Who This Is For / When to Use
Use this guide if you want to:
Charge customers using installment plans (for example, 4 monthly payments).
Offer trials followed by recurring charges.
Sell memberships or services with limited billing cycles.
Attach recurring products to funnel order forms.
Requirements Before You Start
You must have the following set up:
A connected payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal, NMI, or Authorize.Net)
An order form inside a funnel
A product created with Recurring pricing
Important Notes
Payment plans only work with Order Form products.
Custom Authorization works only with Recurring products.
Trial periods count as one payment.
Step 1: Create a Product with a Payment Plan
Navigate to Products
Go to Payments.
Click Products.
Click + Create Product.
Add Product Information
Fill in the basic product details:
Product title
Description
Product image
Optional product label (example: Sale)
Visibility duration for the label
Product collection (optional)
Tax category and tax settings
Optional statement descriptor (under Additional Options)
Step 2: Configure Recurring Pricing (Payment Plan)
Add a Recurring Price
In the Prices section:
Set Type to Recurring.
Enter the Amount.
Choose the Billing Period (example: Monthly).
Set the Number of Payments.
Add a Trial Period if needed.
Add a Setup Fee if applicable.
Key Rule
If a trial period is added, it counts as one payment.
Example Payment Plan Explained
If you configure:
7-day trial
$50 monthly
4 payments
The customer is charged:
1 payment for the trial
4 recurring payments
Total payments: 5
Access to any connected membership offer ends when all payments are completed.
Step 3: Optional Pricing Features
Compare-at Price
Use Compare-at price to display a discounted offer.
Example:
Original price: $148
Current price: $99
This visually shows savings to customers.
Membership Offer (Optional)
If the product grants membership access:
Toggle Membership Offer.
Select the membership offer name.
Customers gain access while payments are active.
Product Variants (Optional)
If your product has variants:
Configure pricing per variant.
Each variant can have its own recurring plan.
Step 4: Search Engine Listing (Optional)
Configure SEO details for the product:
SEO title
SEO description
Product handle (URL path)
Step 5: Save the Product
Click Save to finish creating the product.
Offering Zero-Priced Products
You can set product prices to $0.00 for:
Free products
Free subscriptions
Lead magnets
Zero-priced products:
Can be recurring or one-time
Can be added to funnels, forms, or stores
Are fully tracked like paid products
Step 6: Attach the Product to a Funnel Order Form
Open the Funnel
Go to Sites > Funnels.
Open the funnel.
Select the step that contains the Order Form.
Add the Product to the Order Form
Click the Products tab.
Add an existing product or edit one already attached.
Confirm pricing and quantity settings.
Click Save.
Step 7: Publish and Test
Preview the order form.
Complete a test checkout.
Confirm recurring charges and payment limits work correctly.
Common Issues and Fixes
Payment plan not showing on order form
Confirm the product type is Recurring.
Confirm the product is attached to the correct funnel step.
Confirm the step is an Order Form, not a regular page.
Incorrect number of payments
Remember trial periods count as one payment.
Adjust the Number of Payments field accordingly.
Inventory issues
Enable inventory tracking only if stock limits are required.
Inventory is deducted per successful order, not per installment.
FAQ
Can I use payment plans with all product types?
No. Payment plans only work with Order Form products using Recurring pricing.
Does the trial period count as a payment?
Yes. A trial period is counted as one payment in the total number of payments.
Can I use payment plans on one-step or two-step order forms?
Yes. Payment plans work on both one-step and two-step order forms.
What payment gateways support recurring products?
Stripe, PayPal, NMI, and Authorize.Net all support recurring charges when properly connected.
Can I track inventory for payment plan products?
Yes. Inventory tracking works the same as standard products.
Can I offer free payment plan products?
Yes. Products can be priced at $0.00 and still be recurring, tracked, and attached to funnels.