When a Fixed Term membership reaches its end date, it either renews or ends. This guide explains how auto-renewal works, how to check what a renewal will charge, and when to renew by hand instead.
How auto-renewal works
Only Fixed Term memberships renew. No Expiry memberships never end, so there's nothing to renew. Class credit memberships can't auto-renew.
When you add a membership, its renewal settings are copied from the plan. After that, each membership keeps its own settings, and changing the plan doesn't change them.
NextKick renews the membership on the renewed membership's start date and bills the new term using that membership's renewal settings. Staff don't need to approve it.
The signup fee isn't charged on renewals.
Setting | What it does |
Auto-renewal | Turns automatic renewal on or off for this membership |
Renewal Frequency | One-Time renews once, then the membership ends after the next term. Unlimited renews every time until you turn it off. |
Renewal Membership Name | The plan the membership renews into. It can be a different plan, for example to move a student from a Kids plan to an Adult plan. |
Customize Renewal Settings | The period, payment frequency, down payment, autopay amount, tax and number of payments for the renewed term |
Step 1: Check what the renewal will charge
Open the student's profile and click the Membership tab.
Click the membership to expand it, then click Actions → Auto-renewal settings.
Check Current Renewal Configuration. It shows the plan, period, down payment, autopay amount, tax and number of payments for the next term.
Important: The renewal uses these amounts, not the student's current price. If you changed a student's price with Edit billing schedule, for example for a sibling discount, the renewal still charges the amount shown here until you change it. A student might pay $200 a month now while the renewal is still set to the plan's $250.
Step 2: Change one student's renewal
In the same window, keep Auto-renewal on. To let the membership end instead, turn it off.
Choose the Renewal Frequency.
Choose the Renewal Membership Name.
Under Customize Renewal Settings, update the period, payment frequency, Down Payment Amount, Auto payment amount, Tax percentage and Autopay Installment Count. Here the count is the number of payments in the renewed term.
Click Update.
Unlimited isn't available when the renewal has no expiry.
If the renewal amount is $0, the membership renews for free every time, with no payment or invoice. NextKick asks you to confirm.
The payment frequency has to fit within the renewal term. If it doesn't, NextKick won't save the settings.
Renew by hand instead
Use Add Membership → Renewal when a family signs up again for a different term or price, or renews early.
Turn off auto-renewal first. Renewal and Replace don't work while auto-renewal is on.
Set the Start Date to the day the current membership ends. The current membership ends on the start date you choose.
Use Renewal or Replace for the next term, not New. A term added as New runs alongside the old membership, so the old one still shows as expiring.
See which memberships are ending
On the Home dashboard, Membership Renewal (+30 days) shows how many memberships are expiring or have expired. See Your Home Dashboard, Explained.
In Payments → Memberships, use the Expires This Month filter.
To show members a notice when they check themselves in near the end of their membership, turn on Remind members before their membership expires. See What are Default Check-in Settings?
The ready-made Membership Will Expire Soon automation sends members an email and a push notification before their membership ends. You can change when it goes out. See How to Set Up Automations.
FAQ
Why did a renewal charge the full plan price?
The renewal uses the membership's renewal settings, which come from the plan. Update the Auto payment amount in Actions → Auto-renewal settings whenever you change a student's price.
I get "Membership with auto-renewal cannot be replaced." What do I do?
Turn off auto-renewal on the current membership in Actions → Auto-renewal settings, then try Replace or Renewal again.
I get "There are empty entries. Please check again." when adding a membership. Why?
A required field is empty. If you turned on auto-renewal with One-Time, check that the renewal period and amounts are filled in.
How do I stop one family's membership from renewing?
Click Actions → Auto-renewal settings, turn off Auto-renewal and click Update. The membership ends on its end date.
Does NextKick remind families before an autopay charge?
No. Families get a receipt after each payment goes through, but no reminder before it, and there isn't an automation for one yet. If families need notice before each payment, use Auto Invoice instead. NextKick creates an invoice and emails it 7 days before each due date, and the family pays it. See What Is Auto Invoice? How It Differs from Autopay.
A family already renewed but still gets expiration notices. Why?
The next term was probably added with Add Membership → New, so the old membership is still active and still ending. Because the new membership has already started, cancel the old one with Actions → Cancel membership. Next time, use Renewal or Replace.