How to Use the Manage Subscriptions Block

Reading time: 4 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner

Overview

The Manage Subscriptions block lets you embed a small form on any page where customers can request access to a self-service subscription management page. They enter the email address used at purchase, and WP Simple Pay emails them a secure, password-free link to update their payment method, change billing details, or cancel their subscription — all without creating a WordPress account or contacting support.

This is the customer-facing counterpart to the Manage Subscriptions email and the global Subscription Management settings. Drop this block on a page (e.g., /manage-subscription) and link to it from your footer, customer emails, and post-purchase confirmation pages.

Prerequisites

• WP Simple Pay Pro
• The Manage Subscriptions email enabled at WP Simple Pay > Settings > Emails > Manage Subscriptions
• A working email delivery setup (see Email Receipts and/or Notifications Are Not Being Sent)
• (Recommended) An anti-spam provider configured — see Anti-Spam Reference

Step 1: Insert the Block

1. Edit the page where you want the form to appear (e.g., a dedicated “Manage My Subscription” page).
2. Click the + block inserter.
3. Search for Manage Subscriptions and select the Manage Subscriptions Block.

The block inserts immediately with default text and a submit button.

Step 2: Customize Labels (Optional)

In the block sidebar you can override three text strings:

• Label — The label above the email input. Default: Purchase Email Address.
• Email Placeholder — Placeholder text shown inside the email field. Default: Enter your email.
• Button Text — Submit button text. Default: Manage Subscription.

Customize these to match your site’s tone — for example, change the button text to Email Me a Login Link to set the right expectation.

Step 3: Publish the Page

Save the page and visit the frontend URL. Customers see a single email field and a submit button, optionally protected by a CAPTCHA challenge if you’ve enabled one in Settings > General > 🛡️ Anti-Spam.

Using the Shortcode (Classic Editor and Page Builders)

Added in WP Simple Pay 4.17.3.

If your site uses the Classic Editor, a page builder that doesn’t render Gutenberg blocks (some legacy themes, shortcode-only setups, certain Elementor/Divi configurations), or you want to embed the form inside an existing template, use the shortcode instead:

[simpay_manage_subscriptions]

The shortcode renders the same Manage Subscriptions form as the block — same email field, same CAPTCHA flow, same email-link flow. Drop it anywhere a shortcode is accepted: inside a Classic Editor post, a template part, a widget, or a page-builder text block.

You can use either the block or the shortcode (or both, if you maintain pages built with different editors). Both produce identical output and share the same anti-spam settings.

How the Customer Experience Works

1. Customer visits your Manage Subscription page.
2. They enter the email address they used to purchase the subscription.
3. WP Simple Pay verifies a subscription exists for that email and queues the Manage Subscriptions email.
4. The email arrives with a secure, time-limited link.
5. Clicking the link opens the customer-facing portal where they can:
   • Update payment method (card, bank account, etc.)
   • Update billing address
   • Cancel the subscription
6. Once the link is used or the timeout elapses, it expires and a new one must be requested.

The flow is intentionally password-free — customers don’t need a WordPress account, and you don’t need to manage user roles for paying customers.

Anti-Spam Protection

The block automatically integrates with the CAPTCHA provider configured in your Anti-Spam settings (Google reCAPTCHA v3, hCaptcha, or Cloudflare Turnstile). The CAPTCHA challenge is rendered inside the form and verified server-side before the email is sent. We strongly recommend enabling CAPTCHA on this block — it prevents abuse where bots flood subscriber inboxes with magic-link emails.

If no CAPTCHA provider is configured, the form still works but is open to automated submission.

Where to Link to This Page

Common placements for the manage-subscription page:

• Footer — Permanent “Manage Subscription” link visible on every page.
• Customer emails — Reference the URL in the Footer Content of the email template (Settings > Emails > General).
• Confirmation page — Add the link to the on-site Payment Confirmation copy so customers see it immediately after purchase.
• Account page — If your site has a member or account area, link to the management page from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the email doesn’t match any subscription?

WP Simple Pay returns a generic confirmation regardless of whether a subscription exists for the email — this is intentional, to prevent enumeration attacks where someone probes for valid customer emails. The customer simply won’t receive an email if no subscription matches.

How long is the management link valid?

Links are time-limited. Specific expiry depends on your settings, but they’re typically short-lived (hours, not days) so a leaked link can’t be reused indefinitely.

Can customers update both card details and personal info from the link?

Yes. The portal supports payment method updates, billing address changes, and subscription cancellation. The available actions match the standard Stripe Customer Portal capabilities.

Does this work for one-time payments?

No. This block is specifically for subscription management. One-time payments don’t have an ongoing relationship to manage. For one-time payment receipts, use the Resend Payment Receipt tool under Settings > Emails > Tools (see Email Types Reference).

Why is the block not visible in the inserter?

The block is registered by the Pro plugin. If you’re on the free version, the block won’t appear. Verify your license is active under Settings > General > License.

Can I style the form?

The block uses standard WordPress block styling for the button (it inherits the theme’s .wp-block-button styles), and the inputs use your theme’s default form styles. For deeper customization, target #simpay-manage-subscription-form in your theme’s CSS.

What’s Next?

• Email Types Reference – Configure the Manage Subscriptions email
• Anti-Spam Reference – Add CAPTCHA protection to the block
• How to Use the Payment Form Block – Embed the form that creates subscriptions in the first place