Understanding Bubble’s 14-Day Free Trial for the Starter Plan

The 14-day free trial for Bubble's Starter plan offers new users an opportunity to explore the platform's features. This guide explains how you can activate the trial, its eligibility conditions, and key limitations, including alternatives if the trial period ends.

General Information about the 14-Day Free Trial

The free trial is exclusively available for new apps created in Bubble.
Once activated, users have 14 days to test the features of the Starter plan.
If not canceled before the end of the trial, the subscription automatically transitions to a paid Starter plan.- Free trials are specific to individual apps, not account-wide. If an app is duplicated, a new trial may be triggered for the copy.
Free trials may not be available in certain regions such as India due to regulatory restrictions. Users in these areas can directly purchase a paid plan.

Steps to Start the Free Trial

Navigate to your app editor and go to Settings.
Under the My plan tab, click Change Plan.
Select the option to Start 2-week free trial!

Note: You must initiate this process within 10 days of creating a new app for the trial to be available.

During the activation process, Bubble will perform a $1 pre-authorization check on your credit card for validation purposes. This is a temporary hold, not a payment, and it will expire within 5-10 business days, depending on your bank.

Conditions and Limitations for Trial Eligibility

The trial can only be used once per app.
The free trial cannot be reset, reactivated, or extended on an app once it has ended or been canceled.- Bubble subscriptions are app-specific, meaning plans purchased for one app do not apply to others. Each app requires its own subscription or trial period.

Explanation of the $1 Pre-Authorization Hold

When activating the free trial, Bubble requires you to provide a valid credit card.
A $1 pre-authorization hold may appear on your card statement. This is only a temporary authorization:
- It validates your payment method for the trial.
- The held amount is not an actual charge and will be credited back to your account within 7 days.
If the authorization fails, it could be due to insufficient funds, bank rejections, or technical issues.

Remember that the free trial will automatically convert to a paid plan unless canceled before the 14-day period ends.To prevent automatic rollover, users need to manually downgrade or cancel the trial before it transitions to a paid plan by navigating to the account billing settings.

If your payment activation fails, there are steps you can take to resolve the issue:

Ensure Funds Availability: Confirm that your account has sufficient funds for the $1 pre-authorization.
Address Bank Issues: Contact your bank to understand why the authorization might have been declined. Notify them the transaction is a validation check, not a charge.
Use an Alternative Card: If problems persist, try using a different card.
Retry Activation: After resolving these issues, attempt to activate your trial again.

FAQs

Why Might My Payment for the Free Trial Be Declined?

Several factors might lead to payment failure when attempting to start your trial:

Insufficient Funds: Your account does not have enough balance to cover the $1 authorization.
Bank-Specific Restrictions: Some banks may block small pre-authorization amounts, especially if the card details are outdated or flagged.
Technical Issues: Occasionally, there may be payment processing errors or connectivity issues.

How Can I Resolve These Issues?

To resolve payment problems, you can:

Check your card balance and ensure sufficient funds are available.
Contact your bank or card issuer to inquire about the denied transaction.
Use an alternative card and retry the activation process.

Can I use the trial without submitting my credit card information?

No, Bubble requires a valid credit card to perform the $1 pre-authorization check. This ensures the provided payment method is valid before activating the trial.