[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":653},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"articleSection":6,"author":7,"body":8,"category":6,"coverBuilder":636,"cta":637,"ctaBody":636,"ctaTitle":636,"dateModified":638,"datePublished":639,"description":640,"draft":641,"extension":642,"hideCover":641,"image":643,"meta":644,"navigation":645,"ogImage":636,"path":646,"readTime":647,"seo":648,"sidebarCta":636,"stem":649,"tags":650,"wordCount":651,"__hash__":652},"blog/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe.md","How to pause subscriptions in Stripe and the smarter alternative with Churnkey","Stripe","team-churnkey",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":610},"minimark",[11,16,39,43,66,69,74,78,82,85,98,105,125,130,168,172,175,195,199,202,207,225,227,231,242,269,272,275,283,288,292,295,394,407,411,414,443,446,457,464,471,473,477,480,484,498,502,510,514,540,544,552,556,564,568,576,580,588,592,600,603],[12,13,15],"h3",{"id":14},"the-two-ways-to-pause-subscriptions-in-stripe","The two ways to pause subscriptions in Stripe",[17,18,19,23],"ul",{},[20,21,22],"li",{},"Use Stripe",[20,24,25,26,31,32,38],{},"Use ",[27,28,30],"a",{"href":29},"/","Churnkey"," (",[27,33,37],{"href":34,"rel":35},"https://marketplace.stripe.com/apps/churnkey?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"nofollow","verified Stripe partner",")",[12,40,42],{"id":41},"we-answer-three-broad-questions","We answer three broad questions",[17,44,45,53,60],{},[20,46,47,48,52],{},"How to ",[49,50,51],"strong",{},"enable pauses"," in Stripe — questions and limitations",[20,54,55,56,59],{},"When to ",[49,57,58],{},"consider Churnkey"," to implement pauses in Stripe",[20,61,47,62,65],{},[49,63,64],{},"set up effective pauses"," in Stripe",[67,68],"hr",{},[70,71,73],"h2",{"id":72},"method-1-use-stripe-to-pause-subscriptions","Method 1: use Stripe to pause subscriptions",[75,76,77],"p",{},"Stripe allows you to temporarily stop charging while the subscription itself stays active. This is good for grace periods or free-of-charge intervals.",[12,79,81],{"id":80},"stripe-cons","Stripe cons",[75,83,84],{},"Key limitations of using Stripe's native setup for pausing subscriptions.",[17,86,87],{},[20,88,89,90,93,94,97],{},"You ",[49,91,92],{},"cannot"," pause a subscription in a way that ",[49,95,96],{},"disables product access",". Subscription status remains \"active\" — no special \"paused\" status. Thus requiring additional integration to gate paused users.",[75,99,100],{},[101,102],"img",{"alt":103,"src":104},"","/images/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe/image-1.webp",[17,106,107,114],{},[20,108,109,110,113],{},"Needs ",[49,111,112],{},"further integration for resuming"," the subscription. Requires UI changes and further development with Stripe.",[20,115,116,117,120,121,124],{},"Stripe does ",[49,118,119],{},"not"," allow pause options through their ",[49,122,123],{},"Billing Portal",". It has been deprecated.",[75,126,127],{},[101,128],{"alt":103,"src":129},"/images/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe/image.webp",[17,131,132,139,145,152,159],{},[20,133,134,135,138],{},"Hidden ",[49,136,137],{},"cost in engineering time","; slower to improve retention KPIs.",[20,140,141,144],{},[49,142,143],{},"No segmentation",", intelligent offers, or churn reason insights. Stripe is a billing provider, not a dedicated retention software.",[20,146,147,148,151],{},"Must design and ",[49,149,150],{},"code in-product pause walls"," separately.",[20,153,154,155,158],{},"No way to block repeat pauses. ",[49,156,157],{},"Users can game the system",".",[20,160,161,164,165,158],{},[49,162,163],{},"Complex"," integration to understand the pause ",[49,166,167],{},"offer performance",[12,169,171],{"id":170},"stripe-advantages","Stripe advantages",[75,173,174],{},"Key advantages of using Stripe's native setup for pausing subscriptions.",[17,176,177,183,189],{},[20,178,179,182],{},[49,180,181],{},"Native solution",": No third-party