When users switch between subscription plans, Uscreen automatically calculates a prorated price based on the remaining time on their current plan and the cost of the new plan.
When discounts (such as coupons) are involved, the unused-time credit is based on the amount actually paid (net of discounts), not the listed plan price.
📝 NOTE: The formula and examples provided are simplified for illustration purposes. Actual proration calculations may vary based on several factors, including payment provider settings, specific subscription configurations, trial periods, and exact timing of the plan change. Your users' actual charges may differ slightly from these examples.
Proration Basic Formula
The proration calculation follows this general formula:
Prorated Price = Remaining Balance on New Plan - Unused Balance on Current Plan
Where:
Remaining Balance on New Plan = New Plan Daily Rate × Remaining Days
Unused Balance on Current Plan = Current Plan daily rate (based on amount actually paid) × Remaining Days
Daily Rate = Amount paid for the billing period (net of discounts) ÷ Plan Duration in Days
Standard Duration Values
Monthly: 30 days
Quarterly: 90 days
Semi-Annual: 180 days
Annual: 360 days
How Proration Works
When a user changes their subscription plan, our system:
Calculates the daily rate of both the current plan (based on the amount actually paid, net of discounts) and the new plan
Determines how many days remain in the current subscription period
Converts the remaining time on the current plan into a credit amount
Apply this credit to the cost of the new plan
The resulting prorated price can be:
Positive: The user pays the difference immediately
Negative: The user receives a credit balance for future invoices
ℹ️ INFO: When changing plans, users will immediately gain access to content included in their new plan and lose access to content in their previous plan.
Proration Calculation Examples
These examples are provided to help understand the general concept of proration. Actual calculations may vary.
📝 NOTE: In discounted scenarios, unused-time credit is calculated from the discounted amount paid.
Example 1: Upgrading from Monthly to Annual Plan
| Calculation |
Current plan | $20/month (Daily rate: $20 ÷ 30 = $0.67) |
New plan | $180/year (Daily rate: $180 ÷ 360 = $0.50) |
Remaining days | 15 days |
Unused balance on current plan | $0.67 × 15 = $10.05 |
Remaining balance on the new plan | $180 (full amount since starting new billing cycle) |
Prorated amount | $180 - $10.05 = $169.95 charged immediately |
Example 2: Downgrading from Annual to Monthly Plan
| Calculation |
Current plan | $120/year (Daily rate: $120 ÷ 360 = $0.33) |
New plan | $15/month (Daily rate: $15 ÷ 30 = $0.50) |
Remaining days | 180 days (6 months) |
Unused balance on current plan | $0.33 × 180 = $59.40 |
Remaining balance on the new plan | $15 (full monthly amount) |
Prorated amount | $15 - $59.40 = -$44.40 credit applied to account |
💡 TIP: Users can see the proration preview, including any credits or charges, on the plan change confirmation screen before finalizing the change.
Applying Coupon Codes When Changing Plans
Users can apply coupon codes when switching subscription plans, providing an excellent opportunity to offer special incentives for upgrades or retention.
Enabling Coupons for Plan Changes
For a coupon to be applicable during plan changes, it must be specifically configured in its settings.
Navigate to Marketing > Coupons
Create or edit an existing coupon
Ensure the coupon is associated with the target subscription plan
Scroll down and enable the option "Allow this coupon to be used by current subscribers when changing plans."
Click Submit
How Users Apply Coupons During Plan Changes
Users can apply eligible coupons during the plan change process:
Log in to the website
Navigate to the User Dashboard and go to Purchases
Click Manage
Select Change Plan
After selecting the new plan, click Apply a Coupon
Enter the coupon code into the field and click Apply
The system shows the discounted price before they confirm the change
🔗 Learn more about User Dashboard: Purchases
📝 NOTE: Only one coupon can be applied per subscription at a time. If a user already has a coupon applied to their current subscription, applying a new coupon during a plan change will replace the previous one.
