In the same way WooCommerce applies an order status to indicate the current state of an order during its life-cycle, Woo Subscriptions & Subscriptions by WooCommerce applies a status to a subscription.
This guide details each status, explains when it is applied, and what it represents.
Pending Subscription Status
↑ Back to topWhen a subscription is first created, either by a customer purchasing a subscription product via checkout or a store owner manually adding a subscription, it will have the Pending status.
This status indicates that the subscription has been created, but no payments have been processed on the subscription.
Active Subscription Status
↑ Back to topAfter the initial payment for a subscription has been processed (if any payment is required), it will be transitioned to the Active status.
This status indicates the subscription will renew or expire at a given time in the future. When a subscription is Active, the user associated with the subscription will be assigned the default subscriber role, and may be given special access by other extensions, like WooCommerce Memberships. Whenever a subscription is activated, Subscriptions will also calculate the next payment date for the subscription if it’s not already set.
On-Hold Subscription Status
↑ Back to topA subscription is placed On-Hold when an associated order is awaiting payment, or it has been manually suspended by the store owner or customer.
A subscription can remain On-Hold indefinitely. If it was manually suspended, it will need to be manually reactivated. If it was suspended awaiting payment, it will be reactivated once that payment is processed.
When a subscription is On-Hold, the user associated with the subscription will be assigned the default inactive role, and may no longer be granted special access by other extensions, like WooCommerce Memberships.
Pending-Cancellation Subscription Status
↑ Back to topWhen a subscription is manually cancelled by the customer, its status is not usually transitioned to Cancelled immediately. If the subscription has a pre-paid term that has not been provided yet, the subscription will be assigned the Pending Cancellation status.
During this time, the user associated with the subscription will continue to have the subscriber role, and may be given special access by other extensions, like WooCommerce Memberships.
When the pre-paid term ends, the subscription’s status will be transitioned to Cancelled.
Cancelled Subscription Status
↑ Back to topThe Cancelled status is assigned to subscriptions with the Pending Cancellation status when they reach the end of their pre-paid term.
When a subscription is Cancelled, the user associated with the subscription will be assigned the default inactive role, and may no longer be granted special access by other extensions, like WooCommerce Memberships.
Subscriptions with the Cancelled status cannot be reactivated. To reactivate these subscriptions, a new subscription needs to be manually created or the customer repurchase the subscription product.
Expired Subscription Status
↑ Back to topIf an end date is set on a subscription, either because the product it relates to has a defined subscription length, or because the end date was manually set on the subscription, when that date is reached, the subscription will be assigned the Expired status.
When a subscription expires, the user associated with the subscription will be assigned the default inactive role, and may no longer be granted special access by other extensions, like WooCommerce Memberships.
Subscriptions with the Expired status cannot be reactivated. To reactivate these subscriptions, a new subscription needs to be manually created or the customer repurchase the subscription product.
Switched Subscription Status
↑ Back to topThis is an old status used in Woo Subscriptions versions prior to 2.0. It was assigned to a subscription after the subscription was upgraded or downgraded.
Because individual items on a subscription can now be switched, this status is no longer necessary or used.