Subscription renewal emails land in your customers’ inboxes before their billing cycle ends. You’re alerting them about upcoming charges, confirming payment methods work, and preventing surprise cancellations from expired cards.
Most subscription revenue comes from existing customers who keep paying monthly. One saved renewal equals months of future payments without spending on ads, content marketing, or sales teams to find replacements.
Join us below to discover seven subscription renewal email examples from successful brands, plus expert tips to build renewal emails that prevent churn and protect your recurring revenue.
Omnisend automates subscription renewal emails and lets you A/B test multiple versions for optimal conversions
Keeping your current subscribers costs significantly less than finding new ones. Renewal emails protect that investment by preventing two types of customer loss:
Voluntary churn, when customers forget to renew or choose not to
Involuntary churn, which occurs when payments fail or credit cards expire
A single reminder email can prevent many cancellations. Send multiple emails in a series and you’ll reduce churn even more.
Renewal reminders collect payments as well as reinforce value. You can highlight features customers might have missed and remind them what they’ve accomplished with your service.
Each email creates a touchpoint to strengthen the relationship. You’re going beyond processing a transaction and showing customers why they subscribed initially.
Payment failures account for a large portion of all subscription churn. Renewal emails catch these issues before customers lose access and give you time to update billing information.
Why you should bother sending reminder emails has a simple answer — they reduce customer churn and improve your email marketing ROI. Every saved subscriber represents months or years of future revenue without acquisition costs.
7 subscription renewal email examples
Check out these subscription email examples to inspire your own:
1. Grammarly
Subject line: Friendly Reminder: Your Subscription Will Renew in 60 days
Grammarly takes an early warning approach to its subscription reminders, with a 60-day heads-up that feels helpful, not pushy.
The email showcases premium features you’ll lose — plagiarism checker, confidence boosters, vocabulary enhancements — with clean icons that make scanning easy.
Putting the renewal date and price upfront ($139.00 USD) removes any billing surprises. The cat mascot adds personality without distracting from the message, and the comparison chart at the bottom reinforces value by showing what free users miss out on.
2. Amazon
Subject line: Smiles Davis, Your Prime membership renews soon
Image via Really Good Emails
Amazon’s anniversary angle creates a celebratory mood rather than a payment reminder. The visual hierarchy works perfectly — bright checkmark graphic, key renewal details, then benefit icons below with clickable links.
Personalization goes beyond the name to mention “Prime-versary,” making the email feel custom-written for each customer. The “Manage your membership” link appears multiple times without being annoying.
Six benefit categories with simple icons remind you why Prime costs $139 yearly. The yellow “Explore Prime” button stands out against the blue background, encouraging clicks to discover more value.
3. AllTrails
Subject line: An update on your subscription renewal and pricing
Image via Really Good Emails
AllTrails addresses price increases head-on by explaining the value exchange — new tools and features cost money to build. The outdoor photography creates an emotional connection before discussing business matters.
Renewal details (August 1, 2023, for $35.99) appear early, followed by account management links. The pricing transparency builds trust even when delivering unwelcome news.
Ending with benefit reminders — finding trails, safety features, planning tools — shifts focus back to what customers gain. The Help Center link and direct email reply option show confidence in customer support.
4. Lume
Subject line: Upcoming shipment on June 15, 2020 (+VIP Prices for Soap)
Image via Really Good Emails
Lume combines shipment notifications with exclusive VIP pricing for additional and new product launches, creating new shopping opportunities for customers.
The casual “Ready for more?” opening assumes you want to continue, which works because existing subscribers already know the product.
Showing discounted prices ($4.79 vs $6.99) makes the subscription feel like insider access, and product images with “Add to Order” buttons make it easy for customers to act.
5. YouTube
Subject line: Time is almost up, your YouTube Premium benefits end soon – renew now
Image via Really Good Emails
YouTube’s loss aversion approach works because it shows precisely what disappears — ad-free viewing, offline downloads, background play, and Music Premium.
The phone mockups make abstract benefits tangible by showing the experience you’ll lose. Two prominent red “RENEW NOW” buttons create urgency without being obnoxious.
The benefit list focuses on daily annoyances (ads interrupting videos, music stopping when you lock your phone) that Premium solves. Minimal text keeps attention on the core message — renew or return to the frustrating free experience you escaped.
6. Going
Subject line: Your Going account will renew soon
Image via Really Good Emails
Going keeps renewal emails conversational, addressing you like a travel buddy rather than a billing department. Mentioning Watchlist alerts and Mistake Fare deals reminds you of personalized features you’ve already set up.
The renewal date (July 17, 2024) and tax notice show transparency about charges, and social media links at the bottom maintain community connection beyond transactional emails.
The cheerful illustration and “More flight deals headed your way” framing positions renewal as continued adventure access rather than another payment. Including unsubscribe options respects customer choice even in retention emails.
7. Apple
Subject line: Your Apple Music membership is almost up
Image via Really Good Emails
Apple strips everything unnecessary from this email — one image, one message, one button. The dark design matches Apple Music’s interface, creating visual continuity from app to email.
“Like what you’ve been hearing?” assumes positive experience without overselling. The massive pink button contrasts sharply against the black background, making action impossible to miss.
