Introduction
Your subscription is the key to unlocking Socialhose's powerful social listening capabilities. Understanding how to manage your subscription effectively ensures you always have access to the features you need while optimizing your investment.
This comprehensive guide covers everything about subscription and billing management, from understanding plan options to managing payments and monitoring usage.
Understanding Your Subscription
Accessing Subscription Information
To view your subscription details:
Click your profile icon in the top right corner
Go to Settings or Profile
Select the Subscription tab
Subscription Tab Overview
The Subscription tab is organized into three sections:
Manage (Current Subscription)
Your current subscription status including:
Current plan name and tier
Subscription status (Active, Canceled, Past Due)
Billing cycle (Monthly or Annual)
Next billing date
Current usage vs. limits
Plans
Compare and select subscription options:
View all available plans
Compare features across tiers
See pricing for monthly and annual billing
Upgrade to a higher tier
Billing
Payment and invoice management:
Payment method on file
Billing history and invoices
Update payment information
Access Stripe billing portal
Subscription Status Indicators
Your subscription status is shown with color-coded badges:
Active (green) - Subscription in good standing
Past Due (yellow) - Payment failed, action needed
Canceled (red) - Subscription ending at period end
Trial (blue) - In free trial period
Available Subscription Plans
Plan Tiers
Socialhose offers flexible plans designed for different needs:
Starter Plan
Perfect for small teams and beginners:
✅ Core social platforms
✅ Basic analytics and reporting
✅ Email alerts and digests
✅ Limited campaigns and mentions
Best for: Small businesses, individuals, getting started
Pro Plan (Most Popular)
Comprehensive features for growing teams:
✅ Everything in Starter, plus:
✅ Advanced analytics with AI insights
✅ All social platforms
✅ Webhook integrations
✅ Higher limits on campaigns and mentions
✅ Priority data collection
Best for: Marketing teams, agencies, serious monitoring
Enterprise Plan
Unlimited capabilities for large organizations:
✅ Unlimited usage on all features
✅ Dedicated account manager
✅ 24/7 priority support
✅ Custom integrations
✅ SLA guarantees
✅ Flexible payment terms
Best for: Large enterprises, agencies with many clients
What Each Plan Includes
Plans specify limits for:
Active campaigns - How many campaigns you can run simultaneously
Monthly mentions - Volume of mentions collected per month
Search job runs - Automated data collection runs per month
Mailing lists - Alert distribution lists per campaign
Team members - Seats available in your organization
Platform access - Which social platforms you can monitor
Billing Options
Choose the billing cycle that works for you:
Monthly Billing
Pay each month
Cancel anytime with no penalty
Full flexibility to change plans
Full price per month
Annual Billing
Pay once per year
Save 20% compared to monthly
12-month commitment
Lower effective monthly cost
Example Savings:
If the monthly price is $100/month:
Monthly billing: $100/month = $1,200/year
Annual billing: $80/month equivalent = $960/year
Savings: $240/year (20%)
Upgrading Your Plan
When to Upgrade
Consider upgrading when:
You're approaching your plan limits
You need access to advanced features
Your team is growing
You need more platforms or integrations
How to Upgrade
Go to Settings → Subscription → Plans
Toggle between Monthly or Annual billing
Find the plan you want to upgrade to
Click Select Plan (or Upgrade)
Review the change summary
Complete checkout via Stripe
What Happens After Upgrading
Immediate access - New features available right away
Prorated billing - You only pay the difference for the current period
Higher limits - Apply immediately
Receipt - Sent to your email
Plan Selection Guide
Understanding the visual indicators:
"Current Plan" badge - Your active subscription
"Select Plan" button - Available for upgrade
"Downgrade" (disabled) - Lower tier plans
Upgrade Tips
Choose Annual billing for 20% savings
Check your current usage to pick the right tier
Consider future growth when selecting a plan
Review feature differences carefully before deciding
Downgrading Your Plan
Understanding Downgrade Policy
Socialhose does not offer direct self-service downgrades through the interface. This is intentional to protect your data and prevent accidental issues.
