How to track customer subscriptions in Bubble

The core idea: you don’t track subscriptions manually in Bubble. You let your payment provider (usually Stripe) manage the subscription status, and your Bubble app stores the subscription data and keeps it in sync using webhooks. In Bubble this means: create a data type to store subscription info, call Stripe to start the subscription, receive webhook events when Stripe changes the subscription, and update the User’s fields in backend workflows.

Core Structure You Need in Bubble

Create a Subscription data type so Bubble can store what Stripe sends.

• stripe_subscription_id (text)
• status (text)
• current_period_end (date)
• User (User)

This lets you track the real-time state of each user’s subscription without guessing.

Starting a Subscription

Use the Stripe plugin or API Connector to create a subscription. After Stripe returns the subscription ID, save it to the user’s Subscription record. That ID is what connects your Bubble database to Stripe’s system.

// Example Stripe API call (API Connector)
// POST https://api.stripe.com/v1/subscriptions
// required fields: customer, items[0][price]

Keeping It in Sync with Webhooks

Stripe notifies Bubble when something changes (renewal, cancellation, payment failed). In Bubble you create a Backend Workflow set to “Detect data” so Stripe can POST to it. Then map the fields.

• When event = invoice.payment\_succeeded → update status to "active".
• When event = customer.subscription.deleted → set status to "canceled".
• When event = invoice.payment_failed → mark user as past_due or limit access.

This removes the need for scheduled checks. Stripe tells you everything.

Using Subscription Status in Your App

Once the Subscription record is updated by webhooks, simply check its status anywhere in your app (privacy rules, workflows, conditionals). For example: show premium features only when User's Subscription's status is "active".

Most Important Rule

Bubble does NOT automatically monitor subscriptions. Your webhook workflow is the source of truth. As long as your webhook updates the Subscription data type correctly, your app will always know the user's real subscription state.