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

# Subscriptions

> Charge a monthly subscription for your app, with an optional free trial.

## Overview

You can put your app behind a monthly subscription. Users pay in USDC through
Elata's checkout, and revenue is paid to the app owner's wallet after the
platform fee.

Unlike in-app purchases, subscriptions need **no code in your app**. Elata
gates the whole app: users without access see a subscribe screen instead of
your app.

***

## Set up a plan

From your app's **Edit** page, open the subscription settings and set:

| Setting | Rules |
| - | - |
| **Monthly price** | Amount in USDC |
| **Free trial** | 0 to 365 days. 0 means no trial. |
| **Active** | Turn the plan on or off. Turning it off makes the app free. |

Each app has one plan. Changing the price only affects future months; past
payments keep the price they were made at.

***

## Who gets access

| Person | Access |
| - | - |
| The app owner and team members | Always. You're never gated out of your own app. |
| Users with a paid month or an active trial | Yes |
| [Elata members](/users/membership-and-purchases) | Yes. Membership unlocks every gated app. |
| Everyone else | Sees the subscribe screen |

Apps without an active plan are free to play.

***

## How users subscribe

1. The user opens your app and sees the subscribe screen with your price and trial.
2. They start a trial or pay for the month through Elata's checkout.
3. They manage their subscriptions at `app.elata.bio/profile/subscriptions`.

Users can pay for several apps in a single checkout.

***

## Subscriptions or in-app items?

| Model | Use it for |
| - | - |
| Subscription | Ongoing access to the whole app |
| [In-app items](/apps/platform/in-app-purchases) | One-time unlocks inside an otherwise free app |

You can use both.


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