Bonusly subscription billing depends on your plan (Free, Team, or Organization) and whether you pay monthly or annually. Most newer Team and Organization customers choose monthly billing. Annual contracts use seats and true-up invoices when your team grows.
Monthly vs. annual billing
| Monthly billing | Annual billing |
Who it's for | Most Team and Organization customers on standard self-serve plans | Customers on annual contracts (often with a minimum seat commitment) |
How you're charged | User count (or minimum quantity, if set) × monthly price per seat, billed each month | Seats purchased for the full term, with true-ups when user count exceeds seats |
When user count matters | Every billing cycle: your bill reflects active users at billing time | Between renewals: true-up invoices cover extra users for the rest of the term |
Where to review | Subscription card on Plans & Billing | Same card, plus Next true-up date and Renewal date |
Rewards billing (gift cards, donations, and other paid redemptions) is separate from subscription billing. See Paying for Bonusly: Rewards Plans.
Monthly subscription billing
On a monthly Team or Organization plan, Bonusly bills you each month based on your user count at billing time (or your contracted minimum, if one applies).
User count is the number of active users in your account. Review it on Admin > Users > User accounts and in the Subscription card on Plans & Billing.
Seats match your user count on monthly plans. There is no separate seat purchase step each month.
Your invoice amount is roughly: user count × monthly price per seat, plus any add-ons (such as Bizy, if enabled).
The Subscription card on Plans & Billing shows your plan, user count, monthly price per seat, and Next billing date.
Pro tip: Before each billing date, review your user count on Plans & Billing. Deactivate users who should no longer have access if you want to lower your next invoice.
Annual subscription billing
Have a Customer Success Manager? If your organization works with a dedicated CSM, contact them first for temporary headcount increases, billing adjustments, and renewal planning. They can help you find the best approach for your contract.
On an annual plan, you purchase a set number of seats (Bonusly licenses) for your subscription term, usually one year.
Adding seats during your term
If you add users beyond the seats you've already paid for, Bonusly charges a prorated amount for the extra seats for the remainder of your term. You don't need to wait until renewal to grow your team.
True-up invoices
If your user count exceeds your seats at a true-up checkpoint, you'll receive a true-up invoice. It covers the additional users for the time left on your subscription term.
For annual accounts, the Subscription card on Plans & Billing shows:
Plan and billing term (for example, Team, billed annually)
User count - active users in your account
Seats - Bonusly licenses purchased for the current term
Next true-up date - when Bonusly will invoice for additional seats if user count exceeds seats
Renewal date - when your subscription term renews
Pro tip: Compare User count and Seats on Plans & Billing. If user count is higher, you'll likely be charged for extra seats on the next true-up unless you remove users before that date.
Temporary headcount increases (annual contracts)
Sometimes your team grows for a short period of time, such as when summer interns join you for a few months, or you hire freelancers or contractual employees. Here's how annual billing handles that:
True-up invoices cover additional seats for the remainder of your current subscription term, prorated from your subscription start date.
Bonusly does not support custom billing end dates. You can't pay for extra seats only through a specific month (for example, September) when your term runs longer (for example, through March).
Before your next true-up date: Removing extra users may prevent a true-up charge. That's the best time to adjust if the increase was short-lived.
After a true-up invoice is issued: Deactivating those users does not refund or credit the invoice. You've already been charged for the prorated period.
Self-serve vs. contracted annual accounts:
Self-serve annual plans: Your seat count may adjust at renewal based on your user count and plan rules.
Contracted annual accounts (minimum seat commitment, invoice billing, or sales-led agreements): Removing users does not automatically reduce your contracted seat count or renewal pricing. Work with your Bonusly team to plan headcount changes.
Renewal
Renewal works differently depending on your account type:
Self-serve annual plans: Your seat count may update to match your current user count at renewal, subject to any minimum on your plan. Seat reductions usually take effect at renewal, not mid-term.
Contracted annual accounts: Your renewal seat count follows your agreement. Do not assume deactivating users will lower your renewal cost. Contact your CSM or [email protected] to discuss changes before your renewal date.
Bizy on your subscription invoice
Bizy (Bonusly's AI assistant) is billed separately from your base plan when access is enabled on eligible plans.
A Bizy line item appears on your subscription invoice, with the seat breakdown (for example, the number of admins and employees with access) shown in the details.
What you pay depends on how many members have access. See Managing Bizy Seats: Team Plan for pricing and how to turn Bizy off to avoid charges.
You manage Bizy access in Company > Account settings > Bizy settings. Subscription charges appear on invoices in Billing history. See Payment history and invoices in Billing history for how to read those line items.
Subscription billing FAQs
How is my current user count calculated?
This is the number of active users on Admin > Users > User accounts.
How are billing units (seats) calculated?
Monthly subscriptions: Seats equal your user count. You're billed each month for the users in your account (or your minimum, if set).
Annual subscriptions: Seats are the licenses purchased for the current term. Extra users trigger proration or true-up charges until renewal.
How many seats will I be billed for at renewal?
Self-serve annual plans without a minimum user count: Seats typically update to match your current user count at renewal.
Self-serve annual plans with a minimum user count: Seats update to the greater of your current user count or your minimum.
Contracted annual accounts: Renewal seat count follows your agreement. Contact your CSM or [email protected] to confirm what you'll be billed for.
Can I pay for temporary users for only part of my subscription term?
No. Bonusly does not support custom billing end dates for extra seats. A true-up invoice covers additional users for the time left on your current subscription term. If you're on a contracted annual plan and need a different arrangement (for example, interns for a few months), contact your CSM or [email protected].
What happens if I remove users after a true-up invoice?
Deactivating users does not refund or credit a true-up invoice you've already received. For contracted annual accounts, removing users also does not automatically reduce your contracted seat count or renewal pricing.
Will deactivating users lower my bill at renewal?
On self-serve annual plans, your seat count may adjust at renewal based on your user count and plan rules. On contracted annual accounts, deactivating users does not automatically lower your renewal cost.
What's the difference between next true-up date and renewal date?
Your next true-up date is an interim checkpoint. If your user count exceeds your purchased seats, Bonusly may invoice you for the additional seats on that date. Your renewal date is when your current subscription term ends and a new term begins. Both dates appear on the subscription card on Plans & Billing. A true-up invoice covers extra seats through your renewal date, not just until the next true-up.
Is proration based on the subscription start date or the fiscal calendar?
Proration is based on your subscription start date, not your company's fiscal calendar.
What's the difference between user count and seats?
User count: People currently in your Bonusly account.
Seats: Bonusly licenses you've purchased for the current subscription term. On monthly plans, these track together. On annual plans, seats can lag behind user count until a true-up or renewal.
Where do I see upcoming charges?
Open Plans & Billing for plan details and Billing history for past and open invoices.
Questions about enterprise or nonprofit pricing? Email [email protected].