subscription_cost
The recurring cost for subscription products. Separate from price (the upfront cost) — subscription_cost makes the recurring nature explicit and surfaces in Shopping placements as 'X/month'.
Also known as: recurring_price
Channel support
| Channel | Status | Field name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Merchant Center | Conditional | subscription_cost | Required for subscription products. Docs → |
| Meta Commerce Manager | Optional | subscription_cost | — |
| TikTok Shop | Not supported | — | — |
| Pinterest Catalog | Not supported | — | — |
| Amazon | Not supported | — | Amazon uses Subscribe & Save instead. |
| Bing Merchant Center | Conditional | subscription_cost | — |
Why it matters
Subscription products that don't disclose recurring billing trigger consumer-protection complaints and channel policy violations. Disclosing the full subscription structure builds user trust and meets policy.
Subscription products that don't disclose recurring billing run into consumer-protection issues and channel policy violations. The subscription_cost field makes the recurring nature explicit at the catalog level — channels surface "X/month" or "X/year" alongside the upfront price, eliminating the surprise-billing complaint pattern.
The structured format `period:amount:length` encodes the mechanics. `month:9.99 GBP:12` is £9.99/month for a 12-month minimum term. `year:99.00 GBP:1` is annual subscription. The length component is the commitment period — important because users (and channels) treat 12-month commitments differently from rolling monthly.
The price field for subscriptions is typically 0 (no upfront cost) or low (small activation fee). The recurring cost lives in subscription_cost. Both should be populated so users see the full pricing structure upfront.
Format rules
-
Structured: period:amount:period_length (e.g. 'month:9.99 GBP:12' = £9.99/month for 12 months)
Applies to: Google Merchant Center, Bing Merchant Center
-
Valid periods: month, year
Applies to: Google Merchant Center, Bing Merchant Center
Valid examples
month:9.99 GBP:12 Monthly subscription, 12-month minimum term
year:99.00 GBP:1 Annual subscription
Related fields
price The product's standard selling price including the currency code. The single field every shopping channel reads first — wrong prices, wrong currency, or mismatches against the landing page break delivery outright.
Read moreinstallment Instalment payment structure for items sold via payment plans. Includes number of instalments and the per-period amount. Used for big-ticket items where instalment offerings are part of the value proposition.
Read moreRelated tools
FAQ
Is the price field the upfront or recurring cost?
Price is the upfront amount (often 0 for subscriptions). subscription_cost is the recurring amount. Both should be populated for subscription products.
Last reviewed: 26 May 2026
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