Downgrading to Free
How the downgrade-to-Free flow works, why it is scheduled for the end of the current billing period, and what can be locked afterwards.
Choosing Free while you still have a live paid subscription does not usually throw you onto the free plan immediately. Work Planner schedules the downgrade so the current paid access can run until the end of the billing period you have already paid for.
What The Confirmation Step Means
- Schedule Downgrade: this is the usual confirm button when you are leaving a paid Stripe subscription for Free.
- Access until date: the confirmation text tells you the date the current paid plan stays active until.
- No further charge: once the downgrade is scheduled, the subscription does not renew again unless you resume it or pick another paid plan before the end date.
What You See Afterwards
After the change is scheduled, the Subscription overview page switches from Next Billing Date to Access Until. A cancellation notice also appears so you can see at a glance that the account is winding down rather than renewing normally.
Limits Matter More On Free
Free has tighter limits than paid plans. If the account currently uses more businesses than Free allows, Work Planner warns you before you confirm. That warning is important because businesses above the new allowance can be locked once the downgrade takes effect.
When To Leave The Account As It Is
If you still need team access, more than the Free plan allows, or features that only exist on higher plans, it is usually better to leave the current plan in place. The downgrade does not remove those needs just because it is scheduled for later.
If You Change Your Mind
As long as access has not actually ended yet, the Subscription overview page shows Resume Subscription. That lets you cancel the downgrade and keep the current paid plan running.
Related articles
- Subscription Plans Screen: where the Free plan is selected.
- Resuming Your Subscription: how to reverse a scheduled downgrade before access ends.
- Business Limits and Locked Businesses: what locked businesses mean in practice.
- Business Bolt-On Limits: how business add-ons can offset reduced allowance.