Payments Plugin for Stripe

Stripe payment plugins for your WordPress site

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How to Update or Change Subscription Pricing Safely

In the Access Stripe Payments plugin with the Subscriptions addon, updating prices for subscription products requires care to stay in sync with Stripe’s rules and avoid disrupting active subscribers.

Stripe does not allow certain core fields (such as the recurring amount, billing interval, or currency) to be modified on an existing plan/price object once created. Attempting to force changes via direct database edits or bulk imports can cause sync issues, failed payments, or errors during renewals/checkout.

Important: Never edit subscription-related fields (e.g., price, interval) directly in bulk imports for products tied to existing plans. Always use the plugin’s built-in tools or the recommended workflow below.

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To update pricing for new customers while protecting existing subscribers:

Step 1) Create a New Subscription Plan

  • Go to Stripe Payments → Subscription Plans in your WordPress admin.
  • Click Add New and configure the updated pricing (amount, billing interval, currency, trial period if needed, etc.).
  • Save the plan. This automatically creates a corresponding plan and price in your connected Stripe account.
  • Keep the old plan active and unchanged (do not archive or delete it if there are active subscribers using it).
  • Edit the existing subscription product and select the new subscription plan in the Price & Currency section.
  • New customers will now see and subscribe using the updated pricing.

What Happens to Existing Subscribers?

  • They remain on their original plan and continue billing at the old price (no automatic changes occur).
  • This ensures compliance with Stripe’s policies and avoids surprise charges (customers must explicitly agree to price changes).
  • If a subscriber wants the new pricing, they must cancel their current subscription (via your cancellation process or Stripe Customer Portal if enabled) and sign up again for the updated product/plan.

Optional: Encourage Migration Over Time

  • Communicate the change to existing subscribers (e.g., via email) and offer incentives to switch.
  • As subscriptions naturally expire or cancel, customers can re-subscribe to the new pricing.
  • If you enable the Stripe Customer Portal, subscribers can manage/cancel their plans themselves via a secure Stripe-hosted page.

Additional Tips & Warnings

  • Always test first: Perform the full process (create new plan → update product → test checkout) on a staging site.
  • Backup your site before any bulk updates.
  • One-time products can be bulk-updated freely (prices, descriptions, etc.) via export/import, no Stripe sync concerns.

This method keeps your data consistent, complies with Stripe requirements, and protects your customers’ experience.

For more on subscription management, see: