Plans & Billing

Overview

CheckinDog offers a tiered pricing model designed to grow with your business. Whether you are just starting out with a handful of clients or running a busy multi-groomer salon, there is a plan that fits. The Free plan lets you get started immediately with no payment required, while the Solo and Pro plans unlock higher limits and premium features as your business grows.

Available Plans

Free Plan

The Free plan is perfect for new salons, solo groomers just getting started, or anyone who wants to try CheckinDog without commitment.

Included in the Free plan:

• Up to 50 customers
• Up to 100 animals
• Up to 50 appointments per month
• Access to all core features (scheduling, invoicing, customer management, inventory)
• No credit card required
• No time limit — use the Free plan for as long as you need

What is not included:

• SMS messaging
• Priority support

The Free plan is not a trial — it is a fully functional tier with no expiration date. If your salon operates within these limits, you can use CheckinDog indefinitely at no cost.

Solo Plan

The Solo plan is designed for established solo groomers or small salons that have outgrown the Free plan limits.

Pricing:

• EUR 14.90 per month (billed monthly)
• EUR 149 per year (billed annually — save EUR 29.80 per year)

Included in the Solo plan:

• Up to 200 customers
• Up to 400 animals
• Up to 200 appointments per month
• SMS messaging capability
• Priority support

Pro Plan

The Pro plan is built for busy salons, multi-groomer operations, and businesses that need no limits on their growth.

Pricing:

• EUR 29.90 per month (billed monthly)
• EUR 299 per year (billed annually — save EUR 59.80 per year)

Included in the Pro plan:

• Unlimited customers
• Unlimited animals
• Unlimited appointments per month
• SMS messaging capability
• Priority support

Plan Comparison at a Glance

Subscribing to a Plan

When you are ready to upgrade, the subscription process is quick and secure.

Accessing the Subscription Page

Navigate to Subscription in the sidebar. This page displays all available plans, your current plan status, and options for managing your subscription.

Choosing a Plan

1. Review the plans displayed on the subscription page.
2. Select either the Solo or Pro plan.
3. Choose your billing frequency: monthly or annual.
4. Click the Subscribe button.

Stripe Checkout

CheckinDog uses Stripe as its payment processor. When you click Subscribe, you are redirected to a secure Stripe Checkout page where you can:

• Enter your credit or debit card details.
• Review the plan and pricing before confirming.
• Complete the payment securely.

All payment processing happens on Stripe's servers. CheckinDog never sees or stores your full card number.

7-Day Free Trial

Both the Solo and Pro plans include a 7-day free trial. This means:

• Your card is authorized but not charged immediately.
• You have 7 full days to explore all the features of your chosen plan.
• If you cancel within the trial period, you will not be charged.
• After 7 days, your first billing cycle begins automatically.

The trial gives you time to confirm that the plan is right for your salon before any payment is processed.

SMS Credits

SMS messaging is available on the Solo and Pro plans. To send SMS messages, you need to purchase credits.

How SMS Credits Work

Each SMS message you send consumes one credit. Credits are purchased in packs and added to your salon's balance. They do not expire, so you can purchase them at your own pace.

Purchasing SMS Credits

1. Navigate to the Subscription page.
2. Scroll to the SMS Credits section.
3. Choose from the available credit packs (various quantities at different price points).
4. Complete the purchase through Stripe Checkout.

Credits are added to your salon's balance immediately after purchase.

Monitoring Your Balance

Your current SMS credit balance is displayed on the subscription page. Keep an eye on it and purchase additional credits before you run out, especially if you use SMS for appointment reminders or marketing campaigns.

Managing Your Subscription

Billing Portal

CheckinDog provides access to the Stripe Billing Portal where you can manage all aspects of your subscription and payment details.

From the billing portal, you can:

• Update your payment method — Change the credit or debit card on file.
• View invoices — Access and download PDF invoices for all past payments.
• Review billing history — See a complete record of charges, refunds, and credits.

