Partner & Developer onboarding
Subscribing to a plan
How a developer subscribes to a plan in your API Portal: the wizard steps, the free, paid, approval, sandbox, and contract branches, and what each subscription status means.
A developer subscribes by opening a product in your API Portal, choosing a plan, and running the subscription wizard. The plan decides what the wizard does next and what status the subscription starts in.
What are the steps in the subscription wizard?
The wizard moves through up to four steps: choose a plan, add custom properties, checkout, and a confirmation. Steps that do not apply to the chosen plan are skipped automatically.
| Step | What happens | When it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Plan details | The developer picks a plan and names the subscription. | Always. |
| Custom properties | The developer fills in fields the plan asks for at subscribe time. | Only when the plan has custom properties marked for the subscription wizard. |
| Checkout | The developer is sent to the payment processor. | Only when the plan is paid and recurring. |
| Done | A confirmation, or a pending notice for an approval plan. | Always, as the final step. |
The subscription name must be at least three characters. Required custom properties must be filled in before the wizard continues.
How does subscribing to a free plan work?
A free plan skips checkout. The portal creates the subscription with status Active and routes the developer to the subscription, where they can create credentials.
A plan counts as free when its revenue model is FREE. Plans with the CONTRACT or PREPAID_BURN_DOWN revenue model also skip recurring checkout.
How does subscribing to a paid plan work?
The portal creates the subscription with status Pending payment, then redirects the developer to Stripe checkout. When the payment processor confirms, the subscription becomes Active and credentials can be created.
Checkout runs for the recurring revenue models: graduated, volume, flat fee, and flat fee with overage. Paid checkout requires a Stripe connection on your account. See Connect a payment provider once that guide ships.
What happens when a plan requires approval?
When a plan has an approval group, the portal creates the subscription with status Pending and notifies your team. The developer sees an approval-required notice. Credentials cannot be created until a member of your team approves the request.
Your team approves or declines subscription requests from the dashboard. See Your access for the approval surface, which also handles scope requests.
What happens on a sandbox plan?
A sandbox-enabled plan starts the developer in sandbox. The wizard does not charge at subscribe time. The developer builds against sandbox credentials, then submits the subscription for review. Production credentials and any payment follow after your team approves.
The sandbox-to-production walkthrough is documented separately and links from this track when it ships.
What about a contract plan with an external link?
A CONTRACT plan can carry an external call-to-action link. When it does, the wizard opens that link in a new tab instead of creating a subscription in the portal, so the developer reaches your sales or contract flow.
Can a plan limit how many subscriptions a developer holds?
Yes. A plan can set a maximum number of subscriptions per team. When the team reaches the limit, the wizard blocks another subscription to that plan and shows a maximum-reached notice. Cancelled and expired subscriptions are not counted toward the limit.
Below the limit, if the team already has a subscription to the plan, the wizard shows an informational notice but still allows another.
What does each subscription status mean?
A subscription holds one status at a time. The status drives what the developer can do, including whether credentials can be created.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending payment | The subscription was created and is waiting for the payment processor to confirm payment. |
| Payment failed | Payment failed at the payment processor. |
| Pending | The subscription was created and is waiting for approval. Credentials are not yet available. |
| Active | The subscription is approved and live. Credentials can be created and used. |
| Rejected | The subscription request was not approved. |
| Cancelled | The subscription was cancelled. Existing keys stay valid until the subscription expires, with no renewal. |
| Expired | The subscription expired because its plan had a duration. Keys are revoked. |
| Pending cancellation | A cancellation is in progress. |