feat(billing): make trial card requirement configurable

Add a trypost config toggle to switch between card-required checkout trials and no-card signup trials, and wire signup, checkout, access gating, UI copy, and tests to both modes.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

.env.example

@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ AI_AUDIO_PROVIDER=elevenlabs
 # Stripe (Cashier — billing)
 # ============================================
 # Required when SELF_HOSTED=false. Get keys at https://dashboard.stripe.com/apikeys
+# Trial behavior:
+# - true  => require card at checkout to start trial
+# - false => grant a signup trial without card
+BILLING_REQUIRE_CARD_FOR_TRIAL=true
 STRIPE_KEY=
 STRIPE_SECRET=
 STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET=

app/Actions/User/CreateUser.php

@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
 
 namespace App\Actions\User;
 
+use App\Enums\Plan\Slug;
 use App\Jobs\PostHog\SyncUser;
 use App\Models\Account;
+use App\Models\Plan;
 use App\Models\User;
 use App\Services\PostHogService;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
@@ -20,11 +22,18 @@ public static function execute(array $data, array $utmParameters = []): User
     {
         $user = DB::transaction(function () use ($data, $utmParameters): User {
             $isInviteRegistration = data_get($data, 'is_invite', false);
-
-            $account = Account::create([
+            $requiresCardForTrial = (bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true);
+            $accountAttributes = [
                 'name' => data_get($data, 'name')."'s Account",
                 'billing_email' => data_get($data, 'email'),
-            ]);
+            ];
+
+            if (! $requiresCardForTrial) {
+                $accountAttributes['plan_id'] = Plan::where('slug', Slug::Starter)->value('id');
+                $accountAttributes['trial_ends_at'] = now()->addDays(config('cashier.trial_days', 7));
+            }
+
+            $account = Account::create($accountAttributes);
 
             $user = User::create(array_merge([
                 'name' => data_get($data, 'name'),

app/Http/Controllers/App/BillingController.php

@@ -28,9 +28,11 @@ public function subscribe(Request $request): Response|RedirectResponse
             return redirect()->route('app.billing.index');
         }
 
+        $requiresCardForTrial = (bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true);
+
         return Inertia::render('billing/Subscribe', [
             'plans' => Plan::active()->orderBy('sort')->get(),
-            'trialDays' => config('cashier.trial_days'),
+            'trialDays' => $requiresCardForTrial ? config('cashier.trial_days') : null,
         ]);
     }
 
@@ -63,8 +65,11 @@ public function checkout(Request $request, Plan $plan): SymfonyResponse|Redirect
         ]);
 
         $subscription = $account->newSubscription(Account::SUBSCRIPTION_NAME, $priceId)
-            ->allowPromotionCodes()
-            ->trialDays(config('cashier.trial_days'));
+            ->allowPromotionCodes();
+
+        if ((bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true)) {
+            $subscription->trialDays(config('cashier.trial_days'));
+        }
 
         $checkoutSession = $subscription->checkout([
             'success_url' => route('app.billing.processing').'?session_id={CHECKOUT_SESSION_ID}',

app/Http/Middleware/App/EnsureAccountReady.php

@@ -24,8 +24,16 @@ public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next): Response
 
         $account = $user->account;
 
-        if (! config('trypost.self_hosted') && (! $account || ! $account->subscribed(Account::SUBSCRIPTION_NAME))) {
-            return redirect()->route('app.subscribe');
+        if (! config('trypost.self_hosted')) {
+            $requiresCardForTrial = (bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true);
+            $hasAccess = $account && (
+                $account->subscribed(Account::SUBSCRIPTION_NAME)
+                || (! $requiresCardForTrial && $account->isOnTrial())
+            );
+
+            if (! $hasAccess) {
+                return redirect()->route('app.subscribe');
+            }
         }
 
         if (! $user->workspaces()->exists()) {

app/Models/Account.php

@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ public function hasActiveSubscription(): bool
 
     public function isOnTrial(): bool
     {
+        if (! (bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true) && $this->onGenericTrial()) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         return (bool) $this->subscription(self::SUBSCRIPTION_NAME)?->onTrial();
     }
 
@@ -101,6 +105,10 @@ public function activeTrialEndsAt(): ?CarbonInterface
         $subscription = $this->subscription(self::SUBSCRIPTION_NAME);
 
         if (! $subscription?->onTrial()) {
+            if (! (bool) config('trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial', true) && $this->onGenericTrial()) {
+                return $this->trial_ends_at;
+            }
+
             return null;
         }
 

config/trypost.php

@@ -16,6 +16,21 @@
 
     'self_hosted' => env('SELF_HOSTED', true),
 
+    /*
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    | Billing
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    |
+    | Control trial behavior for SaaS billing:
+    | - true: require card at checkout to start trial (Stripe trialing)
+    | - false: grant generic trial at signup without card
+    |
+    */
+
+    'billing' => [
+        'require_card_for_trial' => env('BILLING_REQUIRE_CARD_FOR_TRIAL', true),
+    ],
+
     /*
     |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     | Media Size Limits

resources/js/pages/billing/Subscribe.vue

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ interface Highlight {
 
 const { plans, trialDays } = defineProps<{
     plans: Plan[];
-    trialDays: number;
+    trialDays: number | null;
 }>();
 