Proration with Coupons
When coupons are involved in plan changes, the calculation becomes more complex.
ℹ️ INFO: The unused-time credit (“Unused Balance on Current Plan”) is calculated from what the subscriber actually paid for the current billing period (net of discounts), not the plan’s listed price. This prevents phantom credits when the listed price is higher than the amount paid.
Final Prorated Price =
(Remaining Balance on New Plan - Coupon Discount) - Unused Balance on Current Plan (based on amount actually paid)
The system applies any eligible coupon discount to the new plan and calculates the unused-time credit from the current plan using the amount actually paid (net of discounts).
📝 NOTE: If the subscriber’s current plan was discounted (for example, a coupon reduced what they paid), the unused-time credit is calculated from the discounted amount paid, not the full listed plan price.
Example: Upgrading with a Coupon
| Calculation |
Current plan | $20/month (Daily rate: $0.67) |
New plan | $180/year |
20% coupon applied | $180 - 20% = $144 |
Remaining days | 15 days |
Unused balance on current plan | $0.67 × 15 = $10.05 |
Remaining balance on the new plan | $144 (discounted annual plan) |
Prorated amount | $144 - $10.05 = $133.95 charged immediately |
📝 NOTE: For a coupon to apply during a plan change, it must have the option Allow this coupon to be used by current subscribers when changing plans enabled when created.
🔗 Learn more about Coupons
Plan changes with 100% off coupons
Subscribers with a 100% off coupon can change plans successfully. In these cases, the unused-time credit is based on the amount paid (which may be $0), so the system won’t generate credits based on the plan’s listed price.
Special Scenarios
Changing Plans During a Trial Period
If a user changes plans during their trial period, the trial ends immediately, they are charged the prorated amount for the new plan, and no credit is given for the unused trial period.
Same Duration Plan Changes
When switching between plans with the same billing cycle (e.g., one monthly plan to another monthly plan):
The system calculates the price difference for the remaining period
The billing date remains unchanged
The user is only charged (or credited) the difference
Different Duration Plan Changes
When switching between plans with different billing cycles:
The system starts a new billing cycle for the new plan
Any unused time on the current plan is still credited
The next billing date is set based on the new plan's cycle
ℹ️ INFO: Credit balances from downgrades are automatically applied to future invoices until depleted. Users don't need to take any action to use the credits.
FAQs
What happens if a payment method fails during a plan change?
What happens if a payment method fails during a plan change?
The plan change won't be processed until a valid payment method is provided for any positive prorated amount.
Can I offer a free upgrade period when users switch plans?
Can I offer a free upgrade period when users switch plans?
Yes, it's actually a great opportunity to do so. You can create a coupon with the "Allow this coupon to be used by current subscribers when changing plans" option and set it to 100% for the first billing period.
Will changing plans affect content access immediately?
Will changing plans affect content access immediately?
Yes, access changes take effect immediately upon successful plan change.
How does proration work if a subscriber used a coupon?
How does proration work if a subscriber used a coupon?
When a subscriber changes plans and a coupon/discount is involved, proration is still calculated automatically. The key difference is how the unused-time credit is calculated:
The unused-time credit is based on what the subscriber actually paid for the current billing period (net of discounts), not the plan’s listed price.
This prevents “phantom credits” that can appear when the listed price is higher than the discounted amount paid.
The plan-change confirmation screen will show the exact credit/charge before the subscriber confirms the change.
Can subscribers change plans if they have a 100% off coupon?
Can subscribers change plans if they have a 100% off coupon?
Yes. Members with a 100% off coupon can now successfully change plans.
In these cases:
The unused-time credit is calculated from the amount actually paid (which may be $0).
Subscribers without a coupon are unaffected.
Admin-granted subscriptions (no invoices) are unaffected.
Can users revert to their previous plan after changing?
Can users revert to their previous plan after changing?
Yes, users can change plans again at any time, but they'll go through the same proration process.