To access the billing portal, click the Manage billing button on the subscription page. You will be redirected to the Stripe-hosted portal.

Changing Plans

To upgrade or downgrade your plan:

1. Visit the Subscription page.
2. Select the new plan you want.
3. Confirm the change.

Upgrading takes effect immediately. You will be prorated for the remainder of your current billing period.

Downgrading takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You retain access to the higher plan's features until then. Make sure your usage (customers, animals, appointments) fits within the lower plan's limits before the change takes effect.

Cancellation

If you need to cancel your subscription, you can do so from the subscription page.

How Cancellation Works

1. Click the Cancel subscription button.
2. Confirm the cancellation.

Grace Period

When you cancel, your subscription does not end immediately. Instead, you enter a grace period that lasts until the end of your current billing cycle.

During the grace period:

• You retain full access to all features of your current plan.
• Your salon continues to function normally.
• The subscription page indicates that your plan is set to expire on a specific date.

Resuming During the Grace Period

Changed your mind? During the grace period, you can resume your subscription. Click the Resume button on the subscription page, and your plan will continue as if you never cancelled. No additional charges are applied until your next regular billing date.

After the Grace Period

Once the grace period ends:

• Your salon reverts to the Free plan limits.
• If your current usage exceeds Free plan limits (more than 50 customers, 100 animals, or 50 appointments/month), you will not lose any data, but you may be prompted to upgrade to continue adding new records.
• SMS messaging becomes unavailable until you resubscribe to a paid plan.

Usage Tracking

CheckinDog tracks your salon's usage to help you understand where you stand relative to your plan's limits.

What Is Tracked

• Customer count — The total number of active customers in your salon.
• Animal count — The total number of animals registered in your salon.
• SMS credits — Your remaining SMS credit balance.

Approaching Limits

As you approach your plan's limits, CheckinDog will notify you in advance. For example, if you are on the Solo plan with 190 out of 200 customers, you will see a notification suggesting that you consider upgrading. This gives you time to plan ahead rather than hitting a wall unexpectedly.

Exceeding Limits

If you reach your plan's limit for customers or animals:

• Existing data is fully preserved — nothing is deleted.
• You will be unable to add new records beyond the limit until you upgrade.
• A clear message explains which limit you have reached and which plan would accommodate your needs.

Demo Shop Restrictions

If you are browsing the demo/training salon, subscription actions are blocked. This includes:

• Subscribing to a plan.
• Purchasing SMS credits.
• Accessing the billing portal.
• Cancelling or resuming a subscription.

These restrictions exist because the demo salon is a shared environment that resets nightly. To manage a real subscription, switch to your own salon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a subscription to use CheckinDog?

No. The Free plan gives you access to all core features with no payment required. You only need a subscription if you exceed the Free plan's limits or want SMS messaging and priority support.

Can different salons be on different plans?

Yes. Plans are linked to individual salons, not to your user account. If you manage multiple salons, each one can be on a different plan based on its needs.

What happens to my data if I downgrade?

Nothing is deleted. Your existing customers, animals, appointments, and invoices are fully preserved. However, if your usage exceeds the lower plan's limits, you will not be able to add new records until you either upgrade again or reduce your usage.

Can I switch between monthly and annual billing?

Yes. Contact support or manage this through the Stripe billing portal. Switching to annual billing saves you approximately two months of subscription costs per year.

Are SMS credits shared between salons?

No. SMS credits are purchased per salon and belong to that salon only. Each salon maintains its own credit balance.

Is my payment information secure?

Absolutely. All payment processing is handled by Stripe, a PCI Level 1 certified payment processor. CheckinDog never stores your full card details.

Summary

CheckinDog's subscription model is designed to be fair and flexible. Start with the Free plan at no cost, upgrade to Solo or Pro as your business grows, and manage everything through a simple, transparent interface. With Stripe handling the payments, a 7-day free trial on paid plans, and clear usage tracking to help you plan ahead, you always know where you stand and what your options are.