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How to Upgrade, Downgrade, or Pause Your PyjamaHR Subscription: The Complete Guide

Updated over a month ago

Executive Summary

This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to upgrading, downgrading, or pausing your PyjamaHR subscription. It covers everything from changing user counts and switching between monthly and annual plans, to understanding billing cycles, handling prorated charges, and what to do if you need a break from the platform. Learn best practices, avoid common mistakes, and get answers to the most frequent customer questions—so you can manage your PyjamaHR subscription with confidence and avoid unnecessary support requests.


Detailed Overview

Managing your PyjamaHR subscription is essential for controlling costs, ensuring the right team members have access, and keeping your hiring operations running smoothly. Whether you need to upgrade (add users or features), downgrade (reduce users or switch to a lower plan), or pause/cancel your subscription, PyjamaHR provides flexible options—but there are important rules, workflows, and limitations you need to know.

Key Use Cases:
- Growing teams needing to add more recruiters or hiring managers
- Downsizing or seasonal hiring, requiring fewer seats
- Switching from monthly to annual billing (or vice versa)
- Taking a break from hiring and wanting to pause or cancel
- Avoiding surprise charges and understanding prorated billing

Integration with Other Features:
Subscription management is tightly linked to user management (Settings > Team Members), billing (Manage Subscription), and access controls (Super Admin vs. other roles). Only Super Admins can make subscription changes.


Step-by-Step Guide: Upgrading, Downgrading, or Pausing Your Subscription

1. Prerequisites & Access

  • Only Super Admins and Admins can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel subscriptions.

  • Ensure you have access to the Super Admin email or Admin email for your company account.

  • Payments are made via credit/debit card (international payments must be enabled).


2. Upgrading Your Subscription

A. Adding More Users or Seats
1. Go to your profile > Settings > Team Members.

2. Add new users by inviting their email and assigning a billable role (Super Admin, Admin, Hiring Manager, Recruiter).
3. Each added billable user increases your subscription cost immediately. Please note that if you are adding any billable user(s) in an ongoing billing cycle, you will have to pay the pro-rated charges for the remaining cycle.

4. Go to Manage Subscription to review and approve the new billing amount.
5. Complete payment as prompted.

B. Switching from Monthly to Annual Plan
1. Go to Manage Subscription.
2. Select the Annual Plan (25% discount is standard; e.g., ₹9,000/user/year).
3. Confirm and complete payment.

C. Upgrading Feature Add-ons
For AI Recruiter, or other add-ons, purchase via the My Plans section in Settings.


3. Downgrading Your Subscription

A. Reducing User Count
1. Go to Settings > Team Members.
2. Select Remove User from the three-dot menu next to the user’s name. The removal is scheduled for the next billing cycle and will show on the next invoice; mid-cycle removals aren’t possible.
3. Only billable users (Super Admin, Admin, Hiring Manager, Recruiter) count toward your subscription cost.
4. After removing users, go to Manage Subscription.
5. The next invoice will reflect the reduced user count (changes take effect in the next billing cycle; current cycle charges remain).

B. Switching from Annual to Monthly Plan
1. Only possible if you have not cancelled your subscription more than twice.
2. If eligible, go to Manage Subscription and select the monthly plan.

C. Downgrading from Premium to Free Plan
As of the latest updates, the Forever Free plan has been retired due to fraud and LinkedIn policy changes.


4. Pausing or Cancelling Your Subscription

A. Pausing Subscription
1. PyjamaHR does not currently offer a "pause" feature.
2. If you need a break, you must cancel your subscription.
3. Your account will be blocked after cancellation, but your data will be retained for future reactivation.

B. Cancelling Subscription
1. Go to your profile and click on Manage Subscription.
2. Click Cancel Subscription.
3. Confirm cancellation. Your access will end at the end of the current billing cycle.
4. To avoid future auto-payments, also contact your bank to disable auto-debit on your card.

C. What Happens After Cancellation
1. Your account is blocked; you cannot access data or post jobs.
2. Data is retained for a limited period (for reactivation).
3. To resume, you must renew your subscription (may be subject to new pricing or plan rules).


5. Special Scenarios & Billing Rules

  • Prorated Charges: If you add users mid-cycle, you are billed for the days remaining in your current billing cycle.

  • Grace Period: There is a 5-day grace period after your renewal date to complete payment before access is restricted.

