When a member upgrades, downgrades, or changes their billing frequency (monthly to annual or vice versa) in your Heartbeat community, the transition happens automatically with smart proration.
How Tier Switching Works
Automatic Proration When a member switches tiers or billing frequencies mid-cycle, Heartbeat automatically calculates the unused time from their current subscription and applies it as credit toward the new tier. The member only pays the difference.
What Happens During a Tier Change
- Member initiates the change by selecting a different tier from your sign up page or through their account settings
- Heartbeat calculates proration based on unused time and pricing difference
- Payment is processed for the prorated amount (could be a charge or a credit depending on the switch)
- Access updates immediately - the member's groups change to match their new tier
- Billing cycle resets to start from the date of the tier change
Important notes:
- Group membership updates automatically when a member switches tiers - they're removed from old tier groups and added to new tier groups
- No manual calculations needed - Stripe and Heartbeat handle all proration math
- Members can upgrade or downgrade at any time unless you've configured cancellation retention offers
- Downgrades take effect immediately by default (you can modify this in your cancellation flow settings)