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Billing & Subscriptions

Plans, payments and subscriptions — how to cancel or change your plan, refunds, payment methods, and what to do when a payment doesn't activate your benefits.
Marko Gledic
By Marko Gledic
• 5 articles

Cancelling or changing your subscription

All StudyStream plans renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle (monthly or annual) — there's no one-time, non-renewing option. You can cancel anytime; here's how, depending on where you subscribed. Important: cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date to make sure the change is processed before you're billed for the next cycle. We can't refund renewals that happen because a cancellation was forgotten or made too late — see: Refunds. If you subscribed on the web (card or PayPal) 1. Click your profile picture (top-right) → "Manage subscription" — this opens the Plans and pricing page. 2. On your current plan, click "Manage". 3. Choose "Cancel my subscription" and confirm. Cancelling stops the renewal — your plan stays fully active until the end of the period you've already paid for. Make the change at least 24 hours before your renewal date to avoid being billed for the next cycle. From the same place you can also update your payment method, view billing history, or switch plans (e.g. Premium Monthly ↔ Premium Annual, or downgrade to Basic). If you change your mind before the period ends, you can reactivate your subscription there too. If you subscribed on iOS (App Store) App Store subscriptions are managed by Apple, so they must be cancelled there: 1. In the StudyStream app, tap your profile picture (top-left) → "Settings" → "Manage subscription" → "Cancel Subscription" — this takes you to your Apple subscriptions page. 2. Or go directly: iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions → StudyStream → Cancel Subscription. If you subscribed on Android (Google Play) Google Play subscriptions are managed by Google: 1. In the StudyStream app, tap your profile picture (top-left) → "Settings" → "Manage subscription" → "Cancel Subscription" — this takes you to your Google Play subscriptions page. 2. Or go directly: Play Store app → profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → StudyStream → Cancel subscription. Not sure where you subscribed? Open Manage subscription in the app or on the web — if your plan is managed elsewhere, it will tell you which platform to use. If your subscription doesn't appear in Google Play / the App Store, check the store account that actually paid (a family member's or a second Google/Apple account). Invoices, receipts and payment methods - On the web: click your profile picture (top-right) → "Manage subscription" → on your plan, click "Manage" — the billing portal that opens holds your invoices (at the bottom) and lets you update your card or remove old ones. - App Store / Google Play purchases: receipts come from Apple or Google — check your store purchase history or receipt emails. One more case: if your account is locked or suspended and you can't reach the cancel button, start a chat with us and we'll stop the billing (Google Play subscribers can always cancel in the Play Store themselves). What happens after you cancel - Your plan stays fully active until the end of the period you've already paid for — you don't lose anything immediately. - After that date, the subscription simply doesn't renew and you won't be charged again. - You can resubscribe anytime. Note that if you're on an older, discounted (legacy) rate, any plan change or cancellation forfeits that rate permanently — even switching up and back. Upgrading or downgrading instead - Upgrades (e.g. Basic → Premium) take effect right away: the remaining value of your current plan is credited and you're charged only the difference — the new plan then runs for the remainder of your current billing period (not a fresh month) and renews at the new plan's price. If the web upgrade fails with "Free trial is currently not available for this tier", start a chat with us. - Downgrades and plan switches can be done from the same Manage subscription screen on the platform where you subscribed. Annual plans are available on the web only — if you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play and want annual, cancel the store subscription, let it expire, then subscribe on the web. Switching annual → monthly mid-cycle isn't self-serve — contact us. Can I pause my subscription instead of cancelling? Pausing a subscription isn't currently available. If you need a break, cancelling works much the same way: your plan stays fully active until the end of the period you've already paid for, you won't be charged again after that, and you can resubscribe anytime. (One thing to weigh: if you're on an older discounted legacy rate, cancelling forfeits that rate permanently.) Cancelling before deleting your account If you want to close your account entirely: you must cancel your subscription first — account deletion and deactivation are blocked while a subscription is active. And note that deleting your account does not cancel your subscription billing by itself. See: Deleting or deactivating your account.

