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How to Set Up Free Trial Periods for New Subscribers in 4Geeks Payment

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Offering a free trial is one of the most effective strategies to lower the barrier to entry for new customers. By allowing users to experience the value of your service before committing financially, you significantly increase conversion rates. 4Geeks Payments makes this process seamless by automating the transition from a trial period to a paid subscription.

This article guides you through configuring free trial periods for your recurring plans using the 4Geeks Console.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you meet the following requirements:

  • Active Account: You must have an active admin account on the 4Geeks Console.
  • Payments Enabled: The 4Geeks Payments service must be activated for your organization.
  • Strategy: Decide on the duration of your trial (e.g., 7, 14, or 30 days) before creating the plan.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You can configure a free trial when creating a new recurring plan. Once set up, the system handles the logic: it collects payment details upfront but delays the first charge until the trial period expires.

Step 1: Access the Recurring Plans Dashboard

  1. Log in to the 4Geeks Console.
  2. On the main navigation menu (left sidebar), click Sales to expand the submenu.
  3. Select Recurring plans. This section lists all your active subscription models.

Step 2: Create a New Plan

  1. Click the Create Plan button located at the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Fill in the Required Fields to define your product:
    • Name: Give your plan a clear, unique name (e.g., “Pro Membership - 14 Day Trial”).
    • Description: Briefly summarize what the user gets.
    • Amount: Enter the price that will be charged after the trial ends (e.g., 29.00).
    • Currency: Select the currency (e.g., USD).
    • Interval: Choose the billing frequency (e.g., Monthly).

Step 3: Define the Trial Period

  1. Locate the Trial Period field in the plan configuration form.
  2. Enter the number of days you wish to offer for free.
    • Example: Enter 14 for a two-week free trial.
    • Note: If you leave this field empty or set it to 0, the subscriber will be charged immediately upon signup.

Step 4: Save and Activate

  1. Review your settings to ensure the pricing and trial days are correct.
  2. Click Confirm or Save to create the plan.

Your plan is now live! When you share the plan’s subscription link (or invite a user via 4Geeks Console), they will see that their first payment is scheduled for a future date corresponding to the end of the trial.

Pro Tip: Requiring a credit card upfront validates the user’s intent and reduces friction when the trial converts to paid. 4Geeks Payments validates the card but does not charge it until the trial days have elapsed.

Common Use Cases

Scenario 1: The “Risk-Free” SaaS Trial

Goal: A software company wants to let users test their “Pro” features for 14 days. Configuration: * Plan Name: Pro Monthly * Price: $49.00 / Month * Trial Period: 14 days Result: The customer signs up on January 1st. They gain immediate access. On January 15th, 4Geeks Payments automatically charges their card $49.00.

Scenario 2: The “First Month Free” Incentive

Goal: A gym or community membership wants to boost annual signups by offering the first month at no cost. Configuration: * Plan Name: Annual Access * Price: $120.00 / Year * Trial Period: 30 days Result: The member joins today but pays nothing. In 30 days, the first annual fee of $120 is charged.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Customer was charged immediately

  • Cause: The plan was likely created with the “Trial Period” field left blank or set to 0.
  • Solution: Check the plan details. If the trial period is missing, you cannot edit the core billing rules of an existing plan. You must create a new plan with the correct trial days and migrate new signups to that link.

Issue 2: Customer claims they cannot access the service during the trial

  • Cause: Your application logic might be checking for a “paid” status instead of an “active” status.
  • Solution: Ensure your integration treats subscriptions in the trialing state as active. Both active and trialing statuses indicate valid access in 4Geeks Payments.

Issue 3: How do I edit the trial period of an active plan?

  • Cause: Core financial constraints prevent editing active plans to ensure data integrity.
  • Solution: To change a trial period (e.g., from 7 to 14 days), Create a New Plan with the desired settings. You can then archive the old plan to prevent new signups.

Conclusion

Automating free trials with 4Geeks Payments simplifies your billing operations and enhances the customer experience. By setting clear trial parameters, you allow your product to sell itself while ensuring revenue collection is handled automatically when the time comes.

Ready to optimize your revenue further? Explore features in 4Geeks AI Agents to automate customer support during the trial phase.

Additional Resources