available immediately
When you downgrade mid-cycle:
- Changes take effect at the end of your current billing period
- No refund for the current period, but you keep your current plan until then
Status Page Suspension Explained
When status pages are "suspended" due to payment issues:
- Public Access: Visitors see a "page not available" message
- Private Access: You can still log in and view your data
- Data Safety: All your incidents, components, and subscribers are preserved
- Recovery: Pages are automatically reactivated when payment issues are resolved
Why We Suspend Pages
Suspending status pages during payment issues ensures:
- Your service isn't interrupted unexpectedly
- You have time to resolve payment issues
- Your data remains safe and recoverable
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my data if I don't pay?
No. Your data is preserved even if your subscription is paused or canceled. Status pages may be temporarily suspended, but all your incidents, components, and subscribers remain intact.
Can I get a refund?
Please contact our support team within 14 days of purchase to discuss refund options.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit and debit cards including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
How do I download invoices?
- Go to Billing
- Scroll to Payment History
- Click the download icon next to any invoice
Can I pay annually?
Yes. Annual plans are available at a discount. Contact our support team for annual billing options.
Need Help?
If you have billing questions or issues:
- Contact Support - Our team can help with billing issues
- FAQ - Common questions and answers