Switch or downgrade your annual subscription plan
This article explains how to change your annual RosterElf subscription plan, including upgrading or downgrading between plan tiers (Core, Full Suite, HR Hub) and adjusting your seat count. The key thing to understand is that not all annual plan changes take effect at the same time. For a full overview of all plan change rules across monthly and annual billing, see changing your subscription plan. If you have not yet switched from monthly to annual, see how to change your subscription to annual.
When do annual plan changes take effect?
- Immediately: Upgrading to a higher plan tier, or increasing your seat count.
- Next billing date: Downgrading to a lower plan tier, or reducing your seat count.
The app makes this clear — upgrades show a green Confirm Change button, while downgrades show a yellow Schedule Downgrade button. Your current plan always remains active until the scheduled date.
Account owner access required
Only the account owner can change the subscription plan in RosterElf. Admins, managers, and staff members do not have access to subscription settings. If you need to change the plan, contact the person who originally created the RosterElf account.
Xero App Store subscribers:
If you subscribed through the Xero App Store, manage your subscription through Xero's platform. See our guide on Xero subscriptions for more information.
1. Upgrade your annual plan tier (immediate)
Switching from a lower annual plan to a higher annual plan — for example from Core to Full Suite — takes effect immediately. You will see a green Confirm Change button and a prorated credit will be applied for any unused time on your current plan. Follow the steps below to upgrade your annual plan tier.
1.1 Upgrade your annual plan tier in RosterElf
1.1.1 Open RosterElf in your web browser and click the profile icon in the top right corner.
1.1.2 Click account overview from the dropdown menu.
1.1.3 Click subscription settings in the account overview modal.
1.1.4 Click upgrade subscription.
1.1.5 Click switch plan on the higher tier you want to move to (e.g. Full Suite).
1.1.6 Review the plan details and click confirm change to apply immediately.
Prorated credit:
When you upgrade your annual plan tier, changes are prorated. You will receive credit for any unused time on your current plan, and the higher plan rate applies from the date of the upgrade.
2. Increase annual plan seats (immediate)
If your team has grown and you need to add more staff to your annual plan, you can increase your seat count at any time. When you add seats through the subscription settings flow, the change takes effect immediately and you are charged straight away. Follow steps 1.1.1–1.1.4 above to open the subscription tier page, then continue below.
2.1 Increase annual plan seats in RosterElf
2.1.1 After pressing upgrade subscription, make sure the Annually tab is selected. On your current plan card, click the + button to increase the number of seats.
2.1.2 Click update seats on your current plan card.
2.1.3 Review the updated seat count and click confirm change to apply immediately.
3. Downgrade your annual plan tier (next billing date)
Switching from a higher annual plan to a lower annual plan — for example from Full Suite to Core — is a scheduled change. It will not take effect immediately. Instead, your current plan remains active until the end of your billing period, and the lower plan starts on your next billing date. You will see a yellow Schedule Downgrade button instead of a green Confirm Change button.
Follow steps 1.1.1–1.1.4 above to open the subscription tier page, then continue below.
3.1 Schedule a downgrade to a lower annual plan tier
3.1.1 With the Annually tab selected, lower plan tiers will show a Schedule Downgrade button instead of Switch Plan. Click schedule downgrade on the plan you want to move to.
3.1.2 Review the scheduled change details, including the exact date the downgrade will take effect.
3.1.3 Click the yellow schedule downgrade button to confirm. Your current plan stays active until the date shown.
Your plan stays active:
After confirming a scheduled downgrade, nothing changes right away. You keep full access to your current plan until the billing date shown in the confirmation dialog. The new lower plan becomes active automatically on that date.
4. Decrease annual plan seats (next billing date)
Reducing the number of seats on your annual plan is also a scheduled change. The lower seat count takes effect at your next billing date, not immediately. You must ensure your seat count does not go below your active staff count — archive any staff you no longer need before reducing seats.
Follow steps 1.1.1–1.1.4 above to open the subscription tier page, then continue below.
4.1 Schedule a seat count reduction on your annual plan
4.1.1 With the Annually tab selected, on your current plan card click the – button to reduce the number of seats.
4.1.2 Click update seats on your current plan card.
4.1.3 Review the scheduled change and click the yellow schedule downgrade button to confirm.
Minimum seat limits apply:
You cannot reduce seats below your active staff count, and the minimum on any annual plan is 10 seats. Archive any staff you no longer need before attempting to reduce seats. See our guide on updating annual plan seats for more detail.