integration needed.",[20,184,185,188],{},[49,186,187],{},"Cost-effective",": No additional SaaS fees.",[20,190,191,194],{},[49,192,193],{},"Keeps customers active"," without re-signup friction.",[12,196,198],{"id":197},"final-verdict","Final verdict",[75,200,201],{},"Stripe is great when you need raw pause functions primitives and have engineering resources to brute-force. But for mature companies, this is not the best way forward.",[75,203,204],{},[49,205,206],{},"To setup with Stripe:",[17,208,209,217],{},[20,210,211,212],{},"Documentation: ",[27,213,216],{"href":214,"rel":215},"https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/pause-payment?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"https://docs.stripe.com/billing/subscriptions/pause-payment",[20,218,219,220],{},"Discord Support: ",[27,221,224],{"href":222,"rel":223},"https://discord.com/invite/stripe?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"https://discord.com/invite/stripe",[67,226],{},[70,228,230],{"id":229},"method-2-use-churnkey-to-pause-subscriptions","Method 2: use Churnkey to pause subscriptions",[75,232,233,234,237,238,241],{},"A ",[49,235,236],{},"pause"," is better than a ",[49,239,240],{},"cancellation",". Every time.",[243,244,245],"blockquote",{},[75,246,247,248,251,252,255,256,259,260,263,264,268],{},"With ",[49,249,250],{},"15"," million subscriptions and ",[49,253,254],{},"$3B in subscription revenue"," at Churnkey, ",[49,257,258],{},"pauses"," emerged as one of the most effective save tactics in 2024—",[49,261,262],{},"accepted in 19% of all cancellation sessions"," [",[27,265,267],{"href":266},"/reports/state-of-retention-2025","source","].",[75,270,271],{},"You've spent time, money, and energy getting customers in the door. Sometimes, customers just need a break.",[75,273,274],{},"Churnkey does all the heavy lifting when it comes to subscription pauses.",[17,276,277,280],{},[20,278,279],{},"Let customers who want to freeze their accounts come back at a later time.",[20,281,282],{},"Preserve relationships without severing them unnecessarily.",[75,284,285],{},[101,286],{"alt":103,"src":287},"/images/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe/image-2.webp",[12,289,291],{"id":290},"churnkey-advantages","Churnkey advantages",[75,293,294],{},"Key advantages of using Churnkey for pausing subscriptions in Stripe are as follows.",[17,296,297,308,319,325,335,346,368,374,388],{},[20,298,299,302,303,307],{},[49,300,301],{},"Pausing, with purpose:"," Subscriptions are paused ",[304,305,306],"em",{},"and"," gated. Users retain their account, but lose access during the break. This drives urgency to return while keeping your churn low.",[20,309,310,313,314,318],{},[49,311,312],{},"Minimal engineering support",": When the pause period ends, we'll automatically continue their subscription. We even display ",[27,315,317],{"href":316},"/blog/launch-block-functionality-for-paused-and-past-due-accounts-without-any-dev-time","pause walls"," so users cannot access the platform while the subscription is paused.",[20,320,321,324],{},[49,322,323],{},"Reduces support costs",": Users can pause subscriptions themselves through a branded cancel flow without contacting support.",[20,326,327,330,331,334],{},[49,328,329],{},"Flexible pause offers",": Instead of a static pause, you can show targeted offers like \"Pause for 2 months and save your progress,\" or \"Take a free 1-month break\". Enable subscription pauses for up to twelve months with Churnkey. ",[49,332,333],{},"The customer can choose"," how long do they want to pause for and you can decide the max length to offer.",[20,336,337,340,341,345],{},[49,338,339],{},"Segmentation capabilities",": ",[27,342,344],{"href":343},"/feature/customer-segmentation","Segment your offers"," can vary based on customer type, usage, subscription age, etc.",[20,347,348,351,352,357,358,362,363,367],{},[49,349,350],{},"Metrics and insights:"," You ",[27,353,356],{"href":354,"rel":355},"https://docs.churnkey.co/cancel-flows/analytics/average-boosted-revenue?