What You'll Learn
How to create a subscription for a client
How to configure billing cycles, trials, and discounts
How to manage payment methods and collection settings
How to handle cancellations, plan changes, and failed payments
When to Use Subscriptions
Subscriptions are the best way to bill clients who pay on a recurring basis. Use them for:
Monthly or yearly coaching packages
Ongoing training programs
Membership-style access to your content
Every subscription is tied to a product that you create in Gymkee Pay. The product defines what you're selling, and the subscription handles the recurring billing.
Before You Start
Make sure you have:
A connected and verified Stripe account (see Setting Up Gymkee Pay)
At least one subscription product created in Gymkee Pay > Products with an active price
If you don't have a product yet, create one first:
Go to Gymkee Pay > Products
Click Create product
Set the pricing type to Subscription and add monthly or yearly prices
Creating a Subscription
Step 1: Open the Subscription Form
From the Transactions page:
Go to Gymkee Pay > Transactions
Click Create payment (top right)
Select Subscription from the dropdown
From a client's profile: You can also create a subscription directly from a client's detail page.
Step 2: Choose the Client
You have two options:
Select an existing client
Type in the search field to find a client by name or email
Click on the client to select them
Add a new client
Click Add a new client at the top of the dropdown
Enter their first name, last name, and email
Optionally toggle Invite client on Gymkee to also add them as a Gymkee client
Choose when to send the invitation: After payment (recommended) or Immediately
Select the client's language (English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian)
Click Save to confirm
Step 3: Choose the Product and Price
The Pricing section shows all your active subscription products.
Select a product from the dropdown
Choose a price (monthly, yearly, or any intervals you've set up)
Set the quantity (usually 1)
You can add multiple products to a single subscription if needed. Click the "+" button to add another product line.
Step 4: Configure the Duration
Choose how long the subscription runs:
Forever : Runs until manually canceled
Cancel at period end : Runs for one billing period, then stops
Cancel at specific date : Set an exact end date
Step 5: Add a Discount (Optional)
In the Discount section, you can apply a coupon code to the subscription. This uses the discount codes you've created in Gymkee Pay > Discounts.
Step 6: Configure Tax Settings (Optional)
Toggle Automatic tax if you want Stripe to calculate and apply taxes automatically based on the client's location.
Step 7: Set a Trial Period (Optional)
In the Trial section, you can set a free trial:
Choose an end date for the trial
During the trial, the client has full access without being charged
Billing starts automatically when the trial ends
Step 8: Choose the Payment Method
Auto-charge (default)
Stripe automatically charges the client's card on file
If the client has saved payment methods, you can select which card to use
This is the best option for seamless recurring billing
Send invoice
Stripe sends an invoice email each billing period
The client pays manually through the invoice link
Set the number of days until the invoice is due (default: 30)
If the client doesn't have a saved payment method, the form automatically switches to "Send invoice."
For new clients, the subscription creates a checkout link that you share with the client. They enter their card details on the Stripe checkout page.
Step 9: Review the Preview
On the right side of the form, a preview panel shows:
What the client will be charged
The billing interval
Any discounts applied
Tax amounts (if enabled)
The next billing date
Step 10: Create the Subscription
Click Create subscription to finalize.
If the client has a card on file:
The subscription starts immediately
You're redirected to the subscription detail page
If the client needs to enter payment details:
A checkout link is generated
You can copy the link and share it with the client
Click Copy link and close to save the link to your clipboard
Managing Subscriptions
Viewing All Subscriptions
Go to Gymkee Pay > Subscriptions to see all your subscriptions. You can filter and search by client name, product, or status.
Subscription Statuses
Status | What It Means |
Active | Subscription is running and payments are on track |
Trialing | Client is in their free trial period |
Past due | Latest payment failed, retries in progress |
Canceled | Subscription has been canceled |
Incomplete | Waiting for initial payment |
Unpaid | Payment failed and retries are exhausted |
Updating a Subscription
You can modify an active subscription:
Change the product or price (upgrade/downgrade)
Add or remove discount codes
Update the payment method
Change the billing date
Changes can apply immediately or at the next billing cycle, depending on your settings in Gymkee Pay > Settings > Subscriptions & invoices.
