Glossary · Billing
What is a paused subscription (Google Play)?
Paused subscription (Google Play)
A paused subscription is a Google Play subscription that the customer has suspended for a set time instead of canceling. The pause starts when the current billing period ends. During it the customer has no access and pays nothing. When the pause ends, the subscription resumes and Google tries to renew it.
Pause is on by default for every subscription, and you can turn it off in Play Console. The customer chooses a length from one week to three months, depending on the plan: weekly plans offer 1 to 4 weeks, and monthly and longer plans offer 1, 2 or 3 months. Google notes that these lengths can change. The pause takes effect only after the current billing period ends, so the customer keeps what they paid for.
Your app must stop giving access when the pause starts. Google sends SUBSCRIPTION_PAUSE_SCHEDULE_CHANGED when the customer sets up a pause, while access continues, and SUBSCRIPTION_PAUSED when the pause takes effect. The subscription state is SUBSCRIPTION_STATE_PAUSED. If the customer resumes early, or the pause ends, Google sends SUBSCRIPTION_RECOVERED. If the renewal then fails, the subscription moves to account hold.
RevenueDot reports SUBSCRIPTION_PAUSED events with auto_resume_at_ms, and REST API v2 shows the subscription as paused with no access. A scheduled pause appears as will_pause in auto_renewal_status.
Sources: Android Developers: Subscription lifecycle · Play Console Help: Create and manage subscriptions · Android Developers: Real-time developer notifications reference
FAQ
Paused subscription (Google Play): questions people ask
Does Apple have paused subscriptions?
No. This is a Google Play feature. On the App Store a customer either keeps the subscription or turns off auto-renew.
Does the customer keep access during a pause?
No. A pause takes effect after the paid period ends, and the customer has no access and pays nothing until it ends.
Can I turn pause off?
Yes, in Play Console. Pause is enabled by default for all subscriptions.
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