What happens if…: connecting and subscriptions

After paying, comped plans, connecting Stripe and subscriptions: each case, what Gemmein does and what you do.

The cases you are most likely to meet, by part of this page. Credits have their own table on Credits.

After paying, and comped plans

If…	What happens	What you do
A product went on sale before your domain was verified	Gemmein points its Payment Link back to your domain the moment it is verified. After paying, the buyer lands on your return path (`/` unless you set one on the Payments page).	Nothing.
Your verified domain is removed	Buyers see Stripe's own confirmation page after paying.	Verify the domain again.
You remove a product	Its file stays while any buyer holds it and is deleted once nobody does (a full refund ends a hold; a part refund keeps it). A file uploaded in the last 24 hours is never touched, and a Live copy replaced at go-live goes the same way. Logs records each deletion.	Nothing.
You comp a plan with an end date	It ends on its own at that date (checked every 10 minutes): back to the default plan, its access goes, and Logs records it. Credits already granted stay.	Nothing.
You switch or cancel a comped plan	Its access moves at once: the old plan's comp access goes, the new plan's comes.	Nothing.
A comped person later pays	The paid plan takes over and the comp's own access goes, so nothing outlives the paid plan.	Nothing.

Connecting Stripe

If…	What happens	What you do
You paste a secret key, a publishable key, a signing secret or a Payment Link	Refused in one sentence. A live-mode key in Development, or a test-mode key in Live, is refused too	Make a restricted key with the permissions above: five, plus two if you sell plans
The key is missing a permission	Refused, naming each missing row (`stripe_key_permissions`)	Turn that row on in Stripe's key editor and paste the key again
The key can read money or customer data	Refused (`stripe_key_too_broad`), with what the key can read	Choose None on every section heading, then turn on only the five (plus two if you sell plans)
Your app sells only products and adds its first plan, on a key made with the five	The plan is refused before anything is made in Stripe (`stripe_key_plan_rows`), naming the two rows to add. A sync, the Payments page and a promote into Live are refused the same way, so you see it before promoting. Nothing else changes	Add Customer portal and Subscriptions (Write) to the key in Stripe, then save again
A key made with only the five, on an app that sells plans	Selling keeps working. Payments shows the missing rows, `g.subscriptions.manage()` answers `portal_unavailable`, and deleting a member's account can't end their subscription in Stripe, so you are told to cancel it there	Edit the key in Stripe and add the two rows
The last plan is removed while members still pay	The app still counts as selling plans: the key still needs the two rows, those members still open their portal, and deleting one still ends their subscription. Another business's subscriptions on the same Stripe account never count	Nothing
Gemmein can't read the environment's payments for a moment	Connecting the key answers `payments_unreadable` and saves nothing; the daily check concludes nothing	Try again
The Stripe account is already connected to another Gemmein account	Refused (`stripe_account_in_use`). Your own apps may share one Stripe account	Connect a Stripe account that only you use
You paste a key from a different Stripe account	Refused while what Gemmein made in the first account exists	In Development, Start over once nothing can still pay
You replace the key with a new one from the same Stripe account	The webhook, its signing secret, your Payment Links and the account's claim carry over	Nothing
The key is revoked or rolled in Stripe	Payment Links already out keep selling and payments keep landing. Making or changing anything in Stripe is refused (`stripe_key_broken`). The Payments page, Overview and Errors show it, and you get one email	Connect a new key
The key is given more permissions later	Gemmein stops using it (`stripe_key_too_broad`) and resumes on its own once it is back to the rows it needs	Remove the extra permissions in Stripe
Gemmein's webhook is deleted or disabled in Stripe	The Payments page, Overview and Errors show it, and you get one email	Choose Repair webhook. A deleted one is made again with a new signing secret, and the old one keeps verifying for 72 hours
Stripe refuses part of a save, such as a permission the key lost	Nothing is saved. What Gemmein made in Stripe during that save is turned off again, and the message names what to fix	Fix what the message names and save again
Two people save the Payments page at once	The later save is refused with a reload message	Reload and save again
A payment lands on a Payment Link Gemmein did not make, or on a removed item's old link	Nothing is granted, even to an item added again under the same name. Errors names the payment	Refund it in Stripe, or grant it by hand
You disconnect the key	The webhook, its signing secret and every Payment Link keep working. Only making or changing things in Stripe stops	Nothing
Live has no key yet	Nothing sold through Stripe can be bought in Live; its checkout answers `payments_not_configured`	Connect a live-mode key on Live's Payments page

Subscriptions

If…	What happens	What you do
A renewal payment fails	The customer keeps the plan while Stripe retries the card, and `g.subscriptions.mine()` still answers `active`. Your Stripe retry schedule is the grace period	Nothing. Set the retries in your Stripe subscription settings
Stripe stops retrying a failed renewal	When Stripe cancels the subscription or marks it unpaid, the customer moves to your default plan and the plan's access closes. A subscription Stripe leaves past due keeps the plan	In your Stripe subscription settings, cancel the subscription or mark it unpaid after the last retry
A customer cancels at period end	They keep the plan until the period ends, then move to your default plan	Nothing
A subscriber calls `g.subscriptions.checkout` again	No second subscription is started. It answers `already_subscribed` with a customer portal link for them, where they change plan	Send them to the `url` it returns
The price on a subscription is changed in Stripe to another plan's price	The customer moves to that plan, and Logs records the change. A price Gemmein did not make leaves the plan as it is	Nothing
A subscription is paused in Stripe	The customer is on your default plan while it is paused. When it resumes, the plan comes back	Nothing
A renewal is paid	The plan's credits for the new period are granted once. A renewal never changes the plan	Nothing
A subscription payment is refunded in full	That period's credits are taken back and the payment reads `refunded`. The plan and its access stay	To end access too, cancel the subscription in Stripe (see Refunds)
Stripe sends events late, out of order or twice	Each applies once and the newest state wins. A late payment never reopens a cancelled plan	Nothing
A customer pays by bank debit	The plan opens when the payment clears. A payment that never clears is closed after 30 days, and opens the plan if it still arrives	Nothing
You rename a plan	Its subscribers move with it and keep their access	Nothing

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Last updated 13 October 2026