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How to Cancel or Manage a Member's Subscription in LaunchPass

How to Cancel or Manage a Member's Subscription in LaunchPass

Patrick B avatar
Written by Patrick B
Updated today

TL;DR: Go to Stripe, search for the member by email, click their subscription, choose "Cancel subscription," and pick immediate or end-of-period cancellation. No more charges happen after cancellation.


What You Need to Know First

Where Subscriptions Live

Your members' subscriptions are managed in Stripe, not directly in LaunchPass. LaunchPass creates subscriptions in your Stripe account. When you need to cancel or change a subscription, you manage it through Stripe.

This setup protects member data and keeps payment information secure.

What Happens When You Cancel

Immediate cancellation:

  • Member loses access right away

  • No further charges occur

  • Member cannot access your community

  • Refunds are not automatic (you can issue them separately)

End-of-period cancellation:

  • Member keeps access until billing date

  • Last charge goes through on billing date

  • Access ends after last payment

  • No charges after that date

Other subscriptions stay active:

  • If a member has multiple memberships (monthly AND annual), canceling one doesn't cancel others

  • You must cancel each subscription separately


Step-by-Step: Cancel a Member's Subscription

Step 1: Log Into Your Stripe Account

  1. Sign in with your Stripe email and password

  2. You're now in your Stripe dashboard

This is where all LaunchPass subscriptions live. LaunchPass syncs with this account automatically.

Step 2: Find the Member's Subscription

Option A: Search by email (fastest)

  1. Click the search box at the top of Stripe

  2. Type the member's email address (must be exact)

  3. Press Enter

  4. Click on the member's name in results

  5. You'll see all their subscriptions

Option B: Use the Subscriptions tab

  1. Go to Subscriptions in the left menu

  2. You'll see a list of all active subscriptions

  3. Use the search or filter to find your member

  4. Look for their email address or name

Option C: Use Customers tab (if member has no active subscriptions)

  1. Go to Customers in the left menu

  2. Search for the member by email

  3. Click on their name

  4. Scroll to see past and current subscriptions

Pro tip: Always search by email address. Names can be similar; email is unique and accurate.

Step 3: Click on the Subscription

Once you find the member:

  1. Look for the subscription entry (shows plan name, status, next charge date)

  2. Click on the subscription to open details

  3. You'll see:

    • Plan name

    • Current status (active, past due, canceled)

    • Next billing date

    • Amount charged

    • Payment history

Step 4: Choose Your Cancellation Method

To cancel immediately:

  1. Click the "Cancel subscription" button

  2. Choose "Cancel immediately"

  3. Confirm the cancellation

  4. ✅ Done—member loses access now

To cancel at end of billing period:

  1. Click the "Cancel subscription" button

  2. Choose "At end of billing period"

  3. Confirm

  4. ✅ Done—member keeps access until next billing date

What to expect after:

  • Stripe removes the subscription

  • LaunchPass detects the change

  • Member access disappears (immediately or at period end)

  • No future charges appear

Step 5: Verify Cancellation

Confirm the change worked:

  1. Refresh Stripe (or go back to the customer)

  2. Look for the subscription in the canceled section

  3. Check LaunchPass - member access should be gone

  4. Verify no new charges appear in your dashboard

If the subscription still shows as active after 10 minutes, refresh your browser.


Managing "Past Due" Subscriptions

What "Past Due" Means

A subscription shows "Past due" when:

  • A payment failed (card declined, insufficient funds)

  • Stripe tried to charge but couldn't

  • The member owes money

  • The subscription still exists but payment is stuck

Members with "Past due" subscriptions usually cannot access your community. They see a message saying they need to update their payment method.

How to Cancel a "Past Due" Subscription

The cancellation process is the same:

  1. Log into Stripe

  2. Search for the member by email

  3. Look for the subscription with status "Past due"

  4. Click on it

  5. Click "Cancel subscription"

  6. Choose immediate or end-of-period (usually immediate for past due)

  7. Confirm

The subscription is now canceled. The member is removed from the "past due" section.