Canceling a Subscription
To cancel a subscription:
Go to Gymkee Pay > Subscriptions
Click on the subscription
Use the cancel option
Depending on your cancellation settings:
At period end : The client keeps access until the current billing period ends
Immediately : Access is revoked right away
How Failed Payments Work
When a subscription payment fails, here's what happens:
Stripe retries the payment based on your settings (default: 3 retries over 7 days)
The subscription moves to Past due status
If all retries fail, the action you configured takes effect:
Pause access : Client can't access content but subscription stays open
Revoke access : Client loses all access
Keep access : Client keeps access despite non-payment
You can configure these settings in Gymkee Pay > Settings > Subscriptions & invoices > Failed Payment Handling.
Failed payments also appear in the Actions required section of your dashboard.
Proration: What Happens on Plan Changes
When a client changes plans mid-cycle (e.g., from monthly to yearly, or from basic to premium):
With proration enabled : The client gets credit for unused time on their current plan, and is charged the difference for the new plan
Without proration : The new price takes effect at the next billing cycle
Configure this in Gymkee Pay > Settings > Subscriptions & invoices > Plan Changes.
Tips
Use the "Auto-charge" collection method for your regular clients. It reduces friction and ensures payments come in on time.
Set up trial periods strategically. A 7-day trial lets clients experience your coaching before committing.
Review the preview panel before creating a subscription. It shows exactly what the client will be charged and when.
For clients upgrading from a monthly to a yearly plan, enable proration so they only pay the difference.
When creating a subscription for a new client, choose "Invite after payment" so they only get access to Gymkee once they've paid.
Common Mistakes
Creating a subscription without a product. You need at least one active subscription product with a Stripe price. Create products in Gymkee Pay > Products first.
Choosing "Send invoice" for clients who prefer automatic billing. Most clients prefer set-and-forget payments. Use auto-charge when possible.
Not setting up failed payment handling. Without it, clients who fail to pay keep full access indefinitely. Configure your retry and action settings in Settings.
Setting a trial without a clear end communication. Make sure your client knows when their trial ends and when billing starts.
Troubleshooting
Problem: Can't find any products when creating a subscription
Why it happens: You haven't created any subscription products yet, or your existing products don't have active prices with Stripe price IDs.
How to fix it: Go to Gymkee Pay > Products and create a product with pricing type "Subscription." Make sure it has at least one active price.
Problem: Subscription is stuck in "Incomplete" status
Why it happens: The client hasn't completed their initial payment through the checkout link.
How to fix it: Share the checkout link with the client again. If they can't access it, you may need to cancel this subscription and create a new one.
Problem: Client is being charged the wrong amount
Why it happens: The wrong price was selected, or a discount wasn't applied correctly.
How to fix it: You can update the subscription to change the price or add the correct discount. Check if proration settings are affecting the amount.
Problem: Client lost access after canceling, even though the period hasn't ended
Why it happens: The cancellation setting is configured to "Immediately" instead of "At period end."
How to fix it: Check your cancellation settings in Gymkee Pay > Settings > Subscriptions & invoices. Change to "At period end" if you want clients to keep access until their current billing period ends.
FAQ
Q: Can a client have multiple subscriptions? Yes. A client can have multiple active subscriptions for different products.
Q: Can I create a subscription for someone who isn't a Gymkee client? Yes. When creating a subscription, you can add a new client by entering their email. You can also choose to invite them to Gymkee at the same time.
Q: What happens when a trial ends? Billing starts automatically. The client is charged for the first full billing period. If their payment fails, the standard retry logic applies.
Q: Can I pause a subscription? Stripe supports pausing subscriptions through the Stripe Dashboard. In Gymkee, you can cancel and recreate, or use Stripe's pause feature directly.
Q: How do I offer different prices for the same service? Create one product with multiple prices (e.g., monthly at $99, yearly at $899). When creating a subscription, you choose which price to use.
Q: Can the client change their own payment method? Clients can update their card through the Stripe customer portal. You can also update it from the subscription detail page.
Related Articles
Getting Paid with Gymkee Pay: Complete Guide
Setting Up Gymkee Pay (Stripe Connect)
Creating and Managing Invoices
Payment Links and Discounts