Which payment methods can I use?
- On the web (app.studystream.live → Plans and pricing): credit/debit card or PayPal, charged in USD — or in your local currency where we offer local pricing (if your plans page shows a local currency, that's what you'll be charged in, and a "Switch to USD" button lets you pay in dollars instead).
- On the mobile app: payment goes through the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) — so you can use any payment method your store account supports (including UPI, carrier billing, store gift cards, etc.), charged in your local currency.
Your subscription is tied to your StudyStream account, not the device: a plan bought in the mobile app works on the web too, as long as you log in with the same account.
My card was declined on the web
- Double-check the card number, expiry date, and billing details, and make sure the card supports international/online payments in the checkout currency (usually USD). (Cards that don't support international recurring payments — common with some Indian banks, or German Girocard — will fail with "We are unable to authenticate your payment method"; use PayPal or the app instead.)
- Try PayPal instead.
- Or subscribe through the mobile app — the App Store / Google Play payment often succeeds where a direct card payment doesn't, and it unlocks the same plan on the web.
My payment failed on Google Play / the app
- Check your payment method in the Play Store / App Store settings (expired card, insufficient balance, UPI limits).
- Try again after a few minutes — store payment systems sometimes have temporary hiccups.
- If the store keeps declining, you can subscribe on the web instead: app.studystream.live/plans-and-pricing.
I want to pay in my local currency (e.g. INR)
In some countries the web plans page already shows prices in your local currency, and the web checkout then offers local payment methods too (in India, for example, UPI). If your plans page shows USD, subscribe through the mobile app instead — App Store and Google Play bill in your local currency and support local payment methods such as UPI. Once you've subscribed, your plan keeps the currency it started in.
Why is my charge higher than the listed price?
Prices could be higher in your country if we are registered to pay VAT or sales tax there — the tax is added at checkout on top of the listed plan price. This isn't a price increase and unfortunately isn't something we can waive.
What's this "Knowledge Collective Ltd" charge?
Web payments for StudyStream may appear on card statements under our billing entity, Knowledge Collective Ltd (sometimes shown as "KNOWLEDGE COLLECTIVE LONDON" or just "Knowledge Collective"); app-store payments show as Apple or Google Play. If you see it next to an amount matching a StudyStream plan, that's us. If you don't recognize the charge at all, start a chat with us at app.studystream.live or in the StudyStream app and send the statement line — we'll check.
Why is my price different from a friend's?
Plan prices can differ between users: early users may have legacy (grandfathered) rates, prices vary by currency/store, and offers change over time. The prices shown on your own Plans and pricing page are the ones that apply to your account.
Anything else
- Paying as a business? Tick "I'm purchasing as a business" on the checkout page and enter your company name and VAT / tax ID; they appear on your invoices (EU businesses with a valid VAT ID get the reverse charge). For an existing subscription, update your billing details under Manage subscription → Manage → Manage payment methods.
- If a payment is stuck "processing" or you were charged but nothing happened, see: Paid but not seeing your plan benefits?