Other Options for "Past Due" Subscriptions

Retry the payment:

  1. Click "Retry billing" in Stripe

  2. Stripe attempts to charge again

  3. If successful, subscription returns to "active"

Adjust retry settings:

  1. Go to Settings in Stripe

  2. Click Billing or Payment settings

  3. Adjust "Automatic retry" rules

  4. You can change how many times Stripe retries failed payments

  5. You can extend retry time before subscription cancels

Send payment update request to member:

  1. Use Stripe or LaunchPass to send member a message

  2. Ask them to update their payment method

  3. They update it in your community or Stripe

  4. Payment processes

  5. Subscription returns to active


Common Subscription Management Tasks

Pause a Subscription (Don't Cancel)

If a member wants to pause but not cancel:

  1. In Stripe, find the subscription

  2. Look for "Pause subscription" option (some plans support this)

  3. Click it and set pause duration

  4. Member keeps subscription but not billed

  5. Automatically resumes after pause period

Note: Not all subscription types support pause. If you don't see the option, cancellation is the only choice.

Refund a Member

Cancellation ≠ Refund. To refund:

  1. In Stripe, go to Charges or Payments

  2. Find the transaction to refund

  3. Click the charge

  4. Click "Refund"

  5. Choose full or partial refund

  6. Confirm

The money returns to their card in 1-2 business days.

When to refund:

  • Member requests refund

  • You want to offer a discount retroactively

  • Double charge occurred

  • Technical error resulted in wrong amount

When NOT to refund:

  • Just canceling future charges (don't refund past charges)

  • Member used service (no service = possible refund)

Change a Subscription Plan

To move member to different plan:

  1. Cancel current subscription (follow steps above)

  2. Create new subscription (in LaunchPass, have member repurchase, or contact [email protected])

Note: LaunchPass doesn't support direct plan switching. Cancellation + new plan is the standard way.

See All Subscriptions for a Member

  1. Search for member in Stripe by email

  2. Click on their name to open their customer profile

  3. Scroll down to see:

    • Active subscriptions

    • Past subscriptions

    • Failed payment attempts

    • Full payment history

This view shows everything about that member's account.


Important Things to Remember

Double-Check Email Addresses

Searching by the wrong email finds the wrong member. This could:

  • Cancel the wrong person's subscription

  • Give wrong information

  • Cause confusion

Always verify the email before canceling. Look for:

  • First name

  • Last name

  • Last 4 digits of card (if visible)

  • Join date

  • Last payment amount

Multiple Subscriptions Need Individual Cancellation

A member might have:

  • Monthly membership ($29/month)

  • Annual membership ($300/year)

  • Bonus premium tier ($9/month)

Canceling one does NOT cancel the others. You must cancel each one separately.

Check for multiple subscriptions:

  1. Search the member in Stripe

  2. Scroll down in their customer profile

  3. Look at all subscriptions listed

  4. Cancel each one as needed

"Past Due" Might Indicate a Problem

If many members are "past due," it could mean:

  • Payment method issues (expired cards, changed banks)

  • Technical glitch

  • Stripe settings need adjustment

Contact [email protected] if you see unusual patterns.

Changes Take a Few Minutes

After canceling in Stripe:

  1. Stripe updates immediately

  2. LaunchPass checks every few minutes

  3. Member access disappears within 5-10 minutes

  4. Member might still see access briefly

If member sees access after 15 minutes, refresh LaunchPass or clear browser cache.


Troubleshooting Common Issues

"I Can't Find the Member in Stripe"

What to check:

  1. Search spelling - Is the email typed exactly right?

  2. Use different search method - Try Customers tab instead of search box

  3. Member exists? - Did they actually make a purchase? (free members don't appear in Stripe)

  4. Wrong account? - Are you logged into the correct Stripe account? (multiple accounts possible)

  5. Brand new member? - Wait 5 minutes for Stripe to sync

  6. Contact [email protected] - with member email and details

"I Found the Member but No Subscription"

What to check:

  1. Free membership? - Free members have no subscriptions in Stripe

  2. Already canceled? - Look in "past" subscriptions tab

  3. Payment failed? - Check under "failed charges"

  4. One-time purchase? - Not a subscription (doesn't show in subscriptions tab)

  5. Contact [email protected] - We can investigate

"The Member Still Has Access After I Canceled"

