How to Upgrade or Downgrade Your Subscription

Upgrading or Downgrading Your Subscription

You can change your SpotCharge subscription tier anytime. Upgrades take effect immediately, while downgrades occur at the end of your billing period.

Upgrading Your Subscription

When to Upgrade

Signs you need a higher tier:

🚩 Free → Premium:

You need a 2nd or 3rd location
You need more than 3 photos per location
You get more than 3 reviews/month
You want custom amenities

🚩 Premium → Premium Multi:

You need 4-5 locations
You have 10+ stations at one location
You need unlimited photos
You get 25+ reviews/month

Subscription limits guide →

How to Upgrade

Step 1: Access Subscription Settings

Go to Dashboard → Subscription
See your current plan
View available upgrade options

Step 2: Select New Plan

Click "Upgrade to Premium" or "Upgrade to Premium Multi"
Choose billing cycle:
- Monthly ($29 or $99/month)
- Annual (save 17% - $290 or $990/year)
Review new features and limits

Step 3: Add or Confirm Payment Method

Enter credit card information (if not already on file)
Billing address
Review pro-rated charge

Step 4: Confirm Upgrade

Review upgrade summary:
- New tier and price
- Pro-rated charge for current period
- Next billing date
- New limits and features
Click "Confirm Upgrade"
Instant access to new features

Pro-Rated Billing (Upgrades)

How it works:

You're charged only for the remaining time in your billing period.

Example: Monthly Billing

Current plan: Free
Upgrade date: January 15
New plan: Premium ($29/month)
Days remaining: 16 days (out of 31)
Pro-rated charge: $14.94 (16/31 × $29)
Next full charge: February 1 ($29)

Example: Annual Billing

Current plan: Premium ($290/year)
Upgrade date: 6 months into annual plan
New plan: Premium Multi ($990/year)
Pro-rated charge: $350 (($990-$290) × 6/12)
Next full charge: On annual renewal date

Immediate Benefits

After upgrading, you instantly get:

✅ Higher limits - Add locations, photos, responses ✅ New features - Custom amenities, enhanced analytics ✅ Better support - Priority email, dedicated manager (Premium Multi) ✅ Verification upgrade - Premium badge (if eligible)

No waiting period - Everything activates immediately.

Downgrading Your Subscription

When to Downgrade

Consider downgrading if:

💰 Cost reduction needed

Budget constraints
Lower usage than expected
Seasonal business (charge during peak only)

📉 Reduced needs

Closed locations
Sold properties
Less review activity

Alternative: Take a break by canceling, then reactivate later.

How to Downgrade

Step 1: Access Subscription Settings

Dashboard → Subscription
See current plan and usage
Click "Change Plan"

Step 2: Select Lower Tier

Choose target tier:
- Premium Multi → Premium
- Premium → Free
Review new limits
See what you'll lose access to

Step 3: Manage Resources (If Over New Limit)

If you exceed new tier limits, you must choose what to keep:

Example: Premium (3 locations) → Free (1 location)

Select 1 location to keep active
Other 2 become "inactive":
- Not visible to drivers
- You can still view (read-only)
- Can reactivate by upgrading or deleting active location

Example: 25 photos → 3 photos (Premium → Free)

Choose 3 photos to keep
Other 22 remain visible (for now)
Can't upload new photos until under limit
Delete extras manually or system hides oldest

Step 4: Confirm Downgrade

Review downgrade summary:
- New tier and price
- Effective date (end of billing period)
- Resources affected
- Refund amount (if annual)
Click "Confirm Downgrade"
Keeps current features until effective date

Downgrade Timing

Takes effect:

End of current billing period
NOT immediately (unlike upgrades)

Example: Monthly Billing

Current plan: Premium ($29/month)
Downgrade date: January 15
Keeps Premium features until: February 1
Charged $29 on February 1? No - downgrades before charge
February 1: Reverts to Free tier

Example: Annual Billing

Current plan: Premium Multi ($990/year)
Downgrade date: 6 months into annual plan
Keeps Premium Multi features until: Annual renewal date
Pro-rated refund: $495 (6 months unused)
Renewal date: Reverts to Premium ($290/year) or Free ($0)

What Happens to Your Data

When downgrading:

Locations beyond limit:

Become "inactive" (hidden from drivers)
Still exist in your account (read-only)
Can reactivate by upgrading or deleting active ones

Photos beyond limit:

Remain visible temporarily
Can't upload new until under limit
Delete manually to make room

Stations beyond limit:

Become "read-only"
Drivers still see them
Can't edit until under limit or upgrade

Review responses:

Past responses remain visible
Monthly limit reduces (e.g., 25 → 3)
Can't respond to new reviews if over limit

Custom amenities:

Removed from listings
Stored in your account
Restore by upgrading

Analytics:

Reduced access (Full → Enhanced → Basic)
Historical data preserved
Can't export until upgrade

Business profile:

Remains active (no tier restriction)
All features available

Refund Policy

Monthly Billing

No refunds for:

Downgrades (you keep features until end of period)
Cancellations mid-month
Unused time

Why: You get full month of service you paid for.