  • Auto-Switch to Annual Plan: If you cancel your subscription twice or more, the system will only allow annual billing going forward (no more monthly plan).

  • Changing Super Admin: Contact Support


Advanced Usage & Best Practices

  • Always Remove Extra Users Before Renewal: To avoid being billed for unwanted seats, remove users before your renewal date.

  • Monitor Prorated Charges: Adding/removing users mid-cycle creates prorated charges. Review invoices in Manage Subscription for details.

  • Invoice Management: Download invoices from Manage Subscription for accounting.

  • Auto-Pay Management: To stop auto-pay, cancel in PyjamaHR and also contact your bank/card provider.

  • Role Management: Only billable roles (Super Admin, Admin, Hiring Manager, Recruiter) count toward your subscription. Interviewers and External Recruiters are free.

  • Trial Extensions: Free trials are company-wide which are offered only once and cannot be extended after use.


Troubleshooting & Common Issues

1. Cannot Change User Count on Payment Page

  • Cause: You have more billable users than desired.

  • Solution: Remove extra users in Settings > Team Members. Refresh the payment page.

2. Invoice Shows More Users Than Needed

  • Cause: Invoice is generated based on users at renewal date; changes after this affect the next cycle.

  • Solution: Pay the current invoice; extra amount will be adjusted in the next cycle if you reduce users.

3. Cannot Select Monthly Plan (Only Annual Shown)

  • Cause: You have cancelled your subscription twice or more.

  • Solution: System restricts you to annual plan only. No workaround.

4. Payment Declined

  • Cause: Card does not have international payments enabled, or bank declined.

  • Solution: Enable international payments or use a different card or reach out to your bank provider.

5. Auto-Pay Still Active After Cancellation

  • Solution: Cancel in PyjamaHR and contact your bank to disable auto-debit.

6. Account Blocked After Cancellation

  • Solution: Renew subscription to regain access. Data is retained for a limited period.

7. Refund Not Received In Special Cases

  • Solution: Refunds take 5–10 business days. Contact support if not received.

8. Cannot Remove Last Super Admin

  • Solution: Assign Super Admin access to another user first, then remove the old one.


Comprehensive FAQs

1. How do I add or remove users from my subscription?
Go to Settings > Team Members. Add or remove users as needed. Only billable roles affect your subscription cost.

2. Why am I being charged for more users than I have?
Invoices are generated based on the number of billable users at the time of renewal. Changes after this affect the next cycle.

3. Can I switch from annual to monthly billing?
Only if you have not cancelled your subscription twice. Otherwise, only annual is available.

4. How do I pause my subscription?
Pausing is not supported. You must cancel, and your account will be blocked until you renew.

5. What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data is retained for a limited period. You must renew to regain access.

6. How do I stop auto-pay?
Cancel in PyjamaHR and contact your bank/card provider to disable auto-debit.

7. Can I get a refund if I cancel mid-cycle?
No

8. Why can’t I see the monthly plan option?
If you cancelled your subscription twice, only the annual plan is available.

9. How do I change the Super Admin?
Invite the new Super Admin, assign the role, then remove the old one. Contact support for more assistance.

10. What is a billable user?
Super Admin, Admin, Hiring Manager, and Recruiter roles are billable. Interviewer and External Recruiter are not.

11. Can I downgrade to the free plan?
The Forever Free plan is retired.

12. How are prorated charges calculated?
You are billed for the days remaining in your current billing cycle.

13. What if I need to take a break from hiring?
Cancel your subscription. Your account will be blocked, but data is retained for future use.

14. How do I update billing details or download invoices?
Go to Manage Subscription > Invoice History.

15. What if my payment fails?
Try a different card or enable international payments. Contact support if the issue persists.


Related Features & Next Steps

  • User Management: Learn more about user roles and access types (Understanding Access Types)

  • Billing & Invoices: How to download and manage invoices

  • Career Page Integration: How subscription changes affect job postings

  • AI Recruiter & Add-Ons: How to purchase and manage add-ons

  • Data Export: How to export your data before cancellation


Summary

Managing your PyjamaHR subscription is straightforward when you understand the workflows, billing rules, and limitations. Always plan user changes before your renewal date, monitor your invoices for prorated charges, and remember that pausing is not supported—cancellation is the only way to take a break. For any complex scenarios or if you’re unsure, reach out to PyjamaHR support for personalized assistance.


Still have questions?
Contact support via chat or email for help with unique scenarios or urgent issues.

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