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Docs/Monetize/Plans and limits

Plans and limits

Turn pricing ideas into enforceable plan behavior.

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On this page

Plan anatomyLimit typesGood plan designChanging plansPlan examples

Plans package product access for subscribers. A plan should be easy to understand in the portal and precise enough for the gateway to enforce.

Plan anatomy

A plan usually includes:

  • plan name
  • public description
  • billing interval
  • price
  • included usage
  • hard limits or overage rules
  • enabled features
  • credit behavior when applicable

Limit types

LimitMeaning
Hard capStop traffic after the subscriber reaches the limit.
Included quotaTrack usage included in the recurring price.
OverageAllow usage beyond included quota and bill the extra.
Credit requirementRequire available balance before forwarding traffic.
Feature gateAllow or deny access to a feature or endpoint group.

Good plan design

Good plans are specific:

Starter
$29 / month
10,000 requests included
Hard stop after included usage

Avoid vague plan language:

Starter
Some usage included
Fair use applies

If the gateway enforces a number, subscribers should be able to see that number.

Changing plans

Changing live plan behavior can affect existing subscribers. Before changing a limit or billing rule:

  1. Confirm which subscribers are on the plan.
  2. Test the new behavior in stage.
  3. Update portal copy and product docs.
  4. Publish the runtime change.
  5. Watch denied request and usage patterns.

Plan examples

plans:
  - name: Starter
    price: "$29 / month"
    includedUsage:
      meter: requests
      amount: 10000
    overage: false

plans:
  - name: Pro
    price: "$99 / month"
    includedUsage:
      meter: requests
      amount: 100000
    overage:
      unit: 1000 requests
      price: "$0.50"