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"get clear reporting"," on how many users chose to pause, for how long, and conversion rates. This allow your team to ",[27,359,361],{"href":360},"/blog/launch-cancel-flow-a-b-testing","A/B test"," and consistently improve. With ",[27,364,366],{"href":365},"/feature/customer-insights-ai","Insights AI"," and Feedback AI, the qualitative stream of data is analyzed and tied to immediate MRR loss.",[20,369,370,373],{},[49,371,372],{},"Supports cooldown periods"," before users take another pause. This prevents abuse.",[20,375,376,379,380,383,384,387],{},[49,377,378],{},"Enterprise-level pause intelligence:"," If your team is split on whether to offer pauses—or how long they should be—we help you cut through opinion with ",[49,381,382],{},"your"," ",[49,385,386],{},"data",". We’ve built custom analyses that map the full journey of paused users. This level of support is available to enterprise customers who want deeper insights and tailored strategy.",[20,389,390,393],{},[49,391,392],{},"A complete retention platform",": You can setup pauses, discounts or trial extensions. Churnkey is a complete platform designed to cut churn and boost LTV.",[75,395,396,397,402,403,158],{},"To get started, ",[27,398,401],{"href":399,"rel":400},"https://app.churnkey.co/register?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"sign up for Churnkey"," or ",[27,404,406],{"href":405},"/schedule-a-demo","book a demo",[12,408,410],{"id":409},"churnkey-disadvantages","Churnkey disadvantages",[75,412,413],{},"Key disadvantages of using Churnkey for pausing subscriptions in Stripe are as follows:",[17,415,416,422,433],{},[20,417,418,421],{},[49,419,420],{},"Adds a new line item cost",": However, we take into account factors such as your ARPA, cancellation volume, and more to ensure that we're delivering at least 5x ROI for you. Many customers experience ROI in the 10-20x range.",[20,423,424,427,428,432],{},[49,425,426],{},"Requires light engineering setup",": You can ",[27,429,431],{"href":399,"rel":430},[36],"set Churnkey up"," in as little as 15 minutes (we've seen it happen). If you get fancier with segmentation or test environments, that adds a bit of overhead. ",[20,434,435,438,439,158],{},[49,436,437],{},"It's a 3rd party tool",": That said, there's no vendor lock-in with our monthly plans. We partner with Stripe and are often featured in their core dashboard. ",[27,440,442],{"href":441},"/comparisons/build-vs-buy","Read our build vs buy guide",[12,444,198],{"id":445},"final-verdict-1",[75,447,448,449,452,453,456],{},"Use Churnkey if you want a ",[49,450,451],{},"fast, customer-friendly"," way to offer pauses during cancellation flows, boost retention, and get ",[49,454,455],{},"actionable analytics"," without engineering effort.",[75,458,459,460,463],{},"It's ideal when ",[49,461,462],{},"retention KPIs matter"," and you want to optimize save offers dynamically.",[75,465,396,466,402,469,158],{},[27,467,401],{"href":399,"rel":468},[36],[27,470,406],{"href":405},[67,472],{},[70,474,476],{"id":475},"how-to-set-up-effective-pauses-in-stripe","How to set up effective pauses in Stripe",[75,478,479],{},"Done right, pause flows can meaningfully reduce churn and keep customers engaged. Here's how to design them.",[12,481,483],{"id":482},"_1-always-offer-pause-as-a-first-option","1. Always offer pause as a first option",[17,485,486,489],{},[20,487,488],{},"A pause is always better than a cancellation.",[20,490,491,492,497],{},"From Churnkey data and ",[27,493,496],{"href":494,"rel":495},"https://www.marketingcharts.com/brand-related/brand-loyalty-113074?ref=churnkey.co",[36],"broader research",", 51.8% of customers would likely choose to pause if the option was presented.",[12,499,501],{"id":500},"_2-personalize-pause-offers-based-on-cancellation-reason","2. Personalize pause offers based on cancellation reason",[17,503,504,507],{},[20,505,506],{},"Offer pauses primarily to customers who select reasons like \"I don't need it right now\" or \"I will be back.