Why Downgrades Are Restricted
Protects against exceeding new plan limits
Prevents loss of active campaigns
Ensures data integrity
Avoids unexpected feature lockouts
How to Downgrade
If you need to move to a lower tier:
Option 1: Wait for Renewal
Let your current billing period end
At renewal, select a lower tier plan
Option 2: Contact Support
Reach out to our support team
They can assist with a managed downgrade
Ensures your data is properly handled
What Happens at Downgrade
When moving to a lower plan:
Features beyond new limits are locked
Active campaigns may be paused if over limit
Historical data is retained but may have limited access
Team members beyond seat limit lose access
Before Downgrading, Check
Current campaign count vs. new limit
Mention usage vs. new limit
Team member count vs. new seat limit
Feature requirements (webhooks, analytics, etc.)
Alternatives to Downgrading
Pause campaigns you don't actively need
Archive old data before switching
Remove inactive members to free seats
Contact sales for custom arrangements
Canceling Your Subscription
Understanding Cancellation
Canceling your subscription stops future billing while maintaining access until the end of your current billing period.
How to Cancel
Go to Settings → Subscription → Billing or Manage
Click Cancel Subscription or Manage Subscription
You may be redirected to Stripe's billing portal
Confirm the cancellation
What Happens After Cancellation
During Current Period:
Your subscription remains active until the period ends
No immediate changes to your access
No more charges after current period
At Period End:
Account reverts to free/limited state
Active campaigns may be paused
Data is retained but access may be limited
Cancellation Timeline
Monthly plans: Access until next billing date
Annual plans: Access until annual renewal date
What You Keep
✅ Your user account
✅ Historical data (with limited access)
✅ Organization structure
✅ Member list (without active access)
What You Lose
❌ Active monitoring and data collection
❌ Advanced features
❌ Full analytics access
❌ Alert notifications
Before Canceling
Export any reports you need
Download important data
Notify team members
Consider pausing instead of canceling
Reactivating After Cancellation
You can resubscribe at any time:
Go to Settings → Subscription → Plans
Select a plan
Complete checkout
Managing Payment Methods
Viewing Current Payment Method
Your payment information is stored securely with Stripe. To view:
Go to Settings → Subscription → Billing
Your current payment method is displayed
Updating Your Payment Method
Go to Settings → Subscription → Billing
Click Update Payment Method or Manage Billing
You'll be redirected to Stripe's secure portal
Enter new card details
Save changes
Accepted Payment Methods
We accept major credit and debit cards:
✅ Visa
✅ Mastercard
✅ American Express
✅ Discover
Failed Payment Handling
If a payment fails:
Email notification - You'll be notified immediately
Automatic retry - Stripe attempts to charge again
Grace period - You have time to update your method
Service pause - After multiple failures, service may be paused
To resolve:
Update your payment method promptly
Ensure sufficient funds
Contact your bank if the card is valid
Payment Security
Your payment information is protected by:
Stripe processing - Industry-leading payment security
PCI DSS compliance - Highest security standards
No storage - We never store full card details
Encryption - All data transmitted securely
Enterprise Billing Options
Enterprise accounts may have additional options:
Invoice-based billing
Net payment terms (Net 30, etc.)
ACH bank transfers
Custom billing arrangements
Contact sales for enterprise payment options.
Billing History and Invoices
Viewing Billing History
Go to Settings → Subscription → Billing
Click Manage Billing or View Invoices
You'll be redirected to Stripe's billing portal
What's Available in the Portal
Invoice List:
All past invoices with dates and amounts
Payment status (Paid, Pending, Failed)
Download options for each invoice
Invoice Contents
Each invoice includes:
Invoice number and date
Plan name and billing period
Line items and amounts
Tax (if applicable)
Payment method used
Company details
Downloading Invoices
Click on any invoice in the list
Click Download or the PDF icon
Save for your records
Stripe also supports bulk invoice downloads for accounting purposes.
