Collect payment in installments with Subscription Schedules

In this episode, you'll learn how to use Subscription Schedules to collect a large payment over several months in installments. We'll start the Subscription with Stripe Checkout, then create a Subscription Schedule from that new Subscription assigning phases for the incremental payments, and ultimately canceling the Subscription after the final payment. We'll also show how to use Test Clocks to simulate moving through time and to test your integration.
Presenter
CJ Avilla - Developer Advocate at Stripe - / cjav_dev
Table of contents
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Create a subscription in Checkout
05:24 Build subscription phases and apply to schedule
12:15 Testing collecting installments with test clocks
16:50 Cancel subscription after final installment
19:30 conclusion
Resources
Subscription Schedules stripe.com/docs/api/subscript...
Subscription Schedule use-cases stripe.com/docs/billing/subsc...
Support
If you have a question, please feel free to reach out to our support team on Discord at stripe.com/go/developer-chat
Updates
Sign up to stay updated with developer news: go.stripe.global/dev-digest
Feedback

[@laurieroth1139]

Why isn’t this an easy option for those of us without coding experience or a team on staff with that experience? I’ll stick with 2 steps…down payment invoice, then subscription. 🥴

[@objectuser]

This was very very helpful. I don’t think it should be this complicated but at least it’s possibly. Thanks very much.

[@codewithguillaume]

That was exactly what I needed. I love your documentation guys but making one more easier to read and simpler could be a good sprint 😂❤ love you guys

[@pdois7]

Great video! Thanks for your upload! It came in right time while I was searching for this subject 🎉

[@russfreelancer]

really helpful and useful, thank you so much!!

[@consciousharmonics4718]

I love this and I think this is perfect!!! But Woe, Coding is quite over my head and I have no idea about the terminology your using :( I would love to know if Stripe is offering an (end date option) under product catalog in re-occurring subscriptions? That would simplify life SOOO much.

[@fauxsweets4262]

This is exactly what I was looking for! Do you offer your services to set up this plan??

[@mei_melody4141]

Thanks so much!!! ❤❤❤

[@StripeDev]

Great question! We don't offer any services to help set up code, however we do have a no code option available. You can see how to do this from our guide linked here: stripe.com/docs/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules#update-subscription-schedules-without-code.

[@vivianzilber3794]

Is there a way to calculate instalment plans based on the date of purchase and a specific end date? This would make the plan variable based on the start date.

[@HomewithaTwist]

If you don't have customer yet how do you set up the payment plan? Do you make one up and if so how will all your customers have access to the same payment plan?

[@MrMendykahan]

can this with stripe.js v3

[@esgardilion]

great video!! very helpful I am wondering if there is a way to use test clock functionality under Stripe's dashboard (test mode) directly ?

[@StripeDev]

Hey Edgar, we appreciate the feedback! Yes, we can confirm that you can create test clocks in your Dashboard in test mode: stripe.com/docs/billing/testing/test-clocks#how-to-use-test-clocks.

[@esgardilion]

Great! I couldn't wait and went up to find it myself... I have been playing around with it... Very helpful@@StripeDev What im struggling with now is to create a product (from the dashboard) that has a limited time subscription... for instance, a product that costs $900 that will be paid during 3 months ($300 each month) and automatically stop the subscription. Is it possible?

[@zackvinci]

how are you going back an forth between the codes in the stripe CLI? What buttons are your pressing to do that?

[@zackvinci]

?

[@StripeDev]

Hey Zack-sorry we missed this before, but great question! It sounds like you're talking about switching between different Terminal panes, and if you're using the Stripe Shell as well as the CLI, which can be done with control + "[" or "]" on Windows, and command +"[" or "]" on Mac. You can also find more keyboard navigation shortcuts here: stripe.com/docs/stripe-shell/keyboard-shortcuts

[@crankl]

Why a year later is there still no option for instalments? I'm assuming it's because Stripe gets benefits from companies like Afterpay and Klara and therefore has decided to put it's customers second to greed?

[@gabrielgalarza673]

Any way to create this installment plan subscription as a payment link on a website without code? Stripe's no code subscription option requires adding a customer to my knowledge. I'm hoping we can create this schedule in our stripe dashboard and link it to my website.

[@StripeDev]

Hey Gabriel. Mind sharing more details on what you are truing to do?

[@hallarzarubin9493]

The fact that you have to set iterations to 4 although you want to collect 3 installments is confusing imho since it does not reveal the intent of the code very well.

[@297mich]

Great video but do you have a non coding option? I would also like to create a recurrent payment schedule with a button option I can attach to my website please?

[@StripeDev]

Hi there-this can be done through the Dashboard, though there are some limitations: stripe.com/docs/billing/subscriptions/subscription-schedules#dashboard-limitations.

[@actriccham7763]

is it possible for the customers to remove subscriptions from their side, which me as the seller cannot receive the installment payments afterwards? How do we avoid this happening such that customers cannot cancel subscriptions from their side?

[@StripeDev]

Stripe does not provide a default option for customers to cancel their subscriptions themselves. Usually, the cancel subscription feature would be something you'd provide on your own platform. Therefore, if you do not want to allow customers to cancel their subscription, simply do not provide that option on your site.

[@actriccham7763]

@@StripeDev So I can just add a new product with recurring payment, then send to the customer's email, and that's it?

[@StripeDev]

Yes that should work as expected.

[@actriccham7763]

@@StripeDev Thank you very much for your help

[@StripeDev]

Anytime!

[@180WELL]

This is exactly what I want to create in stripe for my programs. I need help as I am not a coder. Could you message me or respond back on how I could get some help with getting this created for my 2 products?

[@StripeDev]

Hi there. You can share your questions with us here or if your prefer via our support channels here: support.stripe.com or chat live with developers in the official Stripe Discord server: stripe.com/go/developer-chat.

[@ersandeepkgupta]

Your video is very useful. But can you please do me a favor I want the code implementation in PHP. So please guide me how can I do that. Thank you

[@StripeDev]

Hi Sandeep-you can find that over here: stripe.com/docs/api/subscription_schedules/create?lang=php

[@ersandeepkgupta]

@@StripeDev I tried this code but iterations not working. How to set end date. E.g. only 3 months subscription

[@StripeDev]

The phases object in the link represents the start and end dates for the current phase of the subscription schedule. If you'd like to share your code, please feel free to chat live with us at stripe.com/go/developer-chat.

[@ersandeepkgupta]

@@StripeDev Thanks for the information. I created an account on discord community and sent my technical query with code on dev-help channel. Thank you

[@StripeDev]

No problem!