Showing the monthly price ($9.99) reminds you of the reasonable cost. The January 20 deadline creates urgency, while the automatic renewal option removes friction. Overall, Apple’s minimalist approach respects your time while still encouraging action.
Subscription renewal email templates you can use
Writing renewal emails from scratch wastes time you don’t have. Grab these templates, plug in your details, and watch your retention rates climb without the copywriting headaches:
Friendly reminder email template
You want customers to feel informed about their subscriptions, not ambushed by renewal charges. A week-long heads up prevents payment surprises and lets people update expired cards before losing access to your service.
Subject: Your [Product Name] subscription renews soon
Hi [First Name],
Your [Product Name] subscription renews on [Date] for $[Amount].
No action needed — we’ll charge your card ending in [Last four digits] automatically. Want to update your payment method or cancel? Visit your account settings here: [Link]
Thanks for being part of [Product Name].
[Your Name]
Last-chance reminder email template
First emails get lost in busy inboxes all the time. Hit send on this backup message when you’re down to the wire — one day left before their subscription vanishes completely.
Subject: Final reminder: Your subscription expires tomorrow
[First Name],
Your [Product Name] access ends tomorrow at [Time].
Renew now to keep using [mention one or two key features]: [Renewal Link]
Questions? Reply to this email and we’ll help immediately.
[Your Name]
Value-driven email template
Inactive subscribers need different messaging than daily users do. Pull their usage data and craft a message showing exactly what they accomplished last month — make canceling feel like giving up progress.
Subject: You’ve accomplished so much with [Product Name]
Hi [First Name],
This month, you [achievement or usage stat]. Your subscription renews [Date] — here’s what you’ll continue getting:
[Benefit 1]
[Benefit 2]
[Benefit 3]
Keep your momentum going: [Renewal Link]
[Your Name]
Best practices for crafting subscription renewal emails
It might seem drastic, but every subscription renewal reminder you send will either save a customer or lose one. These best practices for renewal emails will tip the odds in your favor:
Write subject lines that get opened: Tell customers their subscription renews in seven days — that’s it. Skip clever phrases and stick to facts like renewal dates and dollar amounts so customers know what’s happening. Pro tip: use Omnisend’s subject line generator to come up with creative ideas.
Use data customers care about: Pull numbers from their account — projects created, hours saved, goals reached. “You uploaded 312 photos last month” means more than calling someone a valued customer and referencing vague usage because it proves they’re getting their money’s worth.
Show what disappears without renewal: List the features that will vanish when subscriptions end. Name the tools they use daily and the data they’ll lose access to — make the cost of leaving feel bigger than the price of staying.
Make one action crystal clear: Pick one button and one verb — renew, update, confirm. Hide everything else because confused customers don’t click anything, and then their subscriptions lapse because you gave them six different options.
Create deadlines that matter: Tell customers their account deactivates Tuesday at midnight, not “soon.” Add a countdown timer if your email platform supports it, or offer five dollars off for renewing today versus tomorrow.
Give scared customers an out: Include your support email for billing problems and mention cheaper plans if you offer them. Customers about to cancel appreciate options, and half-price revenue beats zero revenue every time.
Automate for targeting: Omnisend’s automations send renewal emails based on customer behavior and subscription dates. You can target segments, set delays between messages, and add exit conditions to stop emails after customers renew.
Salomon Japan segments 130,000 email subscribers by product interest (ski, running, outdoor) and loyalty status. Automated birthday and tier-upgrade emails support membership growth alongside product campaigns generating ¥1.9M per send.
Every customer who forgets to renew represents months of lost revenue you’ll spend more to replace. Smart renewal emails catch these losses before they happen by reminding customers why they subscribed and making renewal effortless.
The examples above show how brands keep subscribers engaged — from Grammarly’s 60-day warning to YouTube’s loss aversion tactics. Each approach targets different customer mindsets and renewal hesitations.
Copy these templates, adapt the messaging to match your brand voice, and track which versions have the best renewal rates. Your perfect renewal email exists somewhere between friendly reminder and value reinforcement.
Subscription renewal emails: FAQs
How far in advance should I send a subscription renewal reminder?
Seven days hits the sweet spot in most subscription renewal situations. Customers have time to check their credit card expiration dates, and you avoid the “why didn’t you tell me sooner” complaints that come with last-minute notices.
Should I offer discounts on subscription renewals?
Only if customers threaten to leave because loyal subscribers who use your product daily don’t need bribes — save discounts for inactive accounts or customers who clicked your cancellation page but didn’t finish.
How many subscription renewal reminders should I send?
Three emails work without crossing into spam territory. Space them at one week, two days, and the day of renewal. Any more and you risk training customers to ignore all your emails forever.
Can I automate subscription renewal emails with Omnisend?
Omnisend triggers emails based on subscription dates you feed it. Build one workflow with delays between messages, set exit rules for renewed customers, let it run, and monitor open and conversion rates to see what works best.
This article was researched and written by our experts following a precise process.
Aiste is a Content Marketing Manager at Omnisend. When she's not searching for the perfect synonym or refining her latest copy, you can find her curled up with her cat, binge-watching yet another TV series.
Omnisend AI
OFFER
