Subscription Management
Budget Bee’s subscription tracking feature helps you manage all your recurring payments in one place, ensuring you never miss a payment or forget about unused subscriptions.The subscriptions feature may require specific subscription plans. Check your account status in settings.
Overview
The subscriptions feature allows you to:- Track recurring payments (monthly, yearly, quarterly, etc.)
- View upcoming bills in a calendar interface
- Set up payment reminders
- Calculate total subscription costs
- Identify unused or redundant subscriptions
Accessing Subscriptions
Navigate to the subscriptions page from the sidebar:Creating Subscriptions
Enter Subscription Details
Name of the subscription service (e.g., “Netflix”, “Spotify Premium”)
Monthly or recurring payment amount
Billing frequency:
monthly: Every monthyearly: Once per yearquarterly: Every 3 monthssemi-annually: Every 6 monthsweekly: Every weekdaily: Every day
Custom interval in days (overrides period if set)
Category for this subscription (helps with budgeting)
Additional notes about the subscription
URL to the service’s logo for visual identification
Subscription Calendar
The subscription calendar provides a visual overview of your recurring payments:Calendar Features
Monthly View
See all subscriptions due in the current month at a glance.
Payment Dates
Subscriptions appear on their payment dates for easy tracking.
Total Cost
View total monthly and yearly subscription costs.
Color Coding
Subscriptions are color-coded by category for quick identification.
Subscription Periods
Budget Bee supports various billing periods:Billing Frequencies
Billing Frequencies
| Period | Description | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Every day | 1 |
| Weekly | Every week | 7 |
| Monthly | Every month | ~30 |
| Quarterly | Every 3 months | ~90 |
| Semi-annually | Every 6 months | ~180 |
| Yearly | Once per year | ~365 |
| Custom | Specify exact days | Variable |
Custom Intervals
For non-standard billing cycles, use theinterval_in_days field:
Managing Subscriptions
Editing Subscriptions
Modify Details
Update any field:
- Change the amount if prices increase
- Update the billing period
- Modify the category
- Add or update the description
Pausing Subscriptions
Temporarily pause a subscription without deleting it:- Open the subscription details
- Click Pause Subscription
- The subscription won’t appear in upcoming payments while paused
- Click Resume to reactivate it
Canceling Subscriptions
When you cancel a service:- Open the subscription
- Click Cancel Subscription
- The subscription is marked as canceled but remains in your history
- It no longer appears in upcoming payments
Subscription Categories
Organize subscriptions by category: Common subscription categories:- Entertainment (Netflix, Spotify, Gaming)
- Productivity (Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud)
- Cloud Services (AWS, Dropbox, Google Drive)
- Utilities (Internet, Phone, Insurance)
- Health & Fitness (Gym, Meal Plans)
- Education (Online courses, Publications)
Cost Analysis
Budget Bee calculates your subscription costs:Monthly Cost
Total of all active subscriptions billed monthly:- Pure monthly subscriptions
- Prorated yearly subscriptions (yearly amount / 12)
- Prorated quarterly subscriptions (quarterly amount / 3)
Yearly Cost
Project your total annual subscription spend:- Monthly subscriptions × 12
- Yearly subscriptions
- Other periods converted to yearly cost
Cost calculations help you identify opportunities to save money by canceling unused subscriptions.
Reminders and Notifications
Stay informed about upcoming payments:- Get reminders before payment dates
- Notifications for failed payments
- Alerts for price changes
- Annual renewal reminders
Database Schema
Subscriptions are stored with this structure:Integration with Transactions
Link subscriptions to actual transactions:- When a subscription payment occurs, create a transaction
- Link the transaction to the subscription
- Track actual vs. expected payments
- Identify missed or late payments
Best Practices
Regular Review
Review your subscriptions monthly to identify unused services.
Accurate Amounts
Keep subscription amounts up-to-date when prices change.
Use Categories
Categorize subscriptions to understand spending by category.
Annual Subscriptions
Consider switching to annual billing for services you use regularly - it’s often cheaper.
Troubleshooting
Feature not available
Feature not available
The subscriptions feature may be restricted based on your subscription plan. Check:
- Your account subscription status
- Feature flags configuration
- Organization subscription level (for org accounts)
Subscription not appearing in calendar
Subscription not appearing in calendar
Verify:
- The subscription status is ‘active’
- The billing period is set correctly
- You’re viewing the correct month
- The subscription belongs to your current organization
Wrong total costs
Wrong total costs
Ensure:
- All subscription amounts are accurate
- Billing periods are correct
- Paused/canceled subscriptions aren’t included
- Currency conversions are applied correctly

