A Beginner's Guide to Creating a Subscription Contract

To access this page, go to Supr Bundles & Subscriptions > Subscriptions, click Create subscription contract, then choose Create subscription contract again.

You can start a subscription for a customer yourself, without them going through checkout. Shopify calls each subscription a subscription contract, which is why the button uses that name. This is handy for migrations, phone orders, or restarting a subscription for a past subscriber.

You do not need to do this for normal sales: a contract is created automatically whenever a customer checks out with a subscription option.

When to Use This Guide

Use this guide to:

Migrate subscribers from another system
Start a subscription for an existing or past subscriber
Replace a cancelled subscription, or move a subscription to a different customer record
Start a subscription on a later date

Before you start: customers without a saved payment method

The customer does not need a saved payment method. If they have none, you can still create the contract: Shopify emails them a secure link to add a payment method to that subscription (no sign in needed, ask them to check their spam folder if it does not arrive). The subscription cannot be charged until they add one, so if they may need time, tick First order due later in step 4.

If you would rather the customer chooses their own products and pays at checkout, send a quick subscribe link instead. When you click Create subscription contract on the Subscriptions page, the second choice, Create quick subscribe link, takes you there. See Creating Subscription Invitations (Quick subscribe links).

Steps to Create a Subscription

Choose the subscription option

In the Subscription card, click Select subscription option. The list shows the subscription options from your offers, grouped by offer. Pick one, or choose Custom subscription option to set the terms for this customer only.
Open the menu (⋯) to change the terms for this contract: Edit renewals and billing frequency, Edit contract duration limits, or Edit subscription renewal dates (renew on a fixed day, not available for daily frequencies).
The card then summarizes the Order frequency, Billing frequency, Duration and Discount.

Edit contract duration limits counts renewals, and the first order is not included. In the offer editor, Minimum orders and Orders before it ends count orders, including the first one. So a subscription option with a minimum of 3 orders is the same as a contract with a minimum of 2 renewals.

Choose the customer

In the Customer card on the right, click Search customer and pick them.
Check their Shipping address and fix it if the page shows Invalid shipping address.
In the Payment method card, choose which of their saved cards to charge. The first one is selected for you. If they have no saved payment method, the card says so, and Shopify emails them a link to add one when you create the contract.
Optionally add a note in the Notes card.

Add products

In the products card, click Add product and pick each variant.
Set the quantity. Click a price to change the base price for this subscription, or click the discount icon on a line to add a manual discount with a Reason for discount (the customer can see this reason).
Click the X at the end of a line to remove it.

Set payment and delivery

In the Payment card, click Edit discount to set the subscription discount (No discount, Percentage, Amount off or Fixed price) and to add discount codes.
Click Add shipping to pick one of your shipping rates, Free shipping, or Custom (enter a Rate name and Price).
Decide when the first order happens. By default the customer is billed and the first order is created immediately. To start later, tick First order due later and pick the First order date.

Create the subscription

Check the totals, then click Create contract at the bottom of the Payment card.

The new subscription then appears on the Subscriptions list, where you can manage it like any other.

Common questions

Can I create a subscription for a customer who has never bought from me?
Yes, as long as they are a customer in your Shopify admin. Create the contract here and Shopify emails them a link to add a payment method. Or send them a quick subscribe link so they check out once themselves.

What happens if the customer has no saved payment method?
The contract is created right away, and Shopify emails the customer a secure link to add a payment method to that subscription. Until they do, it cannot be charged. The subscription's Payment method card shows that there is no payment method yet; to send the link again, click the icon on that card and then Send email. Ask the customer to check their spam folder, since the email comes from Shopify.

Can I add a subscription to a draft order?
No. A draft order cannot start a subscription in Supr Bundles & Subscriptions. Create the contract here instead, or send a quick subscribe link.

Can the subscription start on a future date?
Yes. Tick First order due later and pick the date. The customer is charged and the first order is created on that date, not today.

Can I take the card now and charge it later?
Yes. Tick First order due later: a saved card is charged on that date, and a customer without one gets an email to add a card before then. To collect the card at checkout instead, see Collect a card now, charge on a later date.

Can I move a subscription to a different customer?
Not directly: a subscription stays with the Shopify customer who owns it. Create a new contract here for the right customer, then cancel the old subscription. If they have no saved payment method, Shopify emails them a link to add one. See Managing a customer's subscription on their behalf.

Video walkthrough

A short video of these steps is in How to Create a Subscription Contract for Existing Customers.

Updated on: 10/01/2026

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