> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.9pic.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Upgrade to Pro

> The exact dashboard flow for moving from Pay As You Go to the Pro subscription

## Why This Matters

Once you've decided Pro is right (see [When to Upgrade](/pay-as-you-go-guide/when-to-upgrade)), the upgrade itself takes a few minutes through the dashboard. This page walks through what to expect at every step so there are no surprises at payment.

## Before You Begin

* You're an **admin** of the organisation (only admins can purchase).
* You have a credit / debit card or your team's payment method ready.
* You've decided whether to top up extra credits in the same transaction (you can — see Step 2).
* You know that **Pro is a 365-day subscription** with **manual renewal**. Your credit balance and existing events carry over unchanged.

<Note>
  Your existing event data, team members, settings, public links, and credit balance all carry over. Upgrading does not reset anything.
</Note>

## Open the Upgrade Flow

There are two ways to get to the same place:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Upgrade in the sidebar">
    The sidebar shows a highlighted **Upgrade** button on Pay As You Go accounts. Clicking it opens the Purchase Credits flow.

    <Frame caption="Pay As You Go Upgrade button">
      <img src="https://assets.9pic.ai/docs/pay-as-you-go-guide/upgrade-sidebar.webp" alt="Pay As You Go dashboard home showing the highlighted Upgrade button in the sidebar" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Or open Credits → Purchase Credits">
    Sidebar → **Credits** → **Purchase Credits** button on the balance card. Same destination.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The flow has four steps: **Plan → Credits → Review → Payment.**

## Step 1 — Plan

You'll see four options. **Pick Pro Subscription.**

| Option               | What it does                                                                            | Pick it for the upgrade?                                                                      |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pro Subscription** | Annual subscription at \$200/year. Unlocks creative tools, custom domain, Setup Wizard. | **Yes — this is the upgrade.**                                                                |
| **Pay as you go**    | Top up credits without changing plans. Stays on Pay As You Go.                          | No (that's a routine top-up — see [Buy More Credits](/pay-as-you-go-guide/buy-more-credits)). |
| **Custom Payment**   | Records a payment without adding credits.                                               | No.                                                                                           |
| **Enterprise**       | Disabled — opens [9pic.ai/contact](https://9pic.ai/contact/).                           | Only if you've decided you need Enterprise instead of Pro.                                    |

Click **Pro Subscription**, then **Next**.

<Frame caption="Pro Subscription selected">
  <img src="https://assets.9pic.ai/docs/pay-as-you-go-guide/upgrade-pro-plan-step.webp" alt="Purchase Credits Plan step on a Pay As You Go account with the Pro Subscription card selected" />
</Frame>

## Step 2 — Credits

After picking Pro Subscription, you can also add credits in the same transaction. The order summary shows:

* **Pro Subscription base price** (verify the current price displayed in the dashboard).
* **Extra credits** (optional) — any quantity above the included amount.
* **Total credits** that will be in your balance after the purchase.

| What you should buy                | Why                                                                                                         |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pro only** (no extra credits)    | If your existing PAYG balance already covers your next event.                                               |
| **Pro + your usual top-up amount** | If your existing balance is low and you're due for a top-up anyway. Combining saves a separate transaction. |

<Tip>
  Don't over-buy on the upgrade. Pro doesn't expire on credits (only on the subscription term), so you can top up later as needed at the same per-credit cost.
</Tip>

Click **Next**.

## Step 3 — Review

Review the order summary:

* **Plan**: Pro Subscription.
* **Credits**: any quantity you added.
* **Currency**: based on your billing region.
* **Taxes**: shown automatically based on your billing region.
* **Grand total** to be charged.

Tick the **Refund Policy** acceptance box. This is required for every purchase.

<Warning>
  The Pro subscription portion is for a **365-day term** with **manual renewal**. After 365 days, you'll need to re-purchase Pro to keep the creative tools and custom domain active.
</Warning>

Click **Next**.

