Integration Guide

PayPal Payments Standard Integration Guide June 2012 137
Recurring Payments – Subscribe Buttons
Advanced Features of Subscribe Buttons
3
Specifying Trial Periods with Subscribe Buttons
Do one of following to add Subscribe buttons to your website that include trial periods:
 Specify single trial periods when you create Subscribe buttons by using the creation tool on
the PayPal website.
See Step 9 of “Step 1 – Specifying Basic Features of Your Subscribe Button” on page 149.
 Specify initial and second trial periods in the HTML button code that you write manually.
See “Sample HTML Code for a Subscribe Button with Trial Periods” on page 163.
Limiting the Number of Billing Cycles with Subscribe Buttons
If you want subscribers to renew periodically, limit the number of billing cycles with your
subscriptions. Recurring subscription payments stop after that number of billing cycles has
been reached.
How Subscriptions with Limited Billing Cycles Work
The following example shows how subscribers are billed on installment plans with a limited
number of billing cycles.
Subscription Terms That Limit the Number of Billing Cycles
Subscription Terms:
 A regular subscription for $19.95 USD a month, for a total of 3 months
The Subscriber signs up on Aug.15, and is billed as follows:
 Aug. 15 = $19.95 USD
 Sept. 15 = $19.95 USD
 Oct. 15 = $19.95 USD
Specifying the Limit on Billing Cycles with Subscribe Buttons
Do one of following to add Subscribe buttons to your website that limit the number of billing
cycles:
 Specify the limit that stops recurring payments after a certain number when you create
Subscribe buttons by using the creation tool on the PayPal website.
See Step 8 of “Step 1 – Specifying Basic Features of Your Subscribe Button” on page 149.
 Specify the limit in the HTML button code that you write manually.
See “Sample HTML Code for a Subscribe Button with Limits on Billing Cycles” on
page 164.