 const isYearly = ref(true);
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ const planTones: Record<PlanSlug, string> = {
                 <p class="mx-auto max-w-2xl text-balance text-base text-muted-foreground sm:text-lg">
                     {{ $t('billing.subscribe.description') }}
                 </p>
-                <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground/70">
+                <p v-if="trialDays !== null" class="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground/70">
                     {{ trans('billing.subscribe.trial_info', { days: String(trialDays) }) }}
                 </p>
             </div>
@@ -231,7 +231,12 @@ const planTones: Record<PlanSlug, string> = {
                         ]"
                         @click="selectPlan(plan)"
                     >
-                        {{ trans('billing.subscribe.start_trial', { days: String(trialDays) }) }}
+                        <template v-if="trialDays !== null">
+                            {{ trans('billing.subscribe.start_trial', { days: String(trialDays) }) }}
+                        </template>
+                        <template v-else>
+                            {{ $t('billing.subscribe.subscribe_cta') }}
+                        </template>
                         <IconArrowRight class="size-4" />
                     </button>
 

tests/Feature/Auth/SignupRequiresCheckoutTest.php

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 beforeEach(function () {
     config(['trypost.self_hosted' => false]);
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => true]);
     $this->seed(PlanSeeder::class);
 });
 
@@ -23,3 +24,18 @@
     expect($user->account->trial_ends_at)->toBeNull();
     expect($user->account->stripe_id)->toBeNull();
 });
+
+test('new signup creates generic trial when card is not required', function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => false]);
+
+    $user = CreateUser::execute([
+        'name' => 'Alice',
+        'email' => 'alice+nocard@example.com',
+        'password' => 'password123',
+        'timezone' => 'UTC',
+        'registration_ip' => '127.0.0.1',
+    ]);
+
+    expect($user->account->plan_id)->not->toBeNull();
+    expect($user->account->trial_ends_at)->not->toBeNull();
+});

tests/Feature/BillingControllerTest.php

@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 use App\Models\Workspace;
 
 beforeEach(function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => true]);
+
     $this->account = Account::factory()->create();
     $this->user = User::factory()->create([
         'account_id' => $this->account->id,
@@ -143,6 +145,20 @@
     );
 });
 
+test('subscribe page exposes null trialDays when card is not required', function () {
+    config([
+        'trypost.self_hosted' => false,
+        'trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => false,
+    ]);
+
+    $response = $this->actingAs($this->user)->get(route('app.subscribe'));
+
+    $response->assertInertia(fn ($page) => $page
+        ->component('billing/Subscribe', false)
+        ->where('trialDays', null)
+    );
+});
+
 test('billing index redirects to calendar in self hosted mode', function () {
     config(['trypost.self_hosted' => true]);
 

tests/Feature/Middleware/TrialMiddlewareAccessTest.php

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 beforeEach(function () {
     config(['trypost.self_hosted' => false]);
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => true]);
     $this->seed(PlanSeeder::class);
 });
 
@@ -90,3 +91,26 @@
 
     $response->assertOk();
 });
+
+test('user on generic trial can access the app when card is not required', function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => false]);
+
+    $user = CreateUser::execute([
+        'name' => 'Alice',
+        'email' => 'alice-generic@example.com',
+        'password' => 'password123',
+        'timezone' => 'UTC',
+        'registration_ip' => '127.0.0.1',
+    ]);
+
+    $workspace = Workspace::factory()->create([
+        'account_id' => $user->account_id,
+        'user_id' => $user->id,
+    ]);
+    $workspace->members()->attach($user->id, ['role' => Role::Member->value]);
+    $user->update(['current_workspace_id' => $workspace->id]);
+
+    $response = $this->actingAs($user->fresh())->get(route('app.accounts'));
+
+    $response->assertOk();
+});

tests/Unit/Models/AccountTest.php

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use Database\Seeders\PlanSeeder;
 
 beforeEach(function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => true]);
     $this->seed(PlanSeeder::class);
     Carbon::setTestNow('2026-05-14 12:00:00');
 });
@@ -19,6 +20,14 @@
     expect($account->isOnTrial())->toBeFalse();
 });
 
+test('isOnTrial includes generic trial when card is not required', function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => false]);
+
+    $account = Account::factory()->create(['trial_ends_at' => now()->addDays(7)]);
+
+    expect($account->isOnTrial())->toBeTrue();
+});
+
 test('isOnTrial returns false for account without trial or subscription', function () {
     $account = Account::factory()->create(['trial_ends_at' => null]);
 
@@ -54,6 +63,16 @@
     expect($account->activeTrialEndsAt())->toBeNull();
 });
 
+test('activeTrialEndsAt returns generic trial date when card is not required', function () {
+    config(['trypost.billing.require_card_for_trial' => false]);
+
+    $endsAt = now()->addDays(7);
+    $account = Account::factory()->create(['trial_ends_at' => $endsAt]);
+
+    expect($account->activeTrialEndsAt()?->toDateTimeString())
+        ->toBe($endsAt->toDateTimeString());
+});
+
 test('activeTrialEndsAt returns subscription date when only subscription trial is active', function () {
     $subscriptionEndsAt = now()->addDays(5);
     $account = Account::factory()->create([