Annual Billing

Pro-rated refunds for:

Downgrades mid-year
Cancellations mid-year

Calculation:

(Months unused / 12) × Annual price
Example: Cancel 6 months in → 50% refund

Refund timeline:

Processed within 5-7 business days
Refunded to original payment method

Switching Billing Cycles

Monthly → Annual

How to switch:

Dashboard → Subscription
Click "Switch to Annual Billing"
Pay annual fee (minus pro-rated monthly)
Saves 17% going forward

Example:

Currently: Premium monthly ($29/month)
15 days into month
Switch to annual: Pay $275.50 ($290 - $14.50 pro-rated)
Next charge: 1 year from today ($290)
Annual savings: $58/year

Annual → Monthly

How to switch:

Dashboard → Subscription
Click "Switch to Monthly Billing"
Takes effect at annual renewal date
No refund for switching (you keep annual discount until renewal)

Example:

Currently: Premium annual ($290/year)
6 months into annual
Switch to monthly: Takes effect in 6 months
Keeps annual benefits until renewal
Renewal: Switches to monthly ($29/month)

Reactivating After Downgrading

Changed your mind?

Before effective date:

Dashboard → Subscription
Click "Cancel Downgrade"
Stays on current tier
No interruption in service

After downgrade takes effect:

Dashboard → Subscription
Click "Upgrade to [Tier]"
Follow upgrade process
Reactivate inactive locations/resources

Your data is preserved - Nothing is permanently deleted when downgrading.

Common Scenarios

Upgrading Mid-Month

Scenario: Free → Premium on January 15

What happens:

Charged $14.94 immediately (half-month)
Get Premium features instantly
Feb 1: Regular $29 monthly charge
Mar 1: Regular $29 monthly charge

Benefits:

No waiting
Only pay for time you use
Can test before committing to full month

Downgrading Mid-Annual

Scenario: Premium Multi → Premium, 6 months into annual plan

What happens:

Downgrade scheduled for renewal date (6 months away)
Keep Premium Multi features for 6 months
Pro-rated refund: $350 (($990 - $290) / 2)
Renewal date: Switch to Premium annual ($290) or monthly ($29)

Benefits:

No immediate loss of features
Get partial refund
Smooth transition

Seasonal Downgrade

Scenario: Premium summer (high use) → Free winter (low use)

Strategy:

Nov 1: Downgrade Premium → Free
Keep Premium features through Nov 30
Dec 1: Revert to Free tier
Apr 1: Upgrade back to Premium for summer
Get Premium trial again? No (one-time only)

Cost: 4 months Premium ($116) vs 12 months ($348) = Save $232

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I upgrade and downgrade multiple times? A: Yes, change as often as you need. No penalties or fees.

Q: Do I lose my verification badge when downgrading? A: Premium verification becomes owner verification (Free/Premium).

Q: Can I pause my subscription instead of canceling? A: Not directly. Downgrade to Free (keeps data) or cancel (deletes nothing).

Q: What if I upgrade then immediately downgrade? A: Downgrade takes effect end of period, so you get full month/year of upgrade.

Q: Can I get a refund if I upgrade and don't like it? A: No refunds for upgrades, but you can downgrade at end of billing period.

Q: Do my active payment methods change when I upgrade/downgrade? A: Same payment method used unless you change it.

Q: What happens to my inactive locations when I downgrade? A: They stay in your account (read-only). Reactivate by upgrading or deleting active locations.

Q: Can I skip a tier (Free → Premium Multi)? A: Yes, you can upgrade/downgrade to any tier directly.

Best Practices

Before Downgrading

✅ Review usage:

Check how many locations, photos, responses you use
Ensure you'll fit within new limits

✅ Clean up first:

Delete unused locations
Remove old photos
Get under new tier limits before downgrading

✅ Export analytics:

Download reports if downgrading to Basic analytics
Historical data preserved but export access may be lost

✅ Inform your team:

If multiple people use account
Manage expectations for limit changes

Before Upgrading

✅ Try the trial:

Use 14-day Premium/Premium Multi trial first
Test features before paying

✅ Plan your resources:

Know which locations you'll add
Prepare photos to upload
Have amenities list ready

✅ Choose billing cycle wisely:

Annual saves 17% but commits for 1 year
Monthly for flexibility

Need Help?

Questions about upgrading or downgrading? We're here to assist.

Contact Support or check our Help Center