Subscription Plans
Welcome to Recurly Commerce
You've installed the app ā now let's get your subscriptions live. Follow these 6 steps and you'll be up and running in no time.
Step 1: Create Your Subscription Plans
Your subscription plan defines what customers subscribe to, how often they're billed, and what discounts apply. This is the foundation everything else is built on.
Open Recurly Commerce ā Subscription Plans
In your Shopify admin, open the Recurly Commerce app and navigate to Subscription Plans. Click + Create Offer in the top-right corner to get started.
Select Your Products
Choose which Shopify products (SKUs) will be available as subscriptions. Your Shopify catalog must already be synced, and each product can only be assigned to one plan at a time.
Set Billing Frequency Options
Click + Add Option to define delivery frequencies (e.g., every 1 month, every 2 months). Offer multiple frequencies so customers can choose what fits their lifestyle.
Configure Discounts
Assign a discount percentage to each frequency tier. Larger discounts for more frequent orders incentivize subscriptions and improve retention.
Configure Advanced Options (Optional)
Enable gift subscriptions, product swaps, one-time add-ons, free trials, prepaid plans, or term commitments. These can be added now or anytime later.
Publish Your Offer
When satisfied with your setup, click Publish Offer in the top-right. Your subscription plan is now live on the product pages you configured. š
š Subscription Plan Types ā What to Offer
Recurring (Subscribe & Save)
The classic model. Customers receive products on a set schedule and save a percentage vs. one-time purchase. Great for consumables and everyday essentials.
Most CommonPrepaid Plans
Customers pay upfront for multiple deliveries (e.g., 3-month bundle). Great for gift subscriptions and improving cash flow from day one.
Higher AOVGift Subscriptions
Let customers send subscriptions as gifts. Toggle the "Add gift option" setting when creating your plan to enable the gift flag at checkout.
Boosts AcquisitionFree Trials
Let customers try before they commit. Trial ending reminder emails are sent automatically 3 days before the trial ends.
Reduces FrictionPro Tip Ā· Discount Strategy
Offering a slightly larger discount for your most frequent delivery option (e.g., 15% off monthly vs. 10% off every 2 months) pushes customers toward higher order frequency ā which means more predictable revenue and better LTV for you.
Step 1 Checklist
š Additional Resources
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