---
title: Combined subscription and usage
description: >-
  Create hybrid pricing plans that combine recurring fees with usage-based
  charges.
source_url:
  html: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/combined-subscription-and-usage
  md: >-
    https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/combined-subscription-and-usage.md
---

# Combined subscription and usage

You can combine [recurring charges](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/setup-subscription-charges) with [usage-based pricing](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/setup-usage-charges) to create hybrid pricing plans that offer both predictable base pricing and flexible usage-based charges.

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## Combining pricing models

You can combine recurring charges with usage-based pricing in several ways:

### Base fee + usage

Charge a monthly subscription fee plus usage-based charges. For example, $29/month base fee plus $0.01 per SMS sent. This model provides predictable baseline revenue while allowing costs to scale with merchant usage.

### Usage only

Set the recurring fee to $0 and charge only for usage. This model is ideal for apps where merchants want to pay only for what they use, with no commitment.

### Tiered plans with usage

Offer different base tiers with varying usage rates or included usage allowances. For example:

* **Basic**: $19/month + $0.02 per message
* **Pro**: $49/month + $0.01 per message
* **Enterprise**: $99/month + $0.005 per message

This encourages merchants to upgrade to higher tiers for better usage rates.

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## Billing cycle considerations

When combining pricing models, monthly recurring and usage charges are billed monthly.

**Important:**

Usage-based pricing requires a monthly billing cycle. You can't combine usage-based pricing with yearly plans.

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## Best practices

1. **Communicate clearly**: Make sure merchants understand both the base fee and potential usage charges before subscribing
2. **Provide usage visibility**: Give merchants a way to monitor their usage within your app
3. **Set reasonable rates**: Price usage charges to align with the value merchants receive
4. **Consider included allowances**: Including some usage in the base fee can simplify pricing and reduce billing anxiety

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## Next steps

* Learn about [time-based subscriptions](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/setup-subscription-charges)
* Learn about [usage-based subscriptions](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/setup-usage-charges)
* Offer [free trials](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/billing/shopify-app-pricing/subscription-billing/offer-free-trials) to increase conversions

***