> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.chimeedu.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Billing & Subscriptions on ChimeEdu — How Paid Plans Work

> How to subscribe to ChimeEdu Plus or Premium, manage your payment method, switch plans, cancel, and what happens if a payment fails.

<Note>
  **Paid subscriptions are available now.** Choose a plan on the [Pricing page](https://app.chimeedu.com/pricing) — new accounts are walked through setup and checkout automatically after selecting a plan.
</Note>

ChimeEdu's paid plans — **Plus (\$10/month)** and **Premium (\$25/month)** — are monthly subscriptions handled by [Stripe](https://stripe.com), the payment platform used by millions of businesses. Payment happens right on ChimeEdu in a secure embedded checkout: your card details go directly to Stripe and **never touch ChimeEdu's servers**. For what each plan includes, see [Plans & Pricing](/teachers/plans-and-pricing).

## Subscribing

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose a plan">
    Visit [Pricing](https://app.chimeedu.com/pricing) while signed in to your teacher account and select **Plus** or **Premium**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pay securely">
    Complete checkout without leaving ChimeEdu — cards are accepted, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay where your device supports them.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start using your new plan">
    Your account upgrades the moment payment succeeds. Your new limits and features are active immediately — nothing to restart or reconfigure.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Your subscription renews automatically each month on the day you subscribed, and Stripe emails you a receipt for every charge. Only teachers can subscribe — **student accounts are free, always, and have nothing to pay for.**

## Managing your subscription

Open **Account Settings → Billing** and select **Manage billing**. That takes you to your secure billing portal, where you can:

* **Update your payment method** — swap cards any time; the change applies from your next renewal.
* **View invoices and receipts** — every past charge, downloadable.
* **Switch plans** — move between Plus and Premium. Switches take effect immediately, and Stripe automatically adjusts the charge for the remainder of your billing period, so you never pay twice for the same days.
* **Cancel** — see below.

## Cancelling

Cancel any time from the billing portal — it takes two clicks, and there's no need to contact support (though you're always welcome to). When you cancel:

* Your plan stays fully active **until the end of the billing period you've already paid for**.
* After that, your account returns to the Free tier. **Nothing you've built is ever deleted.**

## What happens when you return to the Free tier

The rule across the board is **keep what you have, pause what's new**. Nothing you built is removed, hidden, or made read-only — but creating *more* waits until you're back under the limit or back on a paid plan.

| What you have                                     | What happens                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Classrooms and activities over the Free limit** | All stay exactly where they are — visible, usable, and shareable with your students. You just can't create *new* ones while you're over the limit. Deleting down below the limit, or resubscribing, unlocks creation again.          |
| **Activities issued Per-Student or by Group**     | Keep working. Students keep their own copies and carry on editing. You can't newly issue *another* activity or make new assignments until you're back on Plus or Premium. See [Per-Student & Groups](/teachers/activities/issuance). |
| **Google Drive files you've attached**            | The activity keeps its links. Attaching *new* Drive files needs Plus or Premium again.                                                                                                                                               |
| **Study guides drafted with AI**                  | Yours to keep and edit. Drafting a *new* one with AI needs Premium again.                                                                                                                                                            |

<Note>
  Nothing here happens retroactively — a downgrade never reaches back and disables work you've already done.
</Note>

## Refunds

Subscription payments are **non-refundable** — cancelling stops future charges rather than refunding past ones, and you keep full access through the period you've paid for. If something exceptional happens, [contact support](https://app.chimeedu.com/contact) and we'll take a look — we review these case by case. The full policy is in our [Terms of Service](https://app.chimeedu.com/terms).

## If a payment fails

Cards expire and banks decline things — it happens. When a renewal payment fails:

1. **Your access continues uninterrupted** while Stripe automatically retries the charge over the following days.
2. Stripe emails you so you can update your payment method in the billing portal — usually that's all it takes.
3. If every retry fails, the subscription is cancelled and your account returns to the Free tier (again — nothing is deleted).

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is there a free trial?">
    The Free tier *is* the trial — it's genuinely useful and never expires. Use ChimeEdu for as long as you like before deciding whether Plus or Premium fits.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are there annual plans?">
    Not yet — both paid plans are monthly. If annual billing would help you (some schools prefer a single yearly purchase), [let us know](https://app.chimeedu.com/contact); it's on our radar.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will I be charged tax?">
    Depending on where you are, sales tax may be added at checkout — you'll see the exact amount, itemized, before you confirm payment. Listed prices don't include tax.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I was given Plus or Premium access during the Alpha — does anything change?">
    No. Complimentary access granted by the ChimeEdu team stays exactly as it is — it isn't a subscription, doesn't involve a card, and doesn't expire. If you have complimentary Plus and want Premium, you can subscribe to upgrade.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can my school pay for multiple teachers?">
    Institutional billing isn't self-serve yet — each subscription belongs to one teacher account. If your school or department wants to cover several teachers, [contact us](https://app.chimeedu.com/contact) and we'll work something out.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to my subscription if I delete my account?">
    Deleting your ChimeEdu account cancels your subscription automatically — you won't keep being charged for an account that no longer exists.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Questions we haven't answered?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Plans & Pricing" icon="tags" href="/teachers/plans-and-pricing">
    Compare Free, Plus, and Premium side by side.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact Support" icon="envelope" href="https://app.chimeedu.com/contact">
    Billing question not covered here? We're happy to help.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>