Upgrading & Downgrading
You can move between Starter, Pro, and Business any time. There are two ways to upgrade — from the Billing page, or right from the moment you bump into a locked feature.
Upgrading in-app, without leaving what you were doing
When you open a feature above your tier, HandyBook shows the upgrade modal over a dimmed preview of that page. The modal lists what you'll unlock and has one button — Upgrade to Pro / Upgrade to Business.
What happens when you click it depends on your account:
- You already have a subscription with a card on file → HandyBook upgrades you instantly in-place via Stripe proration — no leaving the app. You'll see "You're on Pro/Business," the modal closes, and the page refreshes so the feature is live.
- You don't have a usable subscription yet → you're sent to Stripe Checkout. After you pay, you land back in the app and the action you were originally taking resumes automatically (the resume intent is remembered across the redirect).
If you close the modal instead (Not now or the X), you stay on the locked page.
Changing plan from the Billing page
If you're not subscribed yet, start any plan or trial at Dashboard → Billing. Pick your seat count, then Start 14-day free trial (or check out if your trial's over).
If you already have a subscription, use Change plan on the Billing page. Pick Starter, Pro or Business; each option shows its price for your current seats and billing cycle, and the dialog tells you exactly what will be charged before you confirm.
- Upgrading starts the new plan right away. Your card is charged now for the difference over the rest of the current billing period. If the charge fails, your plan stays as it was.
- Downgrading also takes effect right away. The unused part of the current period is credited to your next invoice; nothing is refunded to your card.
Your seats and your renewal date stay the same either way.
What unlocks when you upgrade
- Starter → Pro: the POS section, Materials Calculator, QuickBooks + Google Calendar sync, mileage tracking.
- Pro → Business: CRM (drips, pipeline, reviews, referrals, lead sources), AI tools, Branding + Public Website (custom domain, marketing site), multi-location, dispatch board, custom forms, cash flow forecast, Owner Dashboard, and more.
Gated sidebar links lose their Pro/Business badge once you have the tier, and their pages become fully interactive.
Changing seats
Seats are separate from your tier. At Billing, use Change seats to set a new count. Stripe pro-rates the change to the day: upgrades bill immediately, downgrades apply a credit to your next invoice. You can't drop below the number of seats currently in use.
What happens to your data when you downgrade
Nothing is deleted. Features above your new tier lock again (shown dimmed behind the upgrade modal, exactly as before you upgraded) and come back as they were if you upgrade later.
Canceling or changing your card
Use Manage card or cancel on the Billing page — it opens your Stripe billing portal.
FAQ
Will I be double-charged if I upgrade mid-cycle? No — Stripe proration credits the unused portion of your current plan against the new one.
The feature didn't unlock after I paid — what now? Subscription state lands via a Stripe webhook moments after payment. The Billing page polls for a few seconds and the upgrade modal refreshes the page on success. If it's still locked after a reload, give it a minute, then refresh again.
I already get a tier from my organization's seat — why am I being asked to upgrade? If the in-app upgrade returns "you already have the tier," HandyBook treats it as unlocked rather than charging you again. Refresh and the page should open.
Can I cancel during the trial? Yes — cancel from Manage card or cancel before the trial ends and you won't be charged.