Using Invoices For
Expense reimbursement
Tax documentation
Accounting records
Audit trails
Receipt Emails
After each successful payment, you receive:
Email confirmation
Link to view invoice
Payment amount and date
Understanding Plan Limits
Types of Limits
Your plan includes limits on:
ResourceDescriptionCampaignsNumber of active campaignsMentionsMonthly collection volumeSearch JobsData collection runs per periodSeatsTeam members allowedMailing ListsDistribution lists per campaign
Monitoring Your Usage
Check your usage regularly:
Go to Settings → Subscription → Manage
View the Usage Dashboard
See current usage vs. limits
Approaching Limits
When you get close to limits:
⚠️ Warning notifications appear in the dashboard
📧 Email alerts may be sent
📊 Usage bars show yellow/red warnings
At the Limit
Campaigns:
Cannot create new campaigns
Existing campaigns continue running
Must pause or delete one to add another
Mentions:
Collection may slow or pause
Existing data remains accessible
Resets at next billing period
Search Jobs:
New runs are blocked
Scheduled jobs may be skipped
Resets at next billing period
Seats:
Cannot invite new members
Existing members retain access
Remove a member to invite another
Exceeding Limits
Different features handle limits differently:
Hard stops - Prevent further usage
Overages - May incur additional charges (if enabled)
Solutions
Upgrade your plan for higher limits
Purchase add-ons for specific resources
Optimize usage by removing unused items
Wait for reset at next billing period
Available Add-ons
What Are Add-ons?
Add-ons let you extend specific capabilities without changing your entire plan.
Available Add-ons
Add-onDescriptionTypical PriceAdditional SeatsAdd team members beyond plan limit~$29/user/moAdditional Live SearchesExpand monitoring across platforms~$5/search/moHigh Frequency UpgradeHourly monitoring instead of standard~$79/search/moCrisis UpgradeInstant alerts and priority processing~$249/search/moMention Overage PacksAdditional mentions beyond limit~$9/10K mentionsPremium SupportDedicated account management~$299/moAdditional Mailing ListsMore lists per campaign~$29/10 lists/moAdditional Alert MembersMore subscribers for alerts~$29/50 members/mo
How to Purchase Add-ons
Add-ons are currently managed through our sales team:
Contact sales via the Help page
Request specific add-ons
They'll be added to your billing
Enterprise Add-ons
Enterprise plans often include add-ons at no extra cost or with significant discounts. Contact sales for details.
Using the Stripe Billing Portal
What is the Billing Portal?
The Stripe billing portal is a secure, external page where you can manage all billing aspects of your subscription.
Accessing the Portal
Go to Settings → Subscription → Billing
Click Manage Billing or Billing Portal
You're redirected to Stripe's secure portal
Portal Capabilities
Payment Methods:
View current payment method
Add new cards
Set default payment
Remove old cards
Billing History:
View all past invoices
Download PDF invoices
See payment status
Track failed payments
Subscription Management:
View current plan details
See next billing date
Cancel subscription
View plan changes
Billing Information:
Update billing address
Edit company name
Change billing email
Add tax ID (if needed)
Security Features
✅ Authenticated session
✅ Secure card entry
✅ PCI compliant
✅ No card storage on our servers
Common Portal Actions
Update Card:
Click "Payment methods"
Click "Add payment method"
Enter new card
Set as default
Download Invoice:
Click "Billing history"
Find the invoice
Click "Download"
Cancel Subscription:
Click "Cancel subscription"
Confirm cancellation
Access continues until period end
Returning to Socialhose
Click "Back to Socialhose" or close the tab
Changes are saved automatically
Updates reflect immediately
Best Practices
For Cost Optimization
Choose annual billing for 20% savings
Right-size your plan based on actual usage
Monitor usage regularly to avoid unexpected limits
Clean up unused campaigns to stay within limits
For Billing Management
Keep payment method current to avoid interruptions
Set up billing alerts in your email
Download invoices regularly for records
Review charges each billing cycle
For Usage Management
Check usage weekly during busy periods
Archive completed campaigns to free up slots
Remove inactive members to optimize seats
Plan for seasonal spikes in advance
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch from monthly to annual billing?
Yes! Go to Settings → Subscription → Plans, toggle to Annual, and select your plan. You'll receive prorated credit for any remaining monthly period.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data is retained but access may be limited. You can resubscribe at any time to regain full access.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds are handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact support for refund requests.
Do unused mentions roll over?
No, mention limits reset each billing period. Unused mentions don't carry over.
How do I get an invoice for tax purposes?
All invoices are available in the Stripe billing portal. You can download PDF versions for tax documentation.
Can I have multiple subscriptions?
Each organization has one subscription. If you need separate billing for different teams, consider separate organizations.
Getting Help
If you need assistance with billing or subscription:
Visit our Help Center for more guides
Contact Support through the Help page
For billing issues, reach out to billing@socialhose.net
For Enterprise inquiries, contact sales@socialhose.net
Our team is here to help you get the most value from your Socialhose subscription.