Free Trials and Sandbox Subs

One of the most important things for companies looking to onboard customers efficiently is the ability to create low-friction systems for customers to gain access to your platform.

Archetype is uniquely qualified to enable companies to onboard customers through timed sandbox access.

Trials

You can leverage usage based trials through Archetype as well. There are a few key ways you can do this.

Timed Trials

For every product, you are able to set a free trial length based on duration. The trails can range anywhere from days to years.

You can add trials to products via the dashboard and with the API as shown below.

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Metered usage in Free Trials

Metered usage during free trial windows will NOT be charged. Be sure that this is is intended.

Limited Use Free Trials

Companies can also issue limited use subscriptions that after the quota has been exceeded have the option of

  • Blocking the customer from using the metered resource.
  • Start charging for the usage above the free threshold. Example is below
Price Per GigabyteStartEnd
$0010
$110Inf

Adding Trials via the Dashboard

You can add timed trials to any product via the product create/update pages here.

Add trial

For usage based trials, you can edit metered item pages to set the first X number to be free as shown below

Edit metered item

Adding Trials via the API/SDKs

To add a trial via the API or SDK, view the docs on creating and modifying products.

Sandboxes

The difference between sandbox subscriptions and trials are that trials will eventually automatically convert to a paid subscription based on time or usage.

Sandboxes are instantly issued timed trials for customers to get access to your platform immediately.

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Customers already subscribed to a real plan cannot be moved to a sandbox subscription

For someone to be granted sandbox access, you will need to cancel or downgrade their subscription before granting a sandbox subscription.

Sandbox subscriptions are just like standard subscriptions with the same access control rules, rate limits, and usage limiting, customers just

Customers assigned to a sandbox subscription will get the same access to that product as a normal subscription, just without having to enter their credit card details or go through a checkout session.

You can issue a sandbox subscription to a customer via the dashboard or through the API or SDK.

For companies in private beta, issuing sandbox subscriptions are ideal to get quick validation of products.

Sandbox subscriptions can be tied to specific lengths of time for each customer. After the time runs out, they will automatically get downgraded to having no subscription.

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Sandbox Usage

Usage Metrics on Sandbox Subscriptions will be tracked and displayed but they will not count in revenue stats. All usage and flat fees will not be charged.

Issuing Sandbox Subscriptions via the Dashboard

You can do this by creating a product and going to the customer edit page. You will see an add a subscription button like so:

Add subcription

After that, go to sandbox subscription for more details.

Type of subscription

Length of subscription

Once you've added a subscription, it will immediately reflect to that customer and all limits and access controls granted ot the product will immediately be available to the customer.

Issuing Sandbox Subscriptions via the API/SDK

To issue a sandbox subscription, view the docs on creating a sandbox here.

Sandbox Length Options
One Day
Two Days
Three Days
1 Week
Two Weeks
Three Weeks
1 Month
Two Months
Three Months
Six Months
1 Year

Summary

Sandboxes and t


What’s Next

Learn more about products at Managing subscriptions