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

# Trials

A **trial period** allows customers to use the merchant's product or service free of charge for a predefined duration before the first recurring payment is collected.

Transact Bridge supports both:

* Trial without adding a payment mandate.
* Trial with a payment mandate attached for automatic billing after the trial ends.

***

## Benefits

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Increase Conversions" icon="rocket">
    Allow customers to experience your product before making a payment decision.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reduce Friction" icon="user-plus">
    Offer a seamless onboarding experience with optional payment collection.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Automatic Billing" icon="repeat">
    Automatically transition customers from trial to a paid subscription.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Flexible Configuration" icon="settings">
    Configure trial duration according to your business requirements.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Supported Trial Types

| Trial Type                 | Payment Mandate Required | Billing Starts                                                |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Free Trial                 | No                       | After customer adds a payment mandate during the trial period |
| Trial with Payment Mandate | Yes                      | Automatically when the trial expires                          |

***

## Trial Lifecycle

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart TB

A[Customer Starts Subscription]
--> B{Payment Mandate Required?}

B -->|Yes| C[Collect Payment Mandate]
B -->|No| D[Start Trial Immediately]

C --> E[Trial Period]
D --> E

E --> F{Trial Ends}

F --> G[Generate First Invoice]
G --> H[Collect Payment]
H --> I[Subscription Active]
```

***

## Example Timeline

```text theme={null}
Day 1
Customer subscribes
│
├── 14 Day Trial Starts
│
Day 14
Trial Ends
│
├── First Invoice Generated
│
├── Payment Collected
│
Day 15
Recurring Billing Begins
```

***

## Business Use Cases

### SaaS Platforms

Offer a **14-day** or **30-day** trial before charging the customer.

Examples include:

* CRM software
* Project Management
* Accounting Software

### Streaming Platforms

Allow customers to watch premium content for 1 week during the trial period before the first payment.

### Membership Platforms

Provide access to premium features for a limited time before recurring billing begins.

***

## Best Practices

<Info>
  Clearly communicate:

  * Trial duration
  * Billing frequency
  * First billing date
  * Cancellation policy
</Info>

## Trial Subscription Notification

For both **Fixed Frequency** billing and **On-Demand** billing, TransactBridge sends the mandatory pre-debit notification before charging the customer depending on the payment mandate according to local jurisdictions laws.

### Fixed Frequency Billing

For Fixed Frequency Billing, the recurring billing date is determined when the subscription is created. Since the billing schedule is known in advance, TransactBridge can automatically schedule the pre-debit notification within the required regulatory timeline.

**Example**

* Trial ends on **5th August**.
* The first recurring payment is scheduled for **5th August**.
* The pre-debit notification is automatically sent on **3rd August** (or as required by the payment method).
* On **5th August**, the payment is automatically processed, provided the mandate remains valid.

This ensures a seamless transition from the trial period to the paid subscription without requiring any additional action from the merchant.

***

### On-Demand Billing

For On-Demand Billing, the billing date is not predetermined. After the trial period ends, the merchant must explicitly initiate the billing request to collect the payment.

Once the merchant submits the billing request:

1. TransactBridge immediately sends the mandatory pre-debit notification to the customer.
2. A mandatory waiting period is observed before the payment can be processed. The duration depends on the payment method (typically **24–48 hours**).
3. After the notification period has elapsed, TransactBridge debits from the customer's active payment mandate.
4. Webhook notifications are sent to the merchant with the final transaction status.

> **Note:** Unlike Fixed Frequency Billing, there is always a delay between the merchant initiating the billing request and the actual payment collection. This delay is required to comply with the mandatory pre-debit notification regulations for recurring payments.

### Example

Suppose a customer's trial ends on **5th August**.

* **Fixed Frequency Billing:** The payment is already scheduled for **5th August**, so the pre-debit notification is sent in advance, allowing the payment to be collected on the scheduled date.
* **On-Demand Billing:** The merchant initiates the billing request only after the trial ends. TransactBridge then sends the pre-debit notification, waits for the required notification period, and processes the payment afterward. As a result, the payment is collected **1–2 days after the merchant raises the billing request**, depending on the payment method.

<Warning>
  If a payment mandate is collected during signup, TB ensures customers are notified before the first recurring charge in accordance with applicable payment network and regulatory requirements.
  for on demand merchant will notify us when the collection needs to be done and accordingly TB will notify
</Warning>

***