Recurring Billing is a new proprietary feature that allows you to sell your products on a subscription-based billing model. This means you can automatically bill your customers at any desired interval e.g. (daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, annually, or bi-annually). You can also set up discounted introductory rates e.g. ($x for the first month. $xx a month thereafter), free trials e.g. (1 month free. $xx a month thereafter), and many other flexible combinations. 


Before you can set up Recurring Billing, you need to have an account in one of these payment gateways. Choose from any of these gateways and then click to create an account. 


Applies to Version(s): 3.9.x  Series

Complexity Level: Easy

Estimated Time for Completion: 5 minutes


In this article, you will learn:

How to set up Recurring Billing

How to Setup a Payment Method for Recurring Billing

Setting up Recurring Billing on a Product

Example Scenarios


How to Setup Recurring Billing

We use to charge Recurring Billing with a fee. But now, you will no longer have to pay for this feature. If you don't see this option in your cart, please call support so we can activate this for you. 


To access Recurring Billing, follow these steps: 

  1. In your control panel, go to Apps > App Center.
  2. Locate and click Recurring Billing. 

recurring billing


On this page, you will see a short description of Recurring Billing. It also displays the active and inactive payment methods in your cart. You need to activate one of those to set up Recurring Billing. Click one from the list to set it up. 


How to Setup a Payment Method for Recurring Billing

        1. To activate one, go to Settings > Payment & taxes > Payment methods.

        2. Under Third-Party Payment Providers, click the drop-down menu next to Select your payment provider. 

        3. Choose one from the list of payment methods necessary for Recurring Billing.

        4. Click Setup.

add payment method


        5. Enter the account details or credentials that you acquired upon signing up.

        6. Click Activate.  

activate payment method

 

Setting Up Recurring Billing on a Product 

Now you have set up Recurring Billing and your Payment Gateways are in place, you can now proceed to a product you would like to set this up for.


  1. Go to Products & Categories > Browse Products. (You can't Bulk Import Recurring Billing on products, so you have to do it one by one). 
  2. Choose a product that you want to set for Recurring Billing. Click to open settings for that product.
  3. Click the Recurring Billing tab. Toggle on "Enable recurring billing". 
  4. Configure the settings to continue setting up the product. 


There is a multitude of options you can go with here that will allow you to customize this in any way that you feel will suit your customer's needs. 


edit product

customize settings


  • Trial Enabled - when this feature is checked, it allows your customers on a Trial Period. You can then decide how long you want to set this up in the Trial Settings. 


Custom Settings:

  • Interval Between Payments: The time and length between each charge. This can be done in Days, Weeks, Months, or Years.
  • Repeat Times: How many times do you want this to happen, so let's say you want it set up for 12 months, then you would select the Interval drop-down for Months and then put 12 in the Repeat Times box. 


Modification Settings:

  • Admin can adjust Billing Cycles? - This allows you as the site owner to change the prices at any time and as we all know, inflation in the economy on certain items, materials and supplies can play a role here.
  • Admin can adjust Trial Cycles during the trial period? You have the option to extend the trial period or change billing times, amounts, etc.


Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: You have a gaming website and charge your customers once a year for access to the site to play games. Upfront, you plan to give it to them for free for a month, then charge $49 a year thereafter. You would;

  • Set the initial Price Per Item to 0.
  • Set Product Type to Virtual.
  • Enable Trial and set trial price to 0.00 for 1 month.
  • You would then set Billing to $49 annually until canceled.


Scenario 2: You’re selling your software and you’d like to allow people to pay it off over a 6 month period with a down payment of $100. 6 months

  • Monthly thereafter would be $60/month. Financing wouldn’t begin for 1 year.
  • Set initial Price Per Item to 100.
  • Set Product Type to Digital.
  • Set Billing to 60 monthly 6 times.
  • Set Delay first payment for 1 year(s).


Links to Related Articles


None at this time.


If you didn't get your question answered, please contact the Pinnacle Cart Support Team. To submit a ticket, go to the My Account drop-down menu at the top right of the admin area and select Support.