Billing & Downgrades
The Billing page in Settings is your central hub for managing your subscription plan.
Accessing the Billing Page
Section titled “Accessing the Billing Page”Go to Settings → Billing in your sidebar. You’ll see:
- Current Plan — your active plan name, status, and when you last changed plans
- Usage This Month — meters showing journal entries, AI scans, and team members
- Payment History — recent M-Pesa payments with status and receipt numbers
- Subscription Activity — a timeline of plan changes, renewals, and expirations
- Plan Comparison — side-by-side view of all plans with upgrade/downgrade options
Understanding Your Current Plan
Section titled “Understanding Your Current Plan”The top card shows:
| Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Plan name | Starter, Pro, or Enterprise |
| Price | Monthly cost (Free, KES 1,500, or KES 4,000) |
| Status | Active, Pending Payment, Past Due, or Expired |
| Billing period | Current period dates and days remaining |
| Last change | When your plan was last upgraded or downgraded |
Usage Meters
Section titled “Usage Meters”Three meters show your current usage against plan limits:
- Journal Entries — entries created this month vs. monthly limit
- Receipt Scans — AI scans used this month vs. monthly limit
- Team Members — active + invited members vs. plan limit
Colors indicate usage level: teal (low), gold (moderate), orange (near limit).
How to Downgrade
Section titled “How to Downgrade”Unlike upgrades (which are instant), downgrades are scheduled — they take effect at the end of your current billing period.
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Go to Settings → Billing
Open the billing page from the sidebar.
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Find the lower plan
Look for the plan card with a “Downgrade” button.
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Click “Downgrade”
A preview dialog shows what features and limits you’ll lose.
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Review the changes
If your current usage exceeds the target plan’s limits (for example, you have 3 team members but Starter allows only 1), the downgrade will be blocked. Reduce your usage first.
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Confirm the downgrade
If everything fits, click “Confirm Downgrade”. The change will be scheduled for the end of your billing period.
Pending Downgrade
Section titled “Pending Downgrade”After scheduling a downgrade, you’ll see a gold banner on the billing page showing:
- The plan you’re downgrading to
- The date the change takes effect
Cancelling a Pending Downgrade
Section titled “Cancelling a Pending Downgrade”Changed your mind? You can cancel a scheduled downgrade at any time before it takes effect:
- Look for the “Cancel Downgrade” button on the pending downgrade banner
- Click it to keep your current plan
- Your plan continues unchanged
What Happens When a Downgrade Takes Effect
Section titled “What Happens When a Downgrade Takes Effect”When the scheduled date arrives:
- Your plan switches to the lower tier on your next visit to LedgerBuk
- Features exclusive to the higher plan become gated (you’ll see upgrade prompts)
- Your existing data is never deleted — journal entries, accounts, and reports are preserved
- Usage limits for the new plan take effect immediately
Payment History
Section titled “Payment History”The billing page shows your recent M-Pesa payments:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | When the payment was initiated |
| Amount | Payment amount in KES |
| Status | Completed, Failed, Cancelled, or Timeout |
| M-Pesa Receipt | The M-Pesa receipt number (for completed payments) |
| Purpose | Upgrade or Renewal |
Failed payments show the reason (e.g., “Insufficient M-Pesa balance”, “You cancelled the payment”).
Subscription Renewal
Section titled “Subscription Renewal”When your billing period ends, you’ll need to renew to keep your paid plan features. See Subscription Expiry & Renewal for:
- What happens during the 7-day grace period
- How to renew via M-Pesa
- What your team members see when the subscription lapses
Frequently Asked Questions
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions”Can I downgrade if I have too many team members?
Section titled “Can I downgrade if I have too many team members?”No. You’ll need to deactivate team members until you’re within the target plan’s limit, then try the downgrade again.
What happens to my reports after downgrading?
Section titled “What happens to my reports after downgrading?”Reports like Trial Balance and Balance Sheet become gated on the Starter plan. Your data is still there — upgrade again to access those reports anytime.
Can I schedule multiple downgrades?
Section titled “Can I schedule multiple downgrades?”No. Only one pending downgrade can exist at a time. Cancel the existing one before scheduling a different downgrade.
Who can manage billing?
Section titled “Who can manage billing?”Only the organization owner. Admins and members can view the billing page but cannot upgrade, downgrade, or cancel changes.