Last updated on Aug 13, 2026

Refunds

Whether we can refund a charge depends on where you paid and what happened. Here's how it works. Where did you pay? - Web (card or PayPal) — refund requests are handled by StudyStream. Read on below. - Apple App Store — Apple handles all refunds for App Store purchases; StudyStream cannot issue them (we can't even see Apple's transaction details). Request one at reportaproblem.apple.com (sign in with the Apple ID used for the purchase). If Apple support points you back to us, the refund decision still rests with Apple — persist there. - Google Play — request a refund from your Google Play order history at play.google.com (or via Google Play support). If Google can't help — for example the purchase isn't matched to any StudyStream account — start a chat with us and include the order number starting with "GPA." from your Play order email, and we'll sort it out. Not sure? Check your receipt: App Store receipts come from Apple, Play receipts from Google Play, and web payments appear on your statement (they may show as "Knowledge Collective Ltd", our billing entity). When will my refund arrive? - Web payments (refunded by StudyStream): once we process the refund, it typically takes 5–10 business days to appear back on your statement, depending on your bank or payment provider. If it's been longer than that, start a chat with us and we'll check on it. - App Store / Google Play refunds: timing is up to Apple / Google — check the status of your request at reportaproblem.apple.com or with Google Play support. Forgotten cancellations All plans renew automatically, and this is stated when you subscribe. We don't issue refunds for renewals that happened because a cancellation was forgotten or made too late. To avoid this, cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date — see: Cancelling or changing your subscription. If you cancel after a renewal, you keep full access until the end of the period you paid for. Accidental or wrong purchases Bought the wrong plan (e.g. Basic instead of Premium, or Annual by mistake)? Start a chat with us as soon as possible (at app.studystream.live, or from the StudyStream app) — same-day mistakes are much easier to fix. Often the best solution is switching you to the right plan and charging only the difference, rather than a refund. Charged after cancelling, or charged twice If you believe you were charged in error, send us: 1. The email address on your StudyStream account 2. The invoice or receipt for the charge (or a screenshot of the bank/card statement line) 3. If you cancelled: the date you cancelled, or a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation We'll check it against the payment records and make it right if there was an error — verified duplicate charges are refunded. Keep in mind the charge may belong to a different account/email than the one you're writing from — that's the most common explanation for "I was charged but have no subscription". Charged after deleting your account Deleting your StudyStream account does not cancel a subscription bought through the App Store or Google Play — store subscriptions live with Apple/Google and keep renewing until cancelled there. (On the web, you're asked to cancel before you can delete.) If this happened to you, cancel in the store first, then start a chat with us at app.studystream.live or in the StudyStream app with your receipt and we'll review the charge. Banned or restricted accounts Refund questions for accounts that were banned or deactivated by StudyStream are reviewed together with the moderation case — email webapp.reporting@studystream.live.

Last updated on Aug 11, 2026

Payment issues: declined cards, payment methods and currencies

Which payment methods can I use? - On the web (app.studystream.live → Plans and pricing): credit/debit card or PayPal, charged in USD. - 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 1. Double-check the card number, expiry date, and billing details, and make sure the card supports international/online payments in 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.) 2. Try PayPal instead. 3. 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 1. Check your payment method in the Play Store / App Store settings (expired card, insufficient balance, UPI limits). 2. Try again after a few minutes — store payment systems sometimes have temporary hiccups. 3. 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) Subscribe through the mobile app — App Store and Google Play bill in your local currency and support local payment methods such as UPI. Web payments are in USD. 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 - We're not able to serve users in countries under international sanctions (e.g. Iran, Russia) — payments from these regions can't be processed. - Receipts can't currently include company details or a VAT number. - If a payment is stuck "processing" or you were charged but nothing happened, see: Paid but not seeing your plan benefits?

