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Products are the foundation of Dodo Payments. Whether you sell a one‑time download, a recurring subscription, or usage‑based access, you start by creating a product. Each product defines how it’s priced, presented at checkout, and fulfilled after purchase.

One‑Time

Charge once for lifetime access or a single deliverable.

Subscriptions

Bill on a schedule with trials, proration, and add‑ons.

Usage‑Based

Meter consumption and bill by actual usage.

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Create a product

You can create products from the dashboard or via API. Choose the pricing model up‑front—One‑Time, Subscription, or Usage‑Based—and then configure details. The pricing model can’t be changed later; create a new product if you need a different model.
1

Name & description

Provide a clear title and a concise value‑oriented description. Markdown is supported in descriptions.
Keep the first sentence customer‑facing and outcome‑oriented; it appears prominently in checkout.
Products
2

Pricing model & price

Select the pricing model:
  • One‑Time: Fixed price paid once.
  • Subscription: Recurring price with interval and optional trial.
  • Usage‑Based: Price derived from metered events.
Then set pricing:
  • Price: Base amount and currency.
  • Discount (%): Optional inline discount shown in checkout and invoices.
  • For subscriptions, set Repeat every (e.g., 1 month or 1 year) and Trial days if needed.
Changing price affects only new purchases. Existing subscriptions follow plan‑change rules.
3

Product media

Upload images to showcase the product on checkout and invoices. Supported PNG/JPG/WebP up to 3 MB. Reorder or replace any time.
4

Automated entitlements (Under Advanced Settings)

Attach fulfillment that activates automatically after payment:
  • License Keys: Issue and validate unique keys
  • File Downloads: Grant secure file access
  • Custom: Trigger your own entitlement logic via webhooks
Add or remove benefits as your offer evolves. Existing subscribers gain or lose access accordingly.

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Variants and pricing options

Instead of variants under one product, create separate products for each pricing option (for example, Monthly and Yearly). You can present multiple products side‑by‑side in the same checkout and let customers switch between them.
This keeps APIs predictable and simplifies reporting. Each product has a single pricing model.

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Managing products

  • Update: Edit name, description, images, price, fields, and benefits at any time (pricing model is immutable).
  • Archive: Hide a product from new purchases without disrupting existing customers. You can unarchive later.

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Best practices

  • Start with clarity: Separate products for each pricing option (Monthly vs Yearly)
  • Use trials thoughtfully: Pair trials with onboarding to drive activation
  • Automate fulfillment: Use benefits and webhooks to deliver instantly
  • Tag with metadata: Store your system IDs for reconciliation
You’re ready to create products and start selling—one‑time, recurring, or by usage.
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