Pause Subscriptions Made Simple: Keep Customers Without Cancelling

How flexible subscription management helps businesses retain clients and reduce churn

The Pause Subscriptions feature introduces two clear and flexible ways to manage downtime without cutting ties with your customers. Instead of outright cancellation, users now have choices that match their situation.

First, there’s the Indefinite Pause option. This is the “hit pause and forget about it” method. A customer can freeze their subscription for as long as they like, without worrying about deadlines or time limits. When they’re ready to return, they just resume manually and everything is right where they left off.

Then, there’s the Custom Date Pause option. This one’s for customers who know exactly how long they’ll be away. Maybe it’s a vacation, seasonal slowdown, or budget reset. They can set a specific return date, so the subscription automatically resumes without manual effort. The beauty of this setup is that it’s flexible—if they change their mind, they can still resume early.

These two options give customers peace of mind while keeping their accounts safe and ready for action. It’s the kind of customer-centric flexibility that makes your agency look smart, adaptable, and easy to do business with.

Pausing a subscription doesn’t mean the billing system goes quiet. GoHighLevel built in smart invoice behavior options so you can control exactly what happens when payments are due during the pause.

Here’s how it works: on every billing date while the subscription is paused, an invoice is still generated. But you get to decide its status.

• Draft Invoices: Keep invoices in draft mode. This is handy if you want a record of what would’ve been billed without sending anything to the customer. Later, you can choose to send or adjust them.
• Void Invoices: Mark invoices as void so they never hit the customer’s inbox. This option is best when you want to stop all billing activity during the pause, clean and simple.

This flexibility helps agencies avoid awkward billing situations. No surprise charges, no angry emails—just a smooth process that respects both your workflow and your client’s needs.

By giving you control over invoice behavior, GHL ensures you can pause subscriptions without breaking your accounting flow or customer trust.

Pausing a subscription doesn’t mean the billing system goes quiet. GoHighLevel built in smart invoice behavior options so you can control exactly what happens when payments are due during the pause.

Here’s how it works: on every billing date while the subscription is paused, an invoice is still generated. But you get to decide its status.

• Draft Invoices: Keep invoices in draft mode. This is handy if you want a record of what would’ve been billed without sending anything to the customer. Later, you can choose to send or adjust them.
• Void Invoices: Mark invoices as void so they never hit the customer’s inbox. This option is best when you want to stop all billing activity during the pause, clean and simple.

This flexibility helps agencies avoid awkward billing situations. No surprise charges, no angry emails—just a smooth process that respects both your workflow and your client’s needs.

By giving you control over invoice behavior, GHL ensures you can pause subscriptions without breaking your accounting flow or customer trust.

Getting started with Pause Subscriptions is straightforward, but the real power comes from knowing the two pause methods and invoice settings. Here’s the full breakdown:

• The Main Menu on the Left side of your screen has all the main areas that you work in when using GHL

1.1 Click on the Payments Menu Item.

• Access the ‘Payments’ section of GoHighLevel
• You’ll now be in the ‘Payments’ section of GHL, where you can access the Subscription section from the top menu:

1.2 Click on the ‘Subscriptions’ menu link.

• Find the subscription you want to manage

2.1 Choose Subscription

2.3 Click the three Dots

• From the list of subscriptions, hover over the one you wish to pause/resume. Click the Three dots menu.

3.1 Select Pause Subscription from the dropdown.

• Pick one of two methods:
  • Indefinite Pause: Keep it paused with no set end date. Resume manually anytime.
  • Custom Date Pause: Choose a specific date for automatic resumption, but still have the option to resume early.

4.1 Decide how invoices will be handled during the pause.

• Draft: Invoices are created in draft mode, not sent to the customer.
• Void: Invoices are skipped entirely, with no draft record sent or stored for billing.

• When it’s time to restart, go back to the three dots menu. And The status switches back to active, and billing picks up seamlessly.

5.1 Click Resume Subscription and confirm.

By following these steps, you’ll have full control over how and when subscriptions pause, resume, and bill. It’s a smooth process that takes minutes but can save you hours of customer service headaches down the line.

Using Pause Subscriptions the right way can make a big difference in customer satisfaction and agency efficiency. Here are a few smart tips to keep in mind:

Pick the Right Pause Method
Use Indefinite Pause when clients are unsure how long they’ll be away. It gives maximum flexibility without forcing them into a decision. Choose Custom Date Pause when clients have a clear return timeline—like seasonal businesses or planned absences.

Match Invoice Behavior to the Client Relationship
If you want full transparency for accounting, keep invoices in Draft mode. You’ll have a record for reference later. If avoiding any billing trail is the priority, set invoices to Void. This prevents confusion and avoids awkward questions from clients who may see drafts.

Communicate Clearly With Clients
Always explain how the pause works and reassure customers that their account details and history remain safe. Highlight the flexibility—especially that they can resume early if they change their mind. This sets expectations and builds trust.

Use Pauses Strategically
Encourage clients to pause instead of canceling when they bring up cost concerns. It’s a retention tool as much as a billing option. By presenting pause as the “no-risk break,” you’ll retain more clients who otherwise might leave for good.

When applied well, these small adjustments can keep your agency running smoothly while protecting revenue streams.

The Pause Subscriptions feature isn’t just about convenience; it’s about creating stability in your business model. When customers know they can take a break instead of canceling, you keep the relationship alive and ready to restart.

Imagine a seasonal business—like a fitness coach whose clients often pause memberships during holidays. Instead of canceling and re-enrolling, customers can simply pause. When January hits, they’re back in action with no lost history.

Or think about budget-conscious clients. During financial slowdowns, they may hesitate to keep paying. Rather than losing them completely, you offer a pause option. This keeps their account safe, avoids refunds, and gives them an easy path to resume when cash flow improves.

For agencies, this means predictable pipelines and stronger retention numbers. You reduce churn, simplify billing, and protect the customer experience all in one move. Pause Subscriptions becomes more than just a feature—it’s a customer retention strategy built right into your GHL account.

When you start using Pause Subscriptions in your agency, you’ll notice results quickly. Customers who might have canceled outright now have a softer option. That small change can deliver big business gains.

First, you’ll see a drop in churn. Customers who just need a temporary break won’t leave permanently, which means more consistent recurring revenue month after month.

Second, you’ll experience fewer refund requests and billing disputes. By controlling invoice behavior, you avoid the messy back-and-forth that often comes with cancellations. Draft and void states give you flexibility to fit each client’s needs.

Finally, you’ll gain stronger customer loyalty. Clients appreciate when an agency is thoughtful enough to offer solutions that fit their real-world situations. That builds trust, and trust leads to longer retention.

The result? More stable income, cleaner billing, and happier clients—all from a feature that takes just minutes to set up.

Pause Subscriptions is more than a billing tweak. It’s a smart, customer-first feature that helps agencies retain clients, reduce churn, and simplify the subscription process. By offering both indefinite and custom-date pauses, plus flexible invoice handling, you’re giving customers the freedom they want while protecting your recurring revenue.

Agencies that embrace this feature will see fewer cancellations, smoother billing, and happier long-term customers. It’s a win for retention and a win for relationships.

Now it’s your turn—log into your GHL dashboard, head over to Payments > Subscriptions, and try it out today. See how it transforms the way you manage clients and subscriptions.

Have you tested Pause Subscriptions yet? Drop your thoughts—I’d love to hear how it’s working for you.