We are rapidly approaching the launch of the new Paizo Store, which uses the BigCommerce platform, so it’s finally time to showcase what’s waiting for you in subscriptions, how subscriptions work, and how subscribers can add products to ship with their upcoming subscriptions!
Starting Your Subscription
When you go to any subscription line page, the first choice you’ll need to make is whether you want to start with the current release for that line or the upcoming release. The current release will cost the MSRP plus $.01; future releases will charge $.01 to start your subscription and the MSRP as it starts the shipping process. The $.01 charge is required by the credit card company to ensure that your card is valid for recurring subscriptions.
You can also choose to have multiple copies of a subscription item sent to you as well.
The Subscription Cycle
Paizo’s release date for new physical releases is usually the first Wednesday of every month. Three weeks prior to that, you’ll receive an email from Paizo letting you know that you will be charged for your upcoming subscriptions. Two weeks before the street date, your credit card will be charged, and you’ll receive the free PDF for your product (if applicable) in your Library. You’ll receive another email containing the tracking information for your package once the Paizo Warehouse ships out your products. As an example, here’s what your December 2025 subscription process would look like:
- November 10th: Email notification of upcoming subscription charges with a direct link to your Subscription Manager. More on that below.
- November 17th: Credit card charge and PDF released to your Library.
- November 17th: Your subscription products begin the shipping process, and you receive an email with your tracking notification. The goal is to get the products to your door on or before street date.
- December 3rd: Release date!
Your Subscription Manager
You’re always in control of your subscription when you use the My Subscriptions section of your Paizo account. From here, you’ll be able to see all your active and inactive subscriptions and be able to skip, pause, or cancel each subscription 24/7. The email you receive 7 days before you’re charged will direct you to this page as well.
Shipping: You control the shipping address for your subscriptions from your My Subscriptions page, and you can change it at any time before your subscription is charged. Non-subscription orders have their own shipping addresses that you can set during checkout, but subscription orders are separate from the rest of the store. By default, products are shipped using the least expensive shipping method available.
We know that some of you would prefer a specific shipping method for your subscriptions, and we have asked for that functionality from our vendor. We don’t have an ETA for that, but if it becomes available, we’ll let you know.
Billing: As with your shipping address, the credit card attached here is separate from the main store. This is because the Paizo Store accepts many different forms of payments now, and recurring transactions (subscriptions) have limited payment methods that they allow. For example, Google Pay and Apple Pay aren’t allowed for recurring subscriptions.
Here are the options available to you from your My Subscriptions page for each subscription.
- Skip Product: You skip the current product in your subscription.
- Pause: This option will not be available.
- Cancel Subscription: Your subscription is canceled. You can choose to reactivate the subscription at a later time at the bottom of the My Subscriptions page or on the normal subscription pages in the store.
Add to Subscription
As a subscriber, you’ll have the option to add most physical products to your next subscription shipment, saving you money on shipping. All you have to do is go to the product page for the item you want, and you’ll have a new option below the Add to Cart button that will move the product over to your next subscription order.
If any of the items added are out of stock when your subscription is ready to ship, your subscription shipment will not be delayed; we’ll ship any in-stock items along with your subscription products, and any out-of-stock items will be moved to your next subscription shipment. You’ll see these in your subscription manager.
FAQ
How do subscriptions work?
Just choose the product line you’d like to subscribe to from the Subscriptions page (such as Pathfinder Rulebooks, Starfinder Special Edition Rulebooks, and others), add it to your cart, and go through the checkout process. During checkout, you’ll be given the option to start with either the current or next release in the line—just click the radio button next to the product you’d like to start with.
If you choose the current product, you’ll be charged during checkout and added to the subscription program you’ve selected.
What advantages are there to subscribing?
Subscribers to any of our lines will receive each subscription product directly from Paizo and need never worry about missing one of our releases. Many of our Pathfinder and Starfinder products include a free PDF of each subscription product purchased as part of the subscription. Some subscriptions include a percentage discount on each new release. See the individual subscription pages for more details!
If you’ve signed up for Paizo Plus, your subscription purchases will also earn gold after each successful charge. For more information, visit the Paizo Plus page.
When will I be charged for my subscription?
During checkout for a new subscription, Paizo will charge your card $.01 to validate the card and set up the subscription.
Paizo normally releases our books on the first Wednesday of the month. For those releases, you’ll receive an email roughly 3 weeks before the release date that informs you about your upcoming subscriptions as well as the date the card you have on file will be charged.
When we charge your card, we will add the PDFs from your subscription products to your Digital Library.
How do I skip a release or cancel my subscription?
Visit the Subscription Manager, to:
- Skip: You won’t receive that product, but your subscription will continue with the next release.
- Cancel: Your subscription will be removed from your account. You can sign up again at any point in the future by reactivating the subscription through the Subscription Manager or by repurchasing through the store page.
What credit card is charged for my subscriptions?
Paizo will charge the credit card you originally signed up with until you change it through the Subscription Manager. When you change your payment method in the Subscription Manager, you change it for all your subscriptions. This won’t change your primary store payment method for non-subscription products, and changing the primary store payment method for your account won’t automatically change your subscription payment method.
What happens if my credit card expires?
Paizo will send you an email alerting you that your card is expiring on the 1st and 15th of the month prior to expiration. You can then change your default card in the Subscription Manager. That will update your payment method across all your subscriptions.
Can I use coupons or gift cards for my subscriptions?
Yes, but only on the initial order of the subscription. A valid credit card is required even if the gift card or coupon amount exceeds the product cost. Your credit card will always be charged $.01 to validate your subscription.
Are multiple subscriptions sent in the same order?
If your subscriptions share the same payment date, payment method, and shipping address, they will ship as a single order.
How are subscriptions mailed?
Paizo will always mail your products using the least expensive method available. Selecting a specific method for subscription orders is not currently supported.
Does Paizo offer combined shipping for non-subscription orders?
Yes. You can combine a regular order with a subscription order if:
- You place that order prior to your subscription products being charged, and
- Both orders use the same payment method and shipping address.
To add an item to an upcoming subscription order, visit the page of the item you wish to add to your order and find the ‘Add this to My Subscription’ button. You will be charged for both your subscription products and any added products.
If any of the items in your sidecart are out of stock when your subscription is ready to ship, your subscription shipment will not be delayed; we’ll ship any in-stock items along with the subscription, and any out-of-stock items will remain in your sidecart to ship with a future subscription shipment.
Are international subscriptions available?
Yes—we ship worldwide.
How often do you ship subscriptions?
Many product lines have months between releases. For example, the Pathfinder Rulebooks line only has 3-4 releases per year. You will see these details in the Subscription Manager, on our Release Schedule page, and on the product pages in the Paizo Store.
I just ordered a subscription. Why isn’t my first volume shipping?
It may be that the item you chose to start with has not yet been released. The Subscription Manager shows the estimated schedule for your upcoming subscription items. You can see more upcoming releases on our ReleaseSchedule page.
I just ordered a subscription that includes a free PDF. Where’s the PDF?
We add the PDF of each volume to your Digital Library page as soon as you are charged for the print edition.
Does Paizo offer PDF-only subscriptions?
Digital subscriptions are not currently supported.
Does Paizo offer subscriptions through local gaming stores?
We do not. That might change in the future for stores that want to order directly from Paizo, so make sure to ask your local game store to carry Paizo products. To find a store in your area, visit our Retailer Locator.
Thanks again for supporting Paizo, and I hope to see you later this week for another store blog!
Good Gaming!
Jim Butler
CEO
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