Last updated on Aug 07, 2026

Paid but not seeing your plan benefits?

Your payment succeeded, but the app still treats you as a free user? This is almost always fixable in a few minutes. Work through these steps in order. 1. Give it a moment, then refresh Activation is usually instant but can occasionally take a few minutes to sync. - If you're on the web app: refresh the page, or log out and back in. - If you're on the mobile app: fully close and reopen the app. Purchases are re-checked automatically when the app starts. 2. Check you're logged into the account you paid on This is the most common cause. Your subscription is attached to one StudyStream account (one email address) — it doesn't transfer between accounts. - If you have more than one login (e.g. a Google login and an email/password login with different addresses, or an iCloud "Hide My Email" address), try your other login. - Check which email the payment receipt was sent to — that's usually the account the plan is on. 3. Check for a plan on another platform If you already had an active plan from one platform (say, Basic via the App Store) and bought another on a different platform (say, Premium on the web), the two can conflict and the new purchase may not activate. Don't buy the same plan twice — start a chat with us at app.studystream.live or in the StudyStream app with both receipts and we'll untangle it. 4. Paid through Google Play? Three Google-specific checks - The plan attaches to the Google account on your phone that made the purchase — not the email you typed anywhere. Make sure you find the purchase in that Google account's Play order history. - UPI/AutoPay note: a "mandate created" or "AutoPay set up" notification from your payment app is not a completed payment — check your bank statement for the actual debit, and Google Play's order status. If the bank shows a debit but the Play order says Cancelled, Google has the money and the refund comes from Google; simply retrying the purchase usually works. - Play activations (especially via UPI) can take a few hours — if the order shows as paid, give it a little time. If Play shows "Confirm plan before a date", open the Play Store and confirm it. 5. Mobile purchase still not showing? - Make sure the store transaction actually completed (check your App Store / Google Play purchase history — pending or declined payments don't activate anything). - Reopen the app while logged into the account you want the plan on — this re-syncs your purchase. Two more special cases - A friend added you to a Buddy plan? Your Premium starts only after you open the confirmation email and confirm while logged in to your own account — check the inbox (and spam) of your account email. - A red "pending invoice" banner on the web? ("You have a pending invoice for your subscription update…") A failed plan-change invoice blocks everything until it's resolved — click the banner, cancel the pending invoice in the billing portal, then start a chat with us and we'll restore any days you're owed. Still not active? Send us the details Start a chat with us — at app.studystream.live, or from the StudyStream app — and include: 1. The email address of the StudyStream account that should have the plan — especially if it's not the account you're chatting from (this is the most common cause) 2. The invoice/receipt (web) or the App Store receipt / Google Play order number starting with "GPA." (from the Play order email or order history — payment-app screenshots alone aren't enough to locate the purchase) 3. Where you bought it (web, App Store, or Google Play) and the date 4. A screenshot of what you see (e.g. still showing "Upgrade", or a "Fix payment" prompt) With the receipt we can locate the payment and activate your plan or fix the mismatch.

