Understanding Auto-Renewal & Subscriptions

Data Mammoth services operate on a subscription basis with automatic renewal. This means your servers, add-ons, and other services renew automatically at the end of each billing period, ensuring continuous uptime without manual intervention. This guide explains how auto-renewal works and how to manage your subscriptions.

How Auto-Renewal Works

When you order a service, you select a billing cycle (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually). At the end of each cycle:

Invoice generated — A renewal invoice is created a few days before the current period ends.

Automatic payment — If you have a default payment method and auto-pay enabled, the invoice is charged automatically.

Service extended — Upon successful payment, your service period is extended for another full cycle.

Confirmation email — You receive an email confirming the renewal and payment.

This process repeats automatically until you cancel the subscription.

Checking Your Active Subscriptions

Log in to your Data Mammoth dashboard.

Navigate to Billing > Subscriptions or Services.

View a list of all your active subscriptions, including:

- Service name and details - Billing cycle (monthly, quarterly, annually) - Next renewal date - Price per cycle - Auto-renewal status (enabled/disabled)

Enabling Auto-Pay

For auto-renewal to work seamlessly, auto-pay must be enabled with a valid payment method:

Go to Billing > Payment Methods.

Ensure you have at least one valid payment method saved.

Set your preferred method as the default.

Verify that Auto-Pay is enabled in your billing preferences.

If auto-pay is disabled, invoices are generated but must be paid manually before the due date.

Changing Your Billing Cycle

You may be able to change the billing cycle for some services:

Navigate to the service's management page.

Look for Change Billing Cycle or Modify Subscription options.

Select your preferred cycle.

Review the pricing — longer cycles often include discounts.

Confirm the change.

The new billing cycle typically takes effect at the next renewal. You may receive a prorated invoice or credit depending on the timing.

What Happens If Renewal Payment Fails

If the automatic payment fails (e.g., expired card, insufficient funds):

Notification — You receive an email alerting you to the failed payment.

Retry — The system may automatically retry the payment after a short period.

Grace period — Your service remains active during the grace period, giving you time to update your payment method.

Suspension — If payment is not received within the grace period, the service may be suspended.

Termination — Extended non-payment can lead to permanent service termination.

To avoid disruptions, keep your payment methods up to date and monitor renewal notification emails.

Disabling Auto-Renewal

If you want a service to expire at the end of the current billing period without renewing:

Navigate to Billing > Subscriptions or the service management page.

Find the subscription you want to modify.

Click Disable Auto-Renewal or Cancel at End of Period.

Confirm your choice.

The service will remain active until the end of the current paid period. After that, it will not renew, and the service will be deactivated.

To fully cancel a service immediately, see How to Cancel a Subscription.

Re-Enabling Auto-Renewal

If you previously disabled auto-renewal and want to re-enable it:

Navigate to the subscription before the expiration date.

Click Enable Auto-Renewal or Resume Subscription.

Confirm that your payment method is valid.

If the service has already expired, you may need to reorder it.

Subscription vs. One-Time Payments

Most Data Mammoth services are subscription-based. One-time charges may apply for setup fees, migrations, or specific add-ons.

Tips for Managing Subscriptions

Review subscriptions monthly — Check for services you no longer need.

Set calendar reminders — Note renewal dates for services with manual payment.

Keep payment methods current — Update card details before expiration.

Consider annual billing — Save money with longer billing cycles.

Use account credit — Pre-load credit to cover upcoming renewals. See How to Add Account Credit.

What to Do Next

• How to Cancel a Subscription — Cancel services you no longer need.
• Understanding Your Billing Cycle — Know when invoices are generated.
• Adding and Managing Payment Methods — Keep payment details up to date.
• How to Pay an Invoice — Pay outstanding invoices.