{
 "id": "zulip",
 "name": "Zulip Cloud",
 "category": "communication",
 "website": "https://zulip.com",
 "domains": [
  "zulip.com",
  "zulipchat.com"
 ],
 "summary": "Open your organization's billing settings (gear icon), click Cancel plan at the bottom, then Downgrade to confirm; the organization moves to Zulip Cloud Free when the billing period ends. No refunds for time already paid. On Free, only the most recent 10,000 messages can be viewed and searched.",
 "routes": [
  {
   "channel": "direct_web",
   "applies_to": "Zulip Cloud Standard and Plus plans",
   "who": "A user allowed by the organization's Who can manage plans and billing setting",
   "method": "self_serve",
   "start_url": null,
   "steps": [
    {
     "do": "Click the gear icon in the upper right corner of the web or desktop app, then select Billing",
     "expect": "Cancel plan, at the bottom of the page"
    },
    {
     "do": "At the bottom of the page, click Cancel plan",
     "expect": "Downgrade"
    },
    {
     "do": "Click Downgrade to confirm",
     "expect": null
    }
   ],
   "confirm_by": null,
   "effective": "The organization is downgraded to Zulip Cloud Free at the end of the current billing period",
   "notice": "Plans renew automatically for successive periods unless you opt out; the Terms say you must cancel to stop recurring charges",
   "refund": "No refunds: paid services can't be ended before the end of the period already paid for, Zulip doesn't refund fees already paid except as its Terms provide, and unused licenses aren't refunded",
   "fees": null,
   "source_ids": [
    "s1",
    "s2",
    "s3",
    "s4",
    "s5",
    "s6",
    "s7",
    "s8",
    "s9",
    "s10",
    "s34"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "pay_less": [
  {
   "type": "free_plan",
   "what": "Zulip Cloud Free: only the most recent 10,000 messages can be viewed and searched, and file storage is up to 5 GB in total; older messages are kept and come back if you upgrade to Zulip Cloud Standard",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s11",
    "s12",
    "s32"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "student_or_nonprofit",
   "what": "Free Zulip Cloud Standard for eligible organizations (open-source projects, academic research, academic conferences, non-profits with no paid staff); discounts for education, the developing world and organizations whose users are mostly not paid staff. Request it from the gear menu (Request sponsorship or Request education pricing)",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s13",
    "s14",
    "s15",
    "s16"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "discount_program",
   "what": "If regular pricing is unaffordable for your organization, contact sales@zulip.com to discuss it",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s17"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "annual_billing",
   "what": "Annual billing costs less per user: Zulip Cloud Standard is $6.67 per user a month billed annually, or $8 billed monthly",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s31"
   ]
  },
  {
   "type": "seat_reduction",
   "what": "With automatic license management, a license is bought for each user at the start of each billing period; deactivating a user frees their license, but unused licenses aren't refunded",
   "evidence": "documented",
   "source_ids": [
    "s33",
    "s34"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "export": [
  {
   "data": "The organization's data other than private channel messages and direct messages (public data export); private data from members who allowed administrators to export it; corporate Zulip Cloud Standard and Plus customers can also export all private data",
   "how": "An organization owner or administrator clicks the gear icon, selects Organization settings, clicks Data exports on the left, clicks Start export, chooses the Export type and clicks Start export",
   "format": "Zulip's import format, for Zulip Cloud or a self-hosted server; not designed to be human-readable",
   "limits": "Generating an export can take up to an hour for large organizations; the full private export is only for corporate Standard and Plus customers",
   "source_ids": [
    "s18",
    "s19",
    "s20",
    "s21",
    "s22",
    "s23",
    "s28",
    "s29",
    "s30"
   ]
  }
 ],
 "after_cancel": {
  "access_until": "The end of the current billing period",
  "data_kept": "Messages stay stored on Zulip Cloud Free; only the most recent 10,000 can be viewed and searched, and older ones return if you upgrade. Deactivating the organization is separate: the owner picks when its data is permanently deleted",
  "you_lose": [
   "Viewing and searching messages older than the most recent 10,000"
  ]
 },
 "agent_notes": {
  "sign_in_needed": true,
  "phone_or_chat_only": false,
  "retention_step": null,
  "tips": [
   "Cancelling moves the organization to Zulip Cloud Free; deactivating the organization is a separate step that only organization owners can take",
   "A deactivated organization can be restored until its data is deleted",
   "Export while still on a paid plan if you need private messages: full private exports are only for corporate Standard and Plus customers"
  ]
 },
 "sources": [
  {
   "id": "s1",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If you cancel your plan, your organization will be downgraded to Zulip Cloud Free at the end of the current billing period.",
   "supports": "what cancelling does and when"
  },
  {
   "id": "s2",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "At the bottom of the page, click Cancel plan.",
