Xenforo Monetization System

[Will Franco]

It's clear Xenforo is built for one-time payments, not recurring subscriptions. The frustrating part, Xenforo is totally workable for recurring subscriptions BUT it's a mini-nightmare to figure out how to make it work because there is no documentation on the monetization system (at least none that I can find).

Here's my best effort to create documentation (as a non-technical admin):

Xenforo doesn't store a user payment information. This makes a lot of sense, why take the risk? Let PayPal and Stripe worry about that part.

BUT this way of doing things creates a problem.

PayPal

XF doesn't downgrade the membership if a user goes directly to PayPal and cancels the subscription.

Stripe

When a card expires or payment fails, Stripe sends the user an email. You need to turn this feature on:

Stripe Login | Sign in to the Stripe Dashboard

Sign in to the Stripe Dashboard to manage business payments and operations in your account. Manage payments and refunds, respond to disputes and more.

dashboard.stripe.com

In others words, a user could have an active subscription in XF when no payment is processed through Stripe. Plus again, as an admin, if you downgrade the subscription, it doesn't cancel it in PayPal.

 

[Paul B]

XF doesn't downgrade the membership if a user goes directly to PayPal and cancels the subscription.

XF will downgrade automatically when the next scheduled payment fails.

 

[Will Franco]

Perfect example though: How could we know that, unless one of our tests in the set up process let a subscription continue to run after a user cancels it? Because we didn’t know that, every time a user cancels in PayPal, we manually downgrade the subscription in Xenforo. Onward and upward for me! Thanks for the info. I can check another box off my list

 

[Casa Ivar]

XF will downgrade automatically when the next scheduled payment fails.

I had this happed to me last week.. works as described.

Added: I use Stripe.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

You get a notice from PayPal as to whether a subscription is cancelled or renewed, or can't be processed.

 

[Paul B]

How could we know that

The description text states as much.

 

[Will Franco]

The description text states as much.

View attachment 266199

Thanks for helping me through this process.

The following documentation would be helpful for recurring payments:

Paypal

• Downgrade by Admin: payment is not cancelled, only the user group removed.
• User cancels through XF:
• Cancel through PayPal:

Notification settings:

https://www.paypal.com/businessmanage/account/notifications

Stripe

• Downgrade by Admin: payment is not cancelled, only the user group removed.
• User cancels through XF:
• Cancels in Stripe:
• Payment fails in Stripe:
• Card update in Stripe
• Card expires in Stripe:

Stripe notifications

https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/billing/automatic

---

Side Note: Xenforo send a notification every time a payment is made, as does PayPal and Stripe. In other words, a user gets two notifications.

 

[Will Franco]

XF will downgrade automatically when the next scheduled payment fails.

Here's the question I should have asked from the start:

How does XF know a payment failed in 1) PayPal, and 2) Stripe?

 

[est3ban129]

so how i can make invoices from my user upgrades ?