nick-billing_cycle_anchor | Stripe Developers | Page 1

lean cedar Sep 9, 2021, 1:39 PM

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hmm I'm surprised there is a difference in results. without testing i would have expected both anchors to be shifted, as using trials is one technique for moving the renewal dates:
https://stripe.com/docs/billing/subscriptions/billing-cycle#api-trials

Setting the subscription billing cycle date

Subscriptions are billed on a cycle, learn how to set the billing date.

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can you share some example subscriptions?

broken cipher Sep 9, 2021, 1:44 PM

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Here's an example of one that retained the proper billing_cycle_anchor (because a payment method was on file)

https://dashboard.stripe.com/test/subscriptions/sub_K6cJYfNOBajFTV

let me dig up one of the other case

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Here's the other case https://dashboard.stripe.com/test/subscriptions/sub_K6EzaKkFdQ1TAf

lean cedar Sep 9, 2021, 1:58 PM

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that second example looks like the trial ended and has the expected prorated period for sept 8-oct 1 but then your integration made a request to cancel it: https://dashboard.stripe.com/test/logs/req_acpjrV2KQihd8F

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are you perhaps reacting to renewals like this without payment methods and cancelling programmatically?

broken cipher Sep 9, 2021, 1:59 PM

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Yeah so if the trial ends and they don't have a credit card they have 14 days to add one or the subscription is canceled. So setting the cancel_at time changes the billing_cycle_anchor?

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Is there any way to not change the anchor while still setting this? We're basically only using the cancel_at time so that we get a webhook when the subscription is canceled and can react to it by deleting things on our end.

lean cedar Sep 9, 2021, 2:01 PM

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Here is when the trial ended and the period was renewed as you described: https://dashboard.stripe.com/test/events/evt_1JXEDLI67GP2qpb4o9Z8PES1

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i'd suggest using cancel_at_period_end then instead. it won't be 14 days, itll be the end of the billing cycle, but it can do what you're asking.

broken cipher Sep 9, 2021, 2:08 PM

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Is there anything I can do to reset the billing_cycle_anchor back to the first of the month after the cancel_at time has been set? Is my only option to add another trial that goes until the desired billing_cycle_anchor

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Or, can I set the cancel_at using stripe prorations to have it preserve the billing_cycle_anchor?

lean cedar Sep 9, 2021, 2:13 PM

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the cancelation is going to shift the period end, so canceling at period end would avoid that

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if you're considering a trial until the renewal, cancel_at_period_end=true is likely to be a better fit

#nick-billing_cycle_anchor