Subscriptions in Abler let you charge customers automatically on a repeating basis, such as monthly fees for training, memberships, or other ongoing services. Once set up, payments are taken automatically, based on the subscription rules you choose.
This guide explains how subscriptions work, how to create them, what the activation settings mean, how renewals and charges are calculated, and how to manage or stop them.
How subscriptions work
When a customer signs up:
By default, the customer always pays immediately at sign-up.
Exception: If the registration fee feature is enabled and set to 0, then no upfront payment is taken. Instead, the first charge happens on the DAY before the subscription’s start date you choose.
Subscriptions renew automatically until they reach the renewal limit (e.g. 12 times) or continue indefinitely if set to “Indefinite”
Customers are always charged on the last day of their subscription cycle, and a new cycle begins the following day.
In Abler, it looks like this depending on what activation setting you choose (See more below):
Activate on Day purchased:
Customer signs up and pays on 30.09.
First cycle = 30.09 → 29.10.
Charged again on 29.10.
Next cycle = 30.10 → 29.11, charged again on 29.11.
Activate on Next period:
Customer signs up and pays on 20.08.
First cycle = 01.09 → 30.09.
Charged again on 30.09.
Next cycle = 01.10 → 31.10, charged again on 31.10.
Every charge marks the end of one subscription cycle and the start of the next.
Creating a Subscription Service
Go to Services Overview → Create → Create Subscription Service.
Fill in the all the fields required:
Name – what the subscription is called in the shop.
Description – short explanation of what’s included.
Category & Group – link to the right group (so customers are auto-added to it).
Visibility – decide if it’s public (in the shop) or private (admin-only).
Receiving account – choose the bank account.
(Optional) Enable automatic removal from groups when the subscription ends under settings.
Add a Service Option (this is the actual subscription customers buy):
Name – e.g. “Monthly membership.”
Subscription period – usually “1 and month.”
Renewal count – how many times it repeats (e.g. 11 = 11 times, or indefinite).
Price – amount charged each cycle.
Commitment & Cancellation notice – set if you want minimum notice period and if you want the user to be able to cancel himself.
Capacity / Waiting list – control numbers if needed.
Status – “Public” to show in shop.
See more detailed information about how to create a subscription service here
Activation settings explained
When you create a subscription, you must choose when it activates.
Remember the rules:
The customer always pays immediately at sign-up.
Exception: If the registration fee is enabled and set to 0, then the first charge happens on the start date you chose.
The activation setting controls when the subscription period starts and when the billing cycle is calculated.
1. Activate on “Day purchased”
Starts immediately when the customer signs up.
Subscription runs from the sign-up date until the day before the same date next month.
The next charge happens on the last day of the cycle.
Example:
Sign up on 30.09.
First cycle = 30.09 → 29.10.
Charge on 29.10.
Next cycle = 30.10 → 29.11, charge on 29.11.
2. Activate on “Next period”
Starts on the 1st of the next month, no matter when the customer signs up.
Subscription cycle then runs from the 1st → last day of the month.
The next charge happens on the last day of that month.
Example:
Sign up on 20.08.
First cycle = 01.09 → 30.09.
Charge on 30.09.
Next cycle = 01.10 → 31.10, charge on 31.10.
3. Active Custom date (Registration fee (deposit))
The registration fee is an upfront payment collected at sign-up.
If set to a value (e.g. £70), this is paid immediately in addition to the subscription.
If set to 0 (and the feature is enabled):
No payment is taken at sign-up.
The first charge happens on the DAY before the subscription’s start date you choose.
After that, billing follows the normal cycle rule: charges always happen on the last day of the subscription period.
Important: If you choose a Custom start date like 2 October, the card will actually be charged on 1 October (the day before).
See more and detailed information about the registration fee here
Viewing and managing renewal counts
Each subscription has a Renewal count which defines how many times it will automatically renew:
Example: 12 renewals with a 1-month period = 1 year of charges.
Unlimited = continues until cancelled.
To view or check renewal counts:
Go to Services Overview → Click on the service name.
On the right hand side, you will see the renewal count for each individual.
Example if this is how it looks it means that the customer has paid 1 month out of 10 months.
Editing a subscription
You can edit subscriptions in two ways:
Change future prices for all new sign-ups
Edit charge dates or prices for an existing customer
Change the price for new members
Go to Service Overview → Service name → Options.
Update the Price in the option settings.
This only applies to new sign-ups.
Existing members will continue paying the old price unless you edit their subscription individually.
Edit an existing customer’s subscription (charge date & price)
Go to Service Overview → Service name.
On the right-hand side, find the customer and click the three dots → Edit subscription.
From here you can:
Change subscription period (charge date):
This controls when the next charge happens and all following charges.
Example: If you want the customer billed on the 1st of every month, set the end date to the 1st.
Change the price for this customer:
Go to Upcoming charges → three dots → Edit.
Set a new amount.
The customer will be charged this amount for the next and all future renewals.
Stopping a subscription
Go to Service Overview → Service name.
Find the customer on the right-hand side.
Click the three dots → Stop subscription.
Choose how to stop it:
Stop now – subscription ends immediately, no more charges.
Stop at next renewal – member stays active until the next billing date, but won’t be charged again.
Stop with notice – set a number of months (e.g. 2). The member will continue to be charged for that many cycles before the subscription ends automatically.