   "supports": "the Cancel plan step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s3",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click Downgrade to confirm.",
   "supports": "the confirm step"
  },
  {
   "id": "s4",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Who can manage plans and billing",
   "supports": "the setting that decides who can cancel"
  },
  {
   "id": "s5",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "go to your billing settings",
   "supports": "cancelling is done in billing settings"
  },
  {
   "id": "s6",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE CHARGED ON A RECURRING BASIS, YOU MUST CANCEL",
   "supports": "you must cancel to stop charges"
  },
  {
   "id": "s7",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "will be automatically extended for successive renewal periods",
   "supports": "auto-renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s8",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "PAID SERVICES CANNOT BE TERMINATED BEFORE THE END OF THE PERIOD FOR WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID",
   "supports": "no early termination"
  },
  {
   "id": "s9",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "ZULIP WILL NOT REFUND ANY FEES THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID",
   "supports": "no refunds"
  },
  {
   "id": "s10",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "icon in the upper right corner of the web or desktop app. Select Billing.",
   "supports": "billing is opened from the gear menu, Billing"
  },
  {
   "id": "s11",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Only the most recent 10,000 messages can be viewed and searched on the Zulip Cloud Free plan.",
   "supports": "the Free plan's message limit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s12",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Older messages are still stored and will become available again if the organization is upgraded to Zulip Cloud Standard.",
   "supports": "older messages are kept"
  },
  {
   "id": "s13",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Zulip sponsors free plans for over 1000 worthy organizations.",
   "supports": "sponsored free plans"
  },
  {
   "id": "s14",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Non-profits with no paid staff.",
   "supports": "who qualifies for sponsorship"
  },
  {
   "id": "s15",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click the Request sponsorship link at the top of the gear menu.",
   "supports": "how to request sponsorship"
  },
  {
   "id": "s16",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Discounts are available for organizations based in the developing world.",
   "supports": "discounts"
  },
  {
   "id": "s17",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "If there are any circumstances that make regular pricing unaffordable for your",
   "supports": "contact sales about pricing"
  },
  {
   "id": "s18",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This feature is only available to organization owners and administrators.",
   "supports": "who can export"
  },
  {
   "id": "s19",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Complete data for your organization other than private channel messages and direct messages.",
   "supports": "what the public export includes"
  },
  {
   "id": "s20",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This option is only available to corporate Zulip Cloud Standard and Zulip Cloud Plus customers.",
   "supports": "who can export all private data"
  },
  {
   "id": "s21",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "On the left, click Data exports.",
   "supports": "where exports are made"
  },
  {
   "id": "s22",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Click Start export to begin the export process.",
   "supports": "starting the export"
  },
  {
   "id": "s23",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Generating the export can take up to an hour for organizations with a large number of messages or uploaded files.",
   "supports": "how long an export takes"
  },
  {
   "id": "s24",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/deactivate-your-organization",
   "title": "Deactivate your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "This feature is only available to organization owners.",
   "supports": "who can deactivate"
  },
  {
   "id": "s25",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/deactivate-your-organization",
   "title": "Deactivate your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "can specify the time period after which the organization's data will be permanently deleted",
   "supports": "when a deactivated organization's data is deleted"
  },
  {
   "id": "s26",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/deactivate-your-organization",
   "title": "Deactivate your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "A deactivated organization can be restored until its data is deleted.",
   "supports": "restoring a deactivated organization"
  },
  {
   "id": "s27",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/policies/terms",
   "title": "Zulip Terms of Service",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Unless you opt out of auto-renewal",
   "supports": "opting out of auto-renewal"
  },
  {
   "id": "s28",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "formatted for importing into Zulip Cloud or a self-hosted installation",
   "supports": "the export format"
  },
  {
   "id": "s29",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "is not designed to be human-readable",
   "supports": "the