Does 'subscription.active' fire only at the start of the first cycle or every cycle ?

[echo surge]

I allot credits in my SaaS to be used by the user. Should I give them to the user on 'subscription.active' or 'subscription.renewed' ? Which would give better UX ?

[spice quarry]

Short answer: use both.

Best UX pattern

• subscription.active → grant initial credits immediately
  • User just paid; instant access feels correct.
• subscription.renewed → refill/reset credits for the new billing cycle
  • Happens only after a successful renewal charge.

Why

• subscription.active fires once → ideal for first-time provisioning.
• subscription.renewed fires every cycle → clean, predictable refills.
• Avoids double-crediting and edge cases.

Implementation tips

• Make credit grants idempotent per event + billing period.
• If you allow plan changes, handle adjustments on subscription.plan_changed.

Helpful Links

• https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/webhooks/intents/subscription
• https://docs.dodopayments.com/developer-resources/webhooks/intents/webhook-events-guide