Your CartOS subscription is billed monthly or annually depending on the plan you chose. This guide covers how to view your billing details, update payment methods, change plans, and understand your invoices.
Accessing billing settings
Go to Settings › Billing to manage your subscription. You'll see your current plan, next billing date, payment method on file, and billing history.
Only store owners and users with billing permissions can access billing settings. If you don't see the Billing option, ask your store owner to grant you access or handle billing changes.
Your subscription
Current plan
Your billing page shows which CartOS plan you're on, what's included, and your monthly or annual cost. CartOS offers several tiers with different features and limits—see pricing for plan comparisons.
Billing cycle
Subscriptions renew automatically on the same day each month (or year for annual plans). Your billing page shows your next billing date and the amount that will be charged.
Flat-rate pricing
Unlike platforms that charge a percentage of your sales, CartOS uses flat-rate pricing. Your subscription cost stays the same whether you sell $1,000 or $100,000 in a month. You keep more as you grow.
Payment methods
Viewing your payment method
Your current payment method appears in the Billing section, showing the card type and last four digits. We don't display full card numbers for security.
Updating your payment method
To update your card:
- Go to Settings › Billing
- Click Update Payment Method
- Enter your new card details
- Click Save
Your new card will be used for the next billing cycle. Update your card before it expires to avoid service interruption.
Accepted payment methods
We accept all major credit and debit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. We don't currently accept PayPal, bank transfers, or checks for subscription billing.
Invoices and receipts
Viewing invoices
Your billing history shows all past invoices. Click any invoice to view details including the billing period, plan, amount, and payment status.
Downloading invoices
Click Download PDF on any invoice to get a printable receipt. These are useful for expense tracking and accounting.
Invoice details
If you need specific information on your invoices (company name, tax ID, address), go to Settings › Billing › Invoice Settings and enter your billing details. These will appear on future invoices.
Email receipts
We send an email receipt after each successful payment to the store owner's email address. You can add additional email addresses for billing notifications in your billing settings.
Changing your plan
Upgrading
To upgrade to a higher plan:
- Go to Settings › Billing
- Click Change Plan
- Select your new plan
- Confirm the change
Upgrades take effect immediately. You'll be charged a prorated amount for the remainder of your current billing cycle, then the full new rate starting next cycle.
Downgrading
To downgrade to a lower plan, follow the same steps. Downgrades take effect at the start of your next billing cycle—you keep your current plan features until then.
Before downgrading, check that the lower plan supports your needs. Some features, bolts, or limits may not be available on lower tiers. If you exceed the new plan's limits, you may need to reduce usage before downgrading.
Switching between monthly and annual
Annual plans offer a discount compared to paying monthly. To switch to annual billing:
- Go to Settings › Billing
- Click Switch to Annual
- Confirm the change and payment
You'll be charged for the full year upfront, minus a credit for any unused time on your current monthly plan. Switching from annual to monthly takes effect when your annual term ends.
Add-ons and usage charges
Paid bolts
Some bolts have their own pricing on top of your base subscription. These are billed separately—either as one-time purchases or monthly fees depending on the bolt. Bolt charges appear as separate line items in your billing.
Domain registration
If you register domains through CartOS Domains, domain fees are billed annually and appear on your billing statement. Domain renewal dates may differ from your subscription billing date.
Usage-based features
Some features may have usage limits or usage-based pricing on certain plans. If applicable, you'll see usage tracking in your billing section showing where you stand relative to your plan limits.
Failed payments
What happens when a payment fails
If we can't charge your payment method, we'll email you immediately. You'll have a grace period to update your payment information. During this time, your store remains active.
We'll retry the charge automatically over the next few days. If the payment continues to fail, your store may be temporarily suspended until payment is resolved.
Resolving failed payments
If your payment failed:
- Check that your card hasn't expired
- Verify you have sufficient funds/credit
- Make sure your card issuer isn't blocking the charge
- Update your payment method if needed
- Contact us if you need help
Once a valid payment method is on file, we'll process the outstanding balance and your account returns to normal.
Store suspension
If payment isn't resolved during the grace period, your store is temporarily suspended. Customers will see a maintenance message instead of your store. Your data is preserved—nothing is deleted.
To reactivate, log into your admin (which remains accessible), update your payment method, and pay the outstanding balance. Your store is restored immediately.
Canceling your subscription
How to cancel
To cancel your CartOS subscription:
- Go to Settings › Billing
- Click Cancel Subscription
- Tell us why you're leaving (optional but helpful)
- Confirm cancellation
What happens when you cancel
Your store remains active until the end of your current billing period. You've already paid for that time, so you get to use it.
After your billing period ends:
- Your store goes offline
- Customers can't access your store or place orders
- Your admin remains accessible for a period so you can export data
- Your data is retained for 30 days in case you change your mind
- After 30 days, data may be permanently deleted
Exporting your data before canceling
Before canceling, export anything you want to keep:
- Products (CSV export from Products)
- Customers (CSV export from Customers)
- Orders (CSV export from Orders)
- Product images (download from media library)
- Theme files (download from theme editor)
Reactivating after cancellation
If you cancel and want to come back within 30 days, contact support. We can reactivate your account with all your data intact. After 30 days, you'd need to start fresh with a new store.
Refund policy
CartOS subscriptions are generally non-refundable—you're paying for access during a billing period. However, we want you to be happy:
- New accounts – If you're not satisfied within the first 14 days, contact us for a full refund
- Annual plans – If you cancel an annual plan partway through, we don't refund the unused portion, but we may offer credit in special circumstances
- Billing errors – If we made a mistake, we'll fix it and refund any overcharges
For refund requests, contact support and explain your situation.
Tax on your subscription
Depending on your location, sales tax or VAT may be added to your subscription fee. If applicable, this is shown as a separate line item on your invoice.
If you're a tax-exempt organization, contact support with your exemption certificate and we'll remove tax from future invoices.
Multiple stores
Each CartOS store requires its own subscription. If you operate multiple stores, each one is billed separately. We offer multi-store discounts for merchants running several stores—contact sales for details.
Questions about billing
If you have questions about a charge, need an invoice corrected, or have other billing concerns, contact our support team. Include your store URL and the specific invoice or charge you're asking about.