How to set up subscription plans in Bubble

To set up subscription plans in Bubble, you typically use Stripe because Bubble already has a built‑in Stripe plugin that supports recurring subscriptions. The core idea is: create your subscription products and prices inside Stripe, connect your Bubble app to Stripe, let the user check out using Stripe Checkout, then store the returned subscription status in your Bubble database so your app knows whether the user is active or not.

What You Need to Do

You create the subscription plans inside Stripe (not Bubble), connect the Stripe plugin, trigger a Stripe Checkout Session for subscriptions, then store the user’s subscription data when Stripe redirects back to your app. Bubble never “processes” the subscription itself — Stripe handles billing, renewals, cancellations, and webhooks; Bubble just reads the status.

• Create Products & Prices in Stripe Dashboard (each price can be monthly, yearly, etc.).
• Enable Stripe in Bubble using Bubble’s Stripe plugin. Add your Stripe Secret Key (backend) and Publishable Key (frontend).
• Trigger a Checkout Session using the workflow action “Stripe → Start a Subscription Checkout Session”.
• Use the Success URL to update your User in Bubble after Stripe confirms payment.
• Use a Stripe Webhook to keep subscription status synced (e.g., canceled, past\_due).
• Gate features using a field like “User’s subscription status = active”.

Simple Workflow

• User clicks “Subscribe”.
• You run Start a Subscription Checkout Session with the Stripe Price ID.
• Stripe Checkout opens; user pays.
• Stripe redirects user to your Success URL.
• On that page, run a workflow: “Retrieve Stripe Checkout Session” → save subscription ID and status into User.

Example Webhook Handler (Bubble Backend Workflow)

{
  "type": "customer.subscription.updated",
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "id": "sub_123",
      "status": "active"
    }
  }
}
// In Bubble backend workflow: use event → "When API workflow receives a request"
// Extract sub ID and status → Make changes to User → update subscription fields

Important Fields to Store

• subscription\_id (text)
• stripe_customer_id (text)
• subscription\_status (active, canceled, trialing)
• current_period_end (date)

Once stored, you can easily restrict features using Bubble conditions like “When Current User’s subscription\_status is active → allow access”.