> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://entrytarget.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://entrytarget.gitbook.io/docs/lifecycle-and-billing/subscription.md).

# Subscription & Billing

## Billing Model

Billing is a **fixed monthly price, independent of usage volume**. There are no per-transaction fees, no metering, and no usage tiers. [Performance tiers](/docs/getting-started/provisioning.md#3-choose-a-performance-tier) are sizing presets only — they have no billing effect and are never enforced.

## The Console

The vendor Console at `https://console.entrytarget.com/` is where you:

* Manage your account, plan, and payment
* Generate [API credentials](/docs/getting-started/credentials.md)
* Trigger deployment and see your instance's reported version and configuration
* Receive subscription alerts

## The Subscription Check

Your instance periodically validates its subscription with the Console — automatically, with no action needed from you. The check-in cadence is set by the Console in each response (at most every 24 hours; typically daily).

Each check also reports operational information — binary version, uptime, and the effective values of the operational environment variables. This is used for **support visibility only**: no configuration value is ever a rejection criterion.

## Grace Period

If the Console is unreachable (network issues, Console maintenance), your instance **keeps operating normally** throughout a grace period supplied by the Console — up to **30 days**. Contact is retried on the regular cadence; a single successful check resets the window.

## Startup

The instance validates its subscription **before accepting HTTP traffic**:

* On a **fresh install**, the Console must be reachable — the first start requires a successful subscription check.
* On subsequent starts, if the Console is unreachable, the instance starts within the grace period based on its last successful check.

## Alerts and Shutdown

When the Console detects a payment issue or trial expiration, it sends **email alerts on days 7, 14, 21, and 28**. If the situation isn't resolved by the end of the grace period, the instance shuts down on its next check.

| Condition                                       | Behaviour         |
| ----------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| Subscription active                             | Operates normally |
| Console unreachable, within the grace period    | Operates normally |
| Console reports the subscription is not active  | Shuts down        |
| Grace period elapsed without a successful check | Shuts down        |

There is no partial degradation — the system either runs fully or stops completely.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Your data is always yours.** If the instance shuts down for subscription reasons, all data remains fully accessible via direct database access — balances, postings, and complete history live in your RDS, in your AWS account. See [Database](/docs/operations/database.md).
{% endhint %}

## Troubleshooting

* **Instance won't start after an infrastructure change** — an "Environment mismatch" error means the runtime AWS account doesn't match your instance's registration. Contact support via the Console.
* **Instance shut down unexpectedly** — check the subscription status in the Console; verify your instance can reach `https://console.entrytarget.com/` over HTTPS; if the subscription is active and the Console reachable, restart the service.
* **Fresh install fails to start** — ensure outbound HTTPS connectivity to the Console; the first start requires a successful subscription check.