Pause, modify, or cancel a subscription

Pause a subscription

Pausing stops billing temporarily while preserving the client's membership. When the pause ends, billing resumes automatically.

1. Go to Customers → Clients → open the client's profile
2. Find their subscription
3. Click Pause subscription
4. Set the pause duration (or an end date for the pause)

Pause fees: If you want to charge a reduced rate during a pause (e.g., a $10/month hold fee), configure this in the pricing option settings under pause settings. The hold fee bills instead of the regular membership charge during the paused period.

Modify a subscription

You can change a client's subscription to a different pricing option — useful when a client wants to downgrade, upgrade, or switch membership tiers.

1. Open the client's profile
2. Click into their active subscription
3. Select Change Subscription
4. Choose the new pricing option
5. Confirm

The change typically takes effect at the next billing cycle, though this depends on your settings.

Cancel a subscription

Subscriptions are only canceled when a client or staff member explicitly cancels them. Arketa never automatically cancels a subscription — even if a payment fails and all retry attempts are exhausted, the subscription moves to "Past due" status rather than being canceled. This gives you the opportunity to recover the payment and retain the client.

Staff-initiated cancellation:

1. Open the client's profile

2. Click into the subscription

3. Select Cancel subscription

4. Choose whether to cancel:

   • Immediately — access ends now - At end of billing period — client keeps access until their current paid period ends

Client-initiated cancellation: If you've enabled self-cancellation, clients can cancel from their account. See self-cancel.

What happens to credits when cancelled

• Unused credits from a credit-based membership remain on the client's account until they expire
• Unlimited memberships — access ends at the cancellation date
• If you refund the current billing period, any credits used during that period may be reversed

Cancellation during a commitment period

If a client has a minimum commitment (e.g., 3 months) and wants to cancel early, Arketa enforces the commitment period. They may need to pay out the remaining months depending on your policy — this is configured on the pricing option.