What is subscription self-management?

Subscription self-management is a feature that allows your customers to change their subscription plans without having to contact your support team. This typically includes the ability to:

• Upgrade to a higher-tiered plan
• Downgrade to a lower-tiered plan
• Switch between monthly and annual billing cycles
• Purchase add-ons or extra features
• Cancel their subscription

By giving users direct control over their billing, you empower them to tailor your service to their specific needs and budget.

Empowering users to manage their own subscriptions is about more than just convenience. It’s a strategic approach that can lead to increased customer satisfaction, reduced operational overhead, and lower churn rates.

• Builds trust and transparency: When users can easily see and change their subscription details, it fosters a sense of trust. Transparent pricing and the ability to downgrade or cancel without friction shows that you’re confident in the value you provide.
• Reduces support tickets: A significant portion of support queries for SaaS businesses are related to billing. By allowing users to self-serve, you can free up your support team to focus on more complex customer issues.
• Lowers churn: While it might seem counterintuitive, making it easy for users to cancel can actually reduce churn in the long run. A user who knows they can easily resubscribe is more likely to return when their needs change.
• Increases revenue: When users can upgrade their plan with a single click, they’re more likely to do so when they need access to more features. This frictionless upgrade path can be a significant driver of revenue growth.

A well-designed subscription management portal is key to unlocking the benefits of self-service. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Make it easy to find: Don’t hide the subscription management page deep within your app. It should be easily accessible from the main navigation or user settings.
• Keep it simple: The interface should be intuitive and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and clearly explain the features and limitations of each plan.
• Be transparent about pricing: Show the user exactly what they’ll be paying and when. If there are any prorated charges or credits, make sure they’re clearly explained.
• Confirm changes: Before finalizing any changes, ask the user to confirm their selection. This can help prevent accidental upgrades or downgrades.

Some businesses worry that making it easy for users to manage their subscriptions will lead to more downgrades and cancellations. While this is a valid concern, the data suggests that the opposite is often true.

• “What if everyone downgrades?” If a user’s needs have changed, they’re going to downgrade whether it’s a self-service option or they have to contact support. By making the process easy, you leave a positive impression that can lead to future upgrades.
• “Won’t this increase cancellations?” Forcing a user to jump through hoops to cancel their subscription is a surefire way to ensure they never come back. A frictionless cancellation process, on the other hand, leaves the door open for them to return in the future.

Kinde makes it easy to add subscription self-management to your product. With Kinde Billing, you can set up your subscription plans and then use our API to allow users to upgrade, downgrade, and cancel their subscriptions directly from your app.

• Kinde documentation
• Kinde Billing