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Subscription schedules let you create two-phase pricing where a subscriber starts on one plan and automatically transitions to a different plan, with a different price and a different billing interval. This is the key difference from a regular discount: schedules give you time-period flexibility, not just price flexibility.
Subscription Schedules page showing a list of schedules with name, base price, renewal price, and subscriber count

The Subscription Schedules page showing configured schedules with base and renewal pricing

Go to Labs → Subscription Schedules to manage your schedules.

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How it works

A schedule defines two Stripe prices: an introductory price and a renewal price. These can have different amounts and different billing intervals: When a member subscribes via a schedule, Stripe automatically:
  1. Bills at the base price for the intro period
  2. Transitions to the renewal price when the intro period ends
  3. Continues at the renewal price for all future billing cycles
No manual steps are needed: the transition happens automatically.

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Why schedules instead of offers?

A Ghost offer with a one-time discount already lets you charge less for the first payment. Schedules solve a different problem: changing the billing interval, not just the price. For example, you can’t do any of these with a regular offer:
  • 3 months for $10, then $50/year: the entry period is 3 months, renewal is annual
  • 1 month for $5, then $100 every 6 months: monthly intro, semi-annual renewal
  • 6 months for $25, then $99/year: half-year trial period, annual renewal
Both the intro price and the renewal price can also have their own discounts applied. The renewal price can have a one-time or forever discount, so you can combine interval flexibility with discounted pricing.

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Example use cases

  • Low-commitment entry: 1 month for $5, then $50/year. Let people try it cheaply before committing to an annual plan.
  • Quarterly intro: 3 months for $10, then $99/year. A longer trial period with a meaningful discount.
  • Founding member rate: 6 months for $25, then $75/year (with a forever discount on the renewal price). Reward early subscribers.

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Setting up a schedule

Schedules pick from existing Outpost offers (each offer wraps a Stripe price), so set up your offers first if they don’t already exist.
1

Create the intro and renewal offers

In Subscriptions → Ghost Offers or Subscriptions → Outpost Promotions, create two offers: one for the intro period (e.g., 3 months at $10) and one for the standard renewal (e.g., $99/year). Each offer is tied to a Stripe price.
2

Create the schedule in Outpost

Go to Labs → Subscription Schedules and click to add a new schedule.
3

Configure the schedule

Enter the schedule details:
4

Share the schedule URL

Each schedule generates a unique subscription URL. Share it in newsletters, CTAs, or embed it on your site to let members subscribe at the intro rate. Schedules are typically delivered via a promotion.

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Labels for cohort tracking

You can specify labels to automatically apply to members who enroll via a schedule. This makes it easy to:
  • Track cohorts: See which members are on intro pricing vs. standard pricing
  • Target in campaigns: Send different email campaigns to founding members vs. regular subscribers
  • Measure retention: Compare churn rates between intro-rate and full-price subscribers
For example, add a founding-member label to members on a founding rate schedule. This lets you filter, segment, and target these members across all of Outpost’s tools.
Subscription schedules are supported on all Stripe accounts: no additional Stripe plan or upgrade is needed.

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How schedules differ from offers

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Frequently asked questions

A schedule is built out of offers. You create one offer for the intro period and one for the standard renewal, then point the schedule at both, so the offers need to exist before you set the schedule up. Each offer is tied to its own Stripe price, which is why the two phases can use different prices and different billing intervals. See How schedules differ from offers for a side-by-side comparison.
No. Outpost supports two-phase schedules: a base price for the first period and a renewal price for all subsequent periods. If you need more complex pricing, consider combining a schedule with a time-limited offer.
The member loses access at the end of their current billing period, just like a standard cancellation. If they resubscribe later, they’ll get the current pricing. They won’t return to the intro rate unless you create a new schedule or offer for them.
The schedule itself can be updated, but existing subscribers continue at their original renewal price: Stripe locks it in when they sign up. New subscribers will get the updated renewal price. To change pricing for existing subscribers, you would need to update their subscriptions in Stripe directly.
Yes. Both the intro price and the renewal price are independent offers, so either can have its own discount. For example, you could offer a 3-month intro at $10, then an annual renewal at $99 with a 20% forever discount, making the effective renewal $79.20/year.
A one-time discount offer charges less for the first payment but keeps the same billing interval. Schedules let you change the interval: start someone on a 3-month plan and then renew them annually. If you only need a cheaper first payment on the same interval, a regular offer is simpler.

Tiers & Pricing

The subscription products that schedules are built on

Offers & Discounts

Simple discounts when you don’t need to change the billing interval

Promotions

Outpost’s flexible offer system: schedules are used through promotions

Autoresponder

Automated emails triggered by subscription events

Labels

Tag schedule subscribers for cohort tracking