Grace period

A failed payment does not have to mean an immediate loss of access. During a grace period, the subscription stays active while the billing system retries the charge and asks the customer to fix their card. If payment succeeds, nothing is interrupted.

App stores define it precisely. Apple’s Billing Grace Period, enabled in App Store Connect, lasts 3 or 6 days for weekly subscriptions and 3, 16 or 28 days for monthly and longer ones, within a billing retry period of up to 60 days. Google Play enables a grace period by default on auto-renewing base plans, followed by an account hold during which access is removed.

On web billing, the length is the merchant’s choice. A grace period that is too short cuts off customers who would have paid; one that is too long gives away service. Many businesses keep access for a short time, then show a warning or block access until the card is updated.