Question

Automatically pause a subscription for a specific billing period

  • 22 September 2022
  • 6 replies
  • 150 views
S
Badge +3

Hi there.

We have an App where we currently sell monthly subscriptions with RevenueCat. We want to implement a referral system where users can get a free month for each user they refer.

Suppose the following scenario:

User A runs a 4.99€ monthly subscription. Let’s say he bought the subscription on September 1st.

A few days later User A refers User B with his referral link. What we want is to give a free month for user A. So on October 1st (the next billing period), User A won’t be charged but instead, the system will give him the free month. (Putting the subscription on hold for that month).


Is there a possibility to implement this use case using RevenueCat?


Thank you in advance!

6 replies

imougy
Userlevel 3
Badge +8

This is a great question and it is more on Apple side than RC.  Answer is no.  However, what you can do is have additional features than can be unlocked when you want to reward this user. 
In my case, I have a tree structure of features, think a bundle that contains feature A,B,C … I can unlock all the bundle if I want for a specific time as a reward for that user.  If the user have the bundle already, there aren’t really much to do here other than keeping this user in mind for any future reward.  I had a user that I rewarded 5 years after the fact and just imagine what kind of review he wrote! 

S
Badge +3

This is a great question and it is more on Apple side than RC.  Answer is no.  However, what you can do is have additional features than can be unlocked when you want to reward this user. 
In my case, I have a tree structure of features, think a bundle that contains feature A,B,C … I can unlock all the bundle if I want for a specific time as a reward for that user.  If the user have the bundle already, there aren’t really much to do here other than keeping this user in mind for any future reward.  I had a user that I rewarded 5 years after the fact and just imagine what kind of review he wrote! 

Hi! @imougy  Thanks for your reply. But sadly this is not a valid solution for our business model.

Every time an user purchases a subscription we want to unlock all features for him. Current feedback from our customers is good, so we don’t want to restrict app features at least for now.

Somehow we have to find a way to avoid charging users on an specific billing period. Or making an automatic refund if the referral conditions are met.

 

Anyway, thank you for taking your time for helping me! 

imougy
Userlevel 3
Badge +8

Best of luck and please share your solution.  There is no way for you to refund users money if you are inside Apple eco-system.

S
Badge +3

And what about Android? Is there a possibility to set an specific billing cycle for free?

imougy
Userlevel 3
Badge +8

I didn’t work with Android but I know Google and Apple are almost a mirror.  

Q
Badge +5

Maybe you could send an Amazon Gift Card to this customer instead of pausing his subscription.

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