Last updated on Aug 10, 2026

Plans and daily focus room time limits

StudyStream has a Free tier and paid plans — Basic and Premium (monthly or annual). You can see the plans, prices and a full feature comparison for your own account at any time: - On the web: click your profile picture (top-right) → "Manage subscription", or go to app.studystream.live/plans-and-pricing. - On the mobile app: tap your profile picture (top-left) → "Settings" → "Manage subscription", or tap "Upgrade" anywhere it appears. There's also a "Subscription FAQs" entry in Settings. Daily focus room time The biggest difference between plans is how long you can spend in focus rooms each day: - Free — up to 1 hour of focus room time per day. - Basic — up to 4 hours per day. - Premium — unlimited focus room time. Browsing without an account? Guests can only preview rooms for a few minutes before signing up. When you hit your daily limit you'll see a message like "You exceeded the max daily time in the room. Come back tomorrow or purchase a premium plan." Your time resets every 24 hours. Exact limits shown in the app for your account are the ones that apply to you — limits have changed over time and older accounts sometimes keep better terms. What paid plans include Basic (on top of Free): - No ads - More daily focus room time (4h vs 1h) - Pin up to 20 people (Free: 4) - Full access to channels - Start new chats (Free accounts can't start new conversations) - 60 encouragements per day (Free: 20) and higher limits for feed posts Premium (everything in Basic, plus): - Unlimited time in focus rooms - Pin up to 40 people - See who's pinning you (live) and why — the breakdown shows who left most reasons over the last 30 days (see: Pins and pin reasons explained) - Premium checkmark, super boost for your video tile, choose your streaming quality - Extra streak freezes (see: Streaks: how they work) - 300 encouragements per day, no limits on DMs & feed, auto-sort favorites & pin-for-pin Why can't I message anyone? Starting new chats is a paid-plan feature: Free accounts can't start new conversations — that's the most common reason the app won't let you message someone. Upgrading to Basic or Premium unlocks it (web: profile picture (top-right) → "Manage subscription"; mobile: "Upgrade" anywhere it appears). If you're on a paid plan and still can't message a specific person: for safety, Professionals and Pre-University students can't message each other, and every user can restrict who is allowed to message them in their Privacy settings. Buddy — Premium for you and a friend on one subscription. How it works: 1. The plan owner adds their buddy from Manage subscription (by the friend's StudyStream account). 2. The friend receives an invitation email — the invite shows as "Awaiting confirmation" until then. 3. The friend opens the confirmation link while logged in to their own StudyStream account and confirms — their Premium starts at that moment. If the invite is stuck: the friend can't confirm while they're on another plan (they need to leave/cancel it first), and if they've lost access to their email, the owner can remove and re-add them to send a fresh invite. (Note: if you leave a plan someone added you to, you lose its paid features.) The in-app "Compare" view lists the full, current feature table for each plan. Don't want a subscription? Buy focus room hours If you just need more time occasionally, you can buy a one-time pack of focus room hours instead of subscribing: - On the web: click your profile picture (top-right) → "Purchase hours" (hour packs can only be bought on the web). - Purchased hours never expire and are only used after your free daily time runs out. - Note: hour packs add time only — they don't include the other Basic/Premium benefits (no-ads, extra pins, etc.). Annual vs monthly Annual billing offers a discount over monthly (the exact percentage is shown on the plans page). You can switch between monthly and annual from Manage subscription — see: Cancelling or changing your subscription. Gifting and extra accounts - Gift subscriptions aren't offered (for studying together, the Buddy plan is the closest thing). - One account per person: extra accounts created to get around daily time limits get suspended. Do you offer discounts, student pricing, or free Premium? We don't currently offer student discounts, regional discounts, free trials, or free access to paid plans — and this is fixed policy, so support can't grant individual exceptions. What we do offer to keep StudyStream affordable: - The Free plan — always available, with daily focus room time included. - Hour packs (web only): one-time bundles of focus room hours — click your profile picture (top-right) → "Purchase hours". They never expire and are used only after your daily free time runs out, so they're often the cheapest option if you just need extra time now and then. - Annual billing: paying yearly is discounted compared to monthly — the exact discount for your account is shown on your own plans page. - The Buddy plan: Premium for you and a friend on one subscription — two people effectively share the cost. - On the mobile app, subscriptions are billed by the App Store / Google Play in your local currency, which in many countries works out differently than the web's USD pricing. Your own prices and the full comparison are always on the Plans and pricing page (see the top of this article for how to get there on each platform). A note on prices Prices depend on your currency and platform (web prices are in USD; App Store / Google Play bill in your local currency), and long-time subscribers may have grandfathered rates. The prices shown on your plans page are the ones that apply to your account.

Last updated on Aug 20, 2026