---
title: One-Off Purchases
description: Configure one-time purchases and lifetime plans
---

One-off purchases are single-charge plans that don't recur. They're used for one-time top-ups, lifetime access plans, or any plan where the customer pays once.

> **Example** <br />
> An AI platform lets users buy 500 credits for $10 as a one-time purchase. The credits never expire and can be used at any pace.

## Setting up

<Tabs>
<Tab title="CLI">

Set the plan's `price.interval` to `one_off`, or omit `interval` on the item price for a one-time charge:

```ts autumn.config.ts
import { feature, item, plan } from 'atmn';

export const credits = feature({
  id: 'credits',
  name: 'Credits',
  type: 'metered',
  consumable: true,
});

export const creditTopUp = plan({
  id: 'credit_top_up',
  name: 'Credit Top-Up',
  items: [
    item({
      featureId: credits.id,
      price: {
        amount: 10,
        billingUnits: 500,
        billingMethod: 'prepaid',
        interval: 'one_off',
      },
    }),
  ],
});
```

Push changes with `atmn push`.

</Tab>
<Tab title="Dashboard">

1. Navigate to **Plans** and click **Create Plan**
2. Set the plan name and ID
3. Under **Price**, select **One-off** as the interval — or leave no base price if pricing is purely feature-based
4. Add a feature with a **prepaid** price. The customer will select a quantity at checkout
5. Toggle **Add-on** if this should be purchasable alongside other plans
6. Click **Create**

</Tab>
</Tabs>

## How it works

When a customer purchases a one-off plan:

- Autumn creates a Stripe invoice (not a subscription) and charges it immediately
- The feature balance is provisioned with the purchased quantity
- The balance has a `one_off` interval — it never resets or expires

<Note>
One-off purchases don't create Stripe subscriptions. They generate a one-time invoice instead.
</Note>

## Purchasing a one-off plan

For prepaid one-off plans, pass the desired `quantity` via the `options` array:

<CodeGroup>

```typescript TypeScript
import { Autumn } from "autumn-js";

const autumn = new Autumn({ secretKey: "am_sk_..." });

const { data } = await autumn.checkout({
  customer_id: "user_123",
  plan_id: "credit_top_up",
  options: [{
    feature_id: "credits",
    quantity: 1000,
  }],
});
```

```python Python
from autumn_sdk import Autumn

autumn = Autumn("am_sk_...")

response = await autumn.checkout(
    customer_id="user_123",
    plan_id="credit_top_up",
    options=[{
        "feature_id": "credits",
        "quantity": 1000,
    }],
)
```

```bash cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.useautumn.com/v1/checkout" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer am_sk_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "customer_id": "user_123",
    "plan_id": "credit_top_up",
    "options": [{
      "feature_id": "credits",
      "quantity": 1000
    }]
  }'
```

</CodeGroup>

## One-off prices within a subscription

A subscription plan can include both recurring and one-off prices. When it does, Autumn splits them at checkout:

- **Recurring prices** bill every cycle as part of the Stripe subscription
- **One-off prices** are charged once on the first invoice only

This is useful for setup fees, one-time credit grants, or any charge that should happen once when the customer subscribes.

> **Example** <br />
> A Pro plan charges \$20/month plus a one-time \$50 setup fee. The customer's first invoice is \$70, and subsequent invoices are \$20.

<Tabs>
<Tab title="CLI">

Add a non-consumable feature for the setup fee, then include it as a separate one-off item alongside the recurring base price:

```ts autumn.config.ts expandable
import { feature, item, plan } from 'atmn';

export const setupFee = feature({
  id: 'setup_fee',
  name: 'Setup Fee',
  type: 'metered',
  consumable: false,
});

export const pro = plan({
  id: 'pro',
  name: 'Pro',
  price: { amount: 20, interval: 'month' },
  items: [
    item({
      featureId: setupFee.id,
      price: {
        amount: 50,
        billingMethod: 'prepaid',
        interval: 'one_off',
      },
    }),
  ],
});
```

When you attach the plan, you can select a quantity for the setup fee. The \$20/month base price recurs on every invoice. The setup fee item is charged once on the first invoice only.

</Tab>
<Tab title="Dashboard">

1. Create a **boolean** feature for the setup fee (e.g., `setup_fee`)
2. Create a plan with a **recurring** base price (e.g., $20/month)
3. Add the setup fee feature as an item and set its price interval to **One-off**
4. The recurring charge will bill every cycle; the one-off charge applies to the first invoice only

</Tab>
</Tabs>

## Balance stacking

One-off balances stack with existing balances from subscriptions. Autumn uses [deduction order](/documentation/concepts/balances#deduction-order) to ensure shorter-interval balances (e.g., monthly) are used before one-off (lifetime) balances.

## Use cases

| Use case | Configuration |
|----------|---------------|
| Credit top-up | Prepaid price, add-on, no base price |
| Lifetime plan | One-off base price, features with no reset |
| One-time fee | One-off base price, no features |
| Setup fee + subscription | Recurring base price, one-off item price on same plan |