How are customers charged for subscriptions?

Introduction

When a customer subscribes to a product, they’re charged automatically at the frequency you’ve set — whether that’s weekly, monthly, or a custom interval. The billing is handled securely through Shopify’s native checkout and Roadmap’s automated system, so you don’t need to manage it manually.

This guide explains how and when customers are charged for their subscriptions.

1. First payment: charged at checkout

When a customer places a subscription order for the first time:

• They are charged immediately at checkout for the first billing cycle.
• Shopify processes the payment using the customer’s selected method.
• The order is created and fulfilled like any regular Shopify order.

👉 Any discounts (e.g. “Subscribe & Save 15%”) or loyalty redemptions apply only to the first charge, unless manually re-applied later.

2. Future payments: charged automatically

For recurring subscriptions:

• Customers are automatically charged on the schedule you’ve set (e.g. every 30 days).
• Roadmap uses the stored payment method from their first checkout.
• A new Shopify order is created for each cycle.

For prepaid subscriptions:

• Customers are charged upfront for multiple orders (e.g. $90 for 3 months).
• Future orders are created on schedule without additional charges.

3. Payment methods supported

Subscription charges are processed via Shopify Payments, using:

• ✅ Major credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
• ✅ Shopify-compatible gateways (e.g. Stripe)

Not supported:

• ❌ Apple Pay / Google Pay (for some subscriptions)
• ❌ Manual payment methods (like COD)
• ❌ Unsupported third-party gateways

👉 Make sure your payment provider allows recurring charges.

4. What happens if a payment fails?

If a subscription charge fails:

1. Roadmap triggers a dunning process — automatic retry attempts spaced out over time (e.g. Day 1, 3, 5).
2. The subscription status shows as “Failed” until payment is successful or all retries are exhausted.
3. You can retry manually, update payment info, or cancel the subscription if needed.

👉 Customers are not charged again unless a retry succeeds.

FAQs

Can customers update their payment method?

 Yes — from their account page, if your theme includes the “Manage Subscriptions” widget and it’s enabled.

Can customers prepay for multiple months?

 Yes — create a Prepaid plan in Roadmap. Customers pay once and receive multiple shipments automatically.

Can I see billing history?

 Yes — each subscription record shows past and upcoming payments, order amounts, and statuses.

Summary

Customers are charged:

• ✅ Immediately at checkout for their first order
• ✅ Automatically on a set schedule for future orders
• ✅ Using their original stored payment method
• ✅ With auto-retries in place if payment fails

Want help testing your subscription billing setup? [Contact support →] — we’re happy to walk you through it.