\"",[20,508,509],{},"Avoid offering pauses where the reason is dissatisfaction or switching to competitors.",[12,511,513],{"id":512},"_3-segment-users-for-more-targeted-pause-flows","3. Segment users for more targeted pause flows",[17,515,516,522,528,534],{},[20,517,518,521],{},[49,519,520],{},"Monthly subscribers",": Emphasize flexibility and highlight benefits of returning anytime.",[20,523,524,527],{},[49,525,526],{},"Annual subscribers",": Use pause sparingly. Instead, focus on loyalty rewards or stacked discounts.",[20,529,530,533],{},[49,531,532],{},"Early churners",": Offer a free pause + guided onboarding to re-engage them.",[20,535,536,539],{},[49,537,538],{},"Late churners",": Emphasize long-term relationship and offer a pause before complete exit.",[12,541,543],{"id":542},"_4-experiment-with-pause-durations","4. Experiment with pause durations",[17,545,546,549],{},[20,547,548],{},"Test different pause lengths (1, 2, or 3 months).",[20,550,551],{},"Use Churnkey’s no-code editor to A/B test which pause durations yield the highest reactivation rates.",[12,553,555],{"id":554},"_5-layer-pause-offers-with-incentives","5. Layer pause offers with incentives",[17,557,558,561],{},[20,559,560],{},"Combine pauses with targeted incentives like temporary discounts or bonus features upon return.",[20,562,563],{},"Example: \"Pause now and get 10% off your first month when you return.\"",[12,565,567],{"id":566},"_6-use-real-time-feedback-to-improve-pause-flows","6. Use real-time feedback to improve pause flows",[17,569,570,573],{},[20,571,572],{},"Set up exit surveys to capture why customers pause.",[20,574,575],{},"Adapt future pause offers based on these insights to continuously optimize.",[12,577,579],{"id":578},"_7-follow-up-during-pause-period","7. Follow up during pause period",[17,581,582,585],{},[20,583,584],{},"Send educational resources, feature updates, or reminders during the pause to maintain engagement.",[20,586,587],{},"Avoid letting paused users go completely cold; keep your product top-of-mind.",[12,589,591],{"id":590},"_8-track-pause-outcomes-with-churnkey-analytics","8. Track pause outcomes with Churnkey analytics",[17,593,594,597],{},[20,595,596],{},"Monitor acceptance rates, reactivation rates, and reasons for declining pause offers.",[20,598,599],{},"Use Customer Timelines to diagnose behavior patterns and improve targeting.",[75,601,602],{},"That's all! Thanks for reading.",[75,604,396,605,402,608,158],{},[27,606,401],{"href":399,"rel":607},[36],[27,609,406],{"href":405},{"title":103,"searchDepth":611,"depth":611,"links":612},3,[613,614,615,621,626],{"id":14,"depth":611,"text":15},{"id":41,"depth":611,"text":42},{"id":72,"depth":616,"text":73,"children":617},2,[618,619,620],{"id":80,"depth":611,"text":81},{"id":170,"depth":611,"text":171},{"id":197,"depth":611,"text":198},{"id":229,"depth":616,"text":230,"children":622},[623,624,625],{"id":290,"depth":611,"text":291},{"id":409,"depth":611,"text":410},{"id":445,"depth":611,"text":198},{"id":475,"depth":616,"text":476,"children":627},[628,629,630,631,632,633,634,635],{"id":482,"depth":611,"text":483},{"id":500,"depth":611,"text":501},{"id":512,"depth":611,"text":513},{"id":542,"depth":611,"text":543},{"id":554,"depth":611,"text":555},{"id":566,"depth":611,"text":567},{"id":578,"depth":611,"text":579},{"id":590,"depth":611,"text":591},null,"newsletter","2025-06-24","2025-05-10","Pausing subscriptions in Stripe sounds simple—until you look closer. We break down Stripe's native setup vs. Churnkey's smarter alternative: pros, cons, and a guide to doing it right. Read before you choose how to handle pauses in Stripe.",false,"md","/images/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe/pause-subscriptions.webp",{},true,"/blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe","5 min read",{"title":5,"description":640},"blog/pause-subscription-in-stripe",[6],1206,"_2j_tKtyXdR-FPvGinoxFFNo5JjL6R-_-ReeHEboQmw",1787075317593]