In this article, we’ll go over how extended pause periods work. It’s limited to creators moving from per-creation billing to subscription billing, and it becomes available once they migrate to subscription billing. If that’s not your case, visit the How to pause billing for your members article.
When you pause billing, the options available depend on your eligibility. Most creators can pause for 1 month. Eligible creators who previously used per-creation billing can pause billing for longer than one more pause without an end date. This makes it easier to switch to subscription billing.
What’s the difference between a regular and an extended pause?
An extended pause offers more flexibility than a regular pause setting by letting you customize the duration of the pause period and control how new members are billed during the break.
Standard pause period
Under the standard pause period, billing pauses for 1 month and resumes automatically afterward unless you pause again for another month. During this time, new members are charged when they join. This feature is available for everyone on subscription billing.
Extended pause period
An extended pause period allows you to pause until a selected date or with no end date, resuming either on that date or when you manually resume it. You can extend or shorten an existing pause and choose whether to charge new members upon signing up during a pause. We limit access to pause billing for an extended period of time beyond 1 month to creators moving from per-creation to subscription billing to make the switch easier.
What remains the same for both regular and extended pause:
- Your page stays published
- Existing members retain access to paid content
- Existing members aren’t charged while billing is paused
- The pause applies to your entire page, not an individual tier
- You can resume billing early
How to pause membership billing
- While logged in, click on Your account from the left navigation, then select Settings
- Select Billing and payouts
- Click the Pause billing button
- Choose how long the pause period should last:
- For one month
- Until a specific date
- No end date
- Once you select the desired period, click Continue
- Then, decide if new members should be charged during the pause period or only when billing resumes, and click Continue
- Confirm your pause period settings
- If everything looks fine, click the Confirm button to pause the current billing cycle
We’ll display a yellow banner on your account settings page, letting you know that we’ve paused your billing. A similar message will let members know that they won’t get billed.
Enjoy your break — when you’re ready to come back, we’ll be here!
Should new members be charged during pause?
New members can still join and get access to your existing posts during the pause period. Choose whether new members pay when they join or wait until you resume billing.
Difference between the options
| Option | What happens when someone joins | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Charge new members when they join | The new member pays once when joining, receives immediate access, and isn’t charged again while billing remains paused. | Creators whose archive, community, or other existing benefits still provide meaningful value during the break. |
| Don’t charge new members until billing resumes | The new member adds a payment method and selects a paid tier but pays nothing when joining. They still receive immediate access and are first charged after billing resumes. | Creators who don’t want anyone paying while they aren’t actively publishing or delivering benefits. |
New member treatment by membership type
| Membership Type | Charge new members when they join | Don’t charge new members until billing resumes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly membership | Pays once upon joining, gets immediate access, and isn’t charged again while billing remains paused. | Selects a tier and adds a payment method but pays nothing immediately. Gets immediate access and is first charged after billing resumes. |
| Annual membership | Pays the full annual price immediately and gets immediate access. Next annual charge is scheduled after accounting for the pause and paid term. | Joins and receives immediate access without paying upfront. First annual charge is scheduled after billing resumes on the original subscription date. |
Existing members aren’t charged under either option. The selection only changes what happens to people who join after the pause begins.
iOS exception: New members who purchase through Apple’s in-app purchase system are charged when they join, even if you selected not to charge new members during your pause. The option not to charge new members until billing resumes applies only to web subscriptions.
What new fans see during a paused billing period
When new fans purchase a subscription membership during a paused billing period, the checkout screen informs them directly that recurring billing is currently paused. If they’re being charged upon joining, they receive access to the back catalog of content and see clear details regarding their initial payment and future billing schedule.
How annual memberships behave during a pause
Annual members keep access to your Patreon while billing is paused. If an annual membership is due to renew during your pause, the member won’t be charged on their original renewal date. We’ll extend their membership by the length of the pause, moving their next renewal date forward so they don’t lose any of the time they’ve already paid for.
Example: Fan signs up for annual membership on January 1, 2026. On April 1, 2026, you pause billing for 10 months. On January 1, 2027, there’s no charge, and billing resumes on February 1, 2027. Fan is billed for annual membership on November 1, 2027.
What happens when someone starts an annual membership during your pause depends on how you’ve chosen to handle new members.
If you charge new members when they join
They’ll pay the full annual membership price and receive access immediately. Their next annual charge won’t occur until after the pause and their paid membership term have been accounted for.
If you wait to charge new members
They can join and receive access without paying immediately. Their first annual payment will be scheduled after you resume billing on the date they subscribed to your membership.
How to edit a paused membership billing
- While logged in, click on Your account from the left navigation, then select Settings
- Select Billing and payouts
- Click the Manage pause period button
- Find the section you want to edit and select Change next to it — you can adjust:
- Length of pause period
- New member treatment
- Once you’re satisfied with your adjustments, click Continue, followed by Confirm to save them
How to resume a pause
- While logged in, click on Your account from the left navigation, then select Settings
- Select Billing and payouts
- Click the Manage pause period button
- Select Resume billing
- Check the information for resuming your pause
- If everything’s all right, click Confirm and resume
When payments and earnings restart
When your pause ends or you choose to resume billing early, members aren’t necessarily charged immediately. If you pause billing for less than 2 months, billing resumes automatically on their next applicable billing dates. Otherwise, if you pause for 2 months or more, there’s a 14-day wait before we start billing fans again.
Because members may have different billing dates, your earnings may resume gradually rather than all at once. You’ll begin earning again as individual member payments process successfully.
Before billing restarts:
- We’ll notify members about their upcoming charge
- Members who joined during the pause and haven’t paid yet will be charged for the first time
- Members who paid when they joined won’t be charged again until their next applicable billing date
- Annual members will be charged on their adjusted renewal dates
Who can manage a billing pause?
Only the creator account owner can start, change, or end a billing pause. Other teammates, including team leads, can’t manage billing pauses. If you’re a teammate and need to make a change, contact the creator account owner.
What happens to memberships purchased through iOS?
New members can join through iOS while your billing is paused. We recommend that they use the web subscription option. Members can also purchase the membership through Apple’s in-app purchase system by selecting the smaller link below the main button.
Apple limits memberships purchased through iOS to 2 paused billing cycles per year. If an iOS membership exceeds that limit, Apple will cancel the membership.
When this happens:
- The member moves to your free membership, if available
- Their paid membership won’t automatically restart when you resume billing
- They’ll need to rejoin a paid tier to gain paid access
- You won’t receive future payments from that membership unless they rejoin
Before confirming an extended pause, review the warning about members who joined through the iOS app and may be affected.