## Step 4 — Payment

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click the payment button">
    The label depends on your billing currency and region — for example **Pay with Razorpay** or **Pay with PayGlocal**. Click it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete checkout in the secure gateway window">
    Enter card details. 9Pic does not see or store your card details — the gateway handles them directly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for verification">
    9Pic verifies the payment with the gateway. This usually takes a few seconds.
  </Step>

  <Step title="See the success page">
    The success page confirms your new plan is **Pro** and any credits added. The sidebar plan badge updates to **Pro** immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What Changes Right After You Upgrade

| Change                                                                             | When it takes effect                                |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Sidebar plan badge flips from **Pay As You Go** to **Pro**                         | Immediately.                                        |
| **Setup Guide / Setup Wizard** appears in the sidebar (website customisation)      | Immediately.                                        |
| **Creative tools** appear in event navigation: Certify, Flow, Select, Buzz, Motion | Immediately, on every event in the organisation.    |
| **Custom Domain** option becomes available in **Settings → Domain & Region**       | Immediately.                                        |
| **Sidebar Upgrade button** is replaced by other elements (you're already at Pro)   | Immediately.                                        |
| Credit balance                                                                     | Includes any credits added in the same transaction. |
| Existing events                                                                    | No changes — everything keeps working.              |

## What Doesn't Change

* Existing events, photo galleries, team members, settings, and public links are all untouched.
* Your credit balance carries over.
* Your default domain stays `app.9pic.ai` until you connect a custom domain in **Settings → Domain & Region**.
* Per-credit cost stays the same.
* Support response time stays the same.

## If Payment Fails

| Symptom                        | What to do                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Card declined                  | Try a different card. The order is not retried automatically.                                                                                                                                  |
| Window closed before paying    | Order is marked **Abandoned**. Just start the flow again — no charge.                                                                                                                          |
| Charged but plan didn't update | Open **Credits → Billing & Transactions**, find the row, click **Recheck**. If still stuck, take a screenshot of the gateway confirmation and email [support@9pic.ai](mailto:support@9pic.ai). |

## Common Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I lose my Pay As You Go credits when I upgrade?">
    No. All your existing credits stay in your balance and combine with any extra credits you bought in the upgrade transaction.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will my existing events automatically use the Pro creative tools?">
    The creative tools (Certify, Flow, Select, Buzz, Motion) become **available** on every existing event immediately. They aren't auto-applied — you choose when to use them per event.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the first thing I should do after upgrading?">
    Run the **Setup Wizard** that appears in the sidebar. It walks through theme color, logo, footer, social links, contact form, header CTA, and team invite — your branded site setup is the highest-leverage thing to do first. See [Pro Guide → Setup Wizard](/pro-guide/setup-wizard).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens at the end of my Pro term (365 days)?">
    Pro renewal is **manual** — you re-purchase Pro from the same Purchase Credits flow. The dashboard surfaces "Expires in N days" warnings on **Credits → Subscription** when expiry is within 30 days. If the term ends without renewal, the creative tools and custom domain become unavailable on new events; the account effectively returns to a Pay-As-You-Go-style state.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I cancel within a few days for a refund?">
    Refund eligibility is governed by 9Pic's [Refund Policy](https://9pic.ai/refund-policy/). For specific situations, email [support@9pic.ai](mailto:support@9pic.ai).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does my team get notified when I upgrade?">
    Existing teammates don't receive a special notification, but they'll see the new plan badge and the creative tools when they next open the dashboard.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pro Guide" icon="crown" href="/pro-guide">
    The full operator playbook for the Pro plan.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pro Setup Wizard" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/pro-guide/setup-wizard">
    Run this once after upgrading.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Domain Setup" icon="globe" href="/pro-guide/domain">
    Move your events to `photos.yourbrand.com`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Talk to Us" icon="comments" href="/pay-as-you-go-guide/talk-to-us">
    Considering Enterprise instead? Get in touch.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>