Five vendor pages show different ways a free trial can start without a card and how that trial can end.
Key takeaways for billing tools that start a free trial with or without a card
- Paddle developer docs specify that whether a subscription has a trial period is determined by whether the prices on the subscription have a trial period, according to Paddle.
- Paddle documentation notes that when a cardless trial ends and there's no payment method on file, the subscription is automatically cancelled, according to Paddle.
- Stripe documentation sets a limit where the trial period must be 730 days (2 years) or less, according to Stripe.
Which billing tools can start a free trial without a card? The short answer
The documentation for these five tools describes different mechanisms for handling payment methods during trial setup. Stripe states that when creating a subscription with a trial period, you don’t need to add a payment method. Chargebee notes that if you are using APIs, you can choose to collect card details at sign-up or at a later time during the trial period. Recurly explains that it lets you require or bypass billing information at the plan level for trial subscriptions. Paddle describes cardless trials as working in a similar way to card-required trials, except that they can only be created using the API and not Paddle.js. Lemon Squeezy indicates that you would need to create a regular subscription product without a free trial.
Each vendor describes its own product behavior on its official documentation page. The Stripe page read is labelled legacy, and Paddle’s cardless trials are in public early access, so these descriptions reflect the specific state of those products at the time the pages were read. No trial was started by this guide to verify these flows. The difference between tools lies in where the decision to collect or bypass billing information is made. For Stripe, the absence of a payment method is explicitly permitted during creation. For Chargebee, the timing of collection is a choice available when using APIs. For Recurly, the requirement is set at the plan level. For Paddle, cardless trials can only be created using the API, not Paddle.js. For Lemon Squeezy, the documentation directs you to create a regular subscription product without a free trial.
How we compared: five official pages and what we looked for on each
We read only the official documentation pages for the five tools in this guide. A similar read is Five landing-page tool testing statements compared. We did not start a trial, create an account, or pay for any service while writing this. Every statement about how a trial starts, ends, or requires a card comes directly from the text on those specific pages. If a page does not state a detail, we mark it as unknown rather than guessing.
The pages describe different levels of control. Some tools let you set the trial length on a plan (Chargebee, Recurly) or on the price (Paddle). We checked each page for where the trial duration is defined, whether a payment method is required at sign-up, and what happens when the trial period finishes. We also noted any constraints on how the trial is created, such as whether it must be set up through an API.
We did not test the tools ourselves. We did not measure sign-up rates, conversion rates, or spam levels. We only reported what the documentation says. If a page is labeled as legacy or early access, we noted that status. This guide is a summary of the written instructions, not a performance review.
The reference table: five billing tools, one row each, from their own pages
The table below lists what each tool’s official documentation page states about trial setup. Every cell is filled only with information found on that specific page. Where a page does not state a detail, the cell reads "not stated on the page read." This comparison does not start trials or test live behavior; it reports only what the vendors describe in their own words.
| Publisher | Trial Length Location | Card Required at Sign-up? | What Happens When Trial Ends Without Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Not stated on the page read; 730 days (2 years) or less | No | Can set missing_payment_method=create_invoice; charge approximately 1 hour later |
| Chargebee | Plan | Optional (with API) | Not stated on the page read |
| Recurly | Plan (days or months) | Optional (plan level) | Not stated on the page read |
| Paddle | Price | No (API only) | Subscription cancelled |
| Lemon Squeezy | Not stated on the page read | Not stated on the page read | Not stated on the page read |
Stripe’s documentation states that when creating a subscription with a trial period, you don’t need to add a payment method, according to Stripe. The same page notes the trial period must be 730 days (2 years) or less, according to Stripe. You can set missing_payment_method to create_invoice to invoice at the end of the trial if no payment method is present, then Stripe attempts to charge that invoice approximately 1 hour later, according to Stripe.
Chargebee’s docs explain that once you create a plan with a trial period, all subscriptions created for this plan will automatically inherit the configured trial period, according to Chargebee. For card handling, the page says if you are using APIs you can choose to collect card details at sign-up or at a later time during the trial period, according to Chargebee. The page does not state what occurs when a trial ends without a card.
Recurly’s documentation states that trial periods are configured at the plan level and can use days or months, according to Recurly. It also notes that Recurly lets you require or bypass billing information at the plan level for trial subscriptions, according to Recurly. The page does not specify the outcome when a trial ends without a payment method.
Paddle’s developer docs indicate that whether a subscription has a trial period is determined by whether the prices on the subscription have a trial period, according to Paddle. The page specifies that cardless trials work in a similar way to card-required trials, except that they can only be created using the API — not Paddle.js, according to Paddle. It further states that when a cardless trial ends and there's no payment method on file, Paddle automatically cancels the subscription, according to Paddle.
Lemon Squeezy’s guide states that in Lemon Squeezy, you would need to create a regular subscription product without a free trial, according to Lemon Squeezy. The page does not state where trial length is set, whether a card is required, or what happens when a trial ends.
Check each cell against your own sign-up flow needs. If a cell says "not stated on the page read," mark that item as unknown in your checklist.
Where the trial length is set and how a trial without a card starts
Trial duration is configured at different levels depending on the billing tool. In "Use free trial periods on subscriptions | Stripe Documentation," the trial period must be 730 days (2 years) or less Stripe. In "Trial Management - Chargebee Docs," once you create a plan with a trial period, all subscriptions created for that plan automatically inherit the configured trial period Chargebee. In "Free trial management," trial periods are configured at the plan level and can use days or months Recurly. For example, an annual plan billed monthly with a 30-day free trial results in a 13-month subscription term Recurly. In "Create a cardless trial | Paddle Developer Docs," whether a subscription has a trial period is determined by whether the prices on the subscription have a trial period Paddle. In "Docs: Free Trials • Lemon Squeezy," free trials are currently supported on all subscription products Lemon Squeezy.