What to do:

  1. Wait 10 minutes - LaunchPass syncs with Stripe every few minutes

  2. Refresh your browser - Clear cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows, Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac)

  3. Verify in Stripe - Confirm subscription actually shows as canceled

  4. Check LaunchPass dashboard - Does it show as canceled there?

  5. Logout and login - Sometimes the app needs refresh

  6. Contact [email protected] - If issue persists over an hour

"I Canceled the Wrong Member's Subscription"

What to do immediately:

  1. Don't panicking - You can fix this!

  2. Go back to Stripe - Find the canceled subscription

  3. Look for "Reactivate" button - It usually appears with canceled subscriptions

  4. Click "Reactivate" - Choose to resume immediately

  5. Verify it's active - Check that the subscription status changed to "active"

  6. Apologize to member - Brief explanation + small courtesy gesture (optional but good)

  7. Contact [email protected] - Let them know what happened

Most canceled subscriptions can be reactivated within 24 hours.

"Stripe Won't Let Me Cancel"

Why this happens:

  • Subscription already being changed

  • System temporary glitch

  • Permission issue with your Stripe account

What to do:

  1. Refresh Stripe - Close browser, reopen, log back in

  2. Try again - Click cancel subscription button again

  3. Use different browser - Chrome vs. Safari, etc.

  4. Wait 5 minutes - Sometimes Stripe needs processing time

  5. Contact Stripe support - https://support.stripe.com/

  6. Contact LaunchPass - [email protected] for help


Best Practices for Managing Subscriptions

Create a System

Before canceling:

  1. Note the reason (member request, payment issue, etc.)

  2. Double-check the email address

  3. Verify you have the right subscription

  4. Notify the member (if canceling for cause)

After canceling:

  1. Verify it's actually canceled

  2. Document the cancellation date

  3. Note whether refund was issued

  4. Keep records for accounting

Regular Maintenance

Weekly or monthly:

  1. Check for subscriptions stuck in "past due"

  2. Review failed payment patterns

  3. Look for duplicate or test subscriptions

  4. Contact members with payment issues

Monthly:

  1. Review your Stripe reports

  2. Check active vs. canceled subscription ratio

  3. Look for trends (why are people canceling?)

  4. Adjust retry settings if needed

Communicate With Members

When canceling a subscription:

  • If they requested it: Acknowledge their request, process quickly

  • If payment failed: Give them time to update payment method before canceling

  • If other reason: Explain clearly and professionally

After canceling:

  • Confirm it's done - Let them know access ends at specific time

  • Offer re-signup - Easy path back if they change mind

  • Get feedback - Ask why they're leaving (helps improve)


When to Contact LaunchPass Support

Email [email protected] if you need help with:

  • Can't find member in Stripe despite trying all methods

  • Technical issues preventing cancellation

  • Reactivating an accidental cancellation

  • Multiple members showing same issue

  • Understanding why a subscription exists or is stuck

  • Bulk actions (canceling many subscriptions at once)

  • Special requests (refunds, exceptions, unusual situations)

Include in your email:

  • Member email address

  • Subscription plan name

  • Current status (active, past due, etc.)

  • What you've already tried

  • When the issue started

Response time: Usually within 24 hours.


Key Takeaways

Subscriptions live in Stripe, not LaunchPass

Search by exact email to find members

Cancel immediately or at end of period (your choice)

Multiple subscriptions need separate cancellations

Changes sync within 5-10 minutes

"Past due" subscriptions cancel the same way

You can reactivate accidental cancellations within 24 hours

Cancellation ≠ refund (separate process)

Contact [email protected] for unusual issues


Need Help?

Have questions about managing subscriptions?

We can help with:

  • Finding members in Stripe

  • Canceling or pausing subscriptions

  • Fixing accidental cancellations

  • Issuing refunds

  • Understanding subscription status

  • Troubleshooting member access issues

  • Complex situations

Response time: Usually within 24 hours

Before emailing, try:

  1. Double-check the member's email spelling

  2. Verify you're in the right Stripe account

  3. Refresh your browser

  4. Wait 10 minutes for sync

  5. Check the troubleshooting section above

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