Starting a trial without a card involves specific mechanisms. In "Use free trial periods on subscriptions | Stripe Documentation," when creating a subscription with a trial period, you don’t need to add a payment method Stripe. In "Trial Management - Chargebee Docs," if you are using APIs you can choose to collect card details at sign-up or at a later time during the trial period Chargebee. In "Free trial management," Recurly lets you require or bypass billing information at the plan level for trial subscriptions Recurly. In "Create a cardless trial | Paddle Developer Docs," cardless trials work in a similar way to card-required trials, except that they can only be created using the API — not Paddle.js Paddle. While in public early access, you can only create or update prices with a cardless trial period using the API Paddle. The Lemon Squeezy page does not state a distinct mechanism for starting cardless trials or card-required trials.
Check each tool's documentation to see where you set the trial length and whether your sign-up flow can start a trial without a card.
What happens when the trial ends and no card is on file
When a free trial concludes without a payment method saved to the account, the specific outcome depends entirely on the configuration and the vendor's documented behavior.
For the product described in "Use free trial periods on subscriptions | Stripe Documentation," the behavior is configurable. You can set the parameter missing_payment_method to create_invoice. According to Stripe, this setting instructs the system to invoice the customer at the end of the trial if no payment method is present. Once that invoice is created, the system attempts to charge it approximately 1 hour later, as stated in the same documentation. If you do not set this parameter, the page does not specify the alternative outcome for a missing card in this specific context.
In "Trial Management - Chargebee Docs," the documentation describes a different mechanism for ending the trial period. According to Chargebee, you can end the trial immediately and change the subscription status to Active by using the Update subscription for Items API and setting the trial_end parameter to 0. This is an active action taken with the API. Additionally, the documentation notes that emails are sent to trial users 6 days before the trial ends. The page does not say what happens if no card is on file when the trial ends.
A checklist to run on any billing tool before you choose
Before you sign up for a billing platform, verify how it handles the specific mechanics of your free trial. Your sign-up flow needs to define whether a payment method is collected at the start, how long the trial runs, and what happens on the final day. Use the following checklist to check each tool's official documentation against your requirements. Mark any item the page does not address as unknown. See Five landing-page tool testing statements compared.
Card requirement at sign-up Determine if the tool allows a trial to start without a payment method. While starting a free trial without a payment method lets your potential customers try your product or service faster, it can also allow spammers to create lots of fake customers, usage, and subscriptions, according to Stripe. If you choose a cardless approach, assess whether your product is susceptible to this type of abuse.
Trial length configuration Identify where the trial duration is set. Check if the length is defined at the plan, price, or product level. Note any stated maximum duration or unit of time. If the documentation does not specify where this value is stored, record it as a gap in your notes.
End-of-trial behavior Clarify what happens when the trial ends and no card is on file. Does the subscription cancel, pause, or attempt to create an invoice? Check if the tool sends a notice before the trial ends. If the page does not describe the outcome for a cardless trial, you must ask the vendor directly.
Illustrative example of a 30 day trial
A signup runs a 30 day trial and collects no card on day 1. You write 3 checks: where the 30 day length sits, whether the card can wait, and what happens on day 30 with no card on file. If that ending is unknown, you ask before you build. These figures are illustrative only.
Do this today
Open one official billing page and note the trial length location, the card rule at the start, and the no-card ending. Mark any silent item unknown.
FAQ: free trials in billing tools
Can a billing tool start a free trial without a card?
Yes, several tools state on their pages that trials can start without a payment method. Stripe notes that when creating a subscription with a trial period, you don’t need to add a payment method, according to Stripe. Paddle also supports cardless trials, though their documentation specifies these are in public early access and API-only, according to Paddle.
Where does each tool configure the trial length?
The location varies by tool. Chargebee sets the trial period at the plan level, where all subscriptions for that plan automatically inherit the configured duration, according to Chargebee. Recurly configures trial periods at the plan level and they can use days or months, according to Recurly. Paddle sets the trial length on the price object, according to Paddle. For Stripe, the page gives only that the trial period must be 730 days (2 years) or less and does not say where the length is stored, according to Stripe. For Lemon Squeezy, the page read does not specify a dedicated trial length field, stating instead that you would need to create a regular subscription product without a free trial, according to Lemon Squeezy.
What happens when a trial ends and no card is on file?
Outcomes differ significantly between vendors. Paddle states that when a cardless trial ends and there's no payment method on file, Paddle automatically cancels the subscription, according to Paddle. Stripe offers an alternative where you can set missing_payment_method=create_invoice to invoice at the end of the trial if no payment method is present, according to Stripe. The pages for Chargebee, Recurly, and Lemon Squeezy do not state the specific outcome when a trial ends without a payment method on file.
Does starting a trial without a card need a developer?
The pages for Stripe, Chargebee, and Lemon Squeezy do not state whether a developer is required to configure cardless trials or if it can be done in a dashboard UI. Paddle explicitly states that cardless trials can only be created using the API, not Paddle.js, according to Paddle.
What should I ask a vendor when its page does not say?
If a vendor's documentation is silent on cardless trial behavior, ask specifically about the default outcome when a trial ends without a payment method. Also inquire whether cardless trials are available through the user interface or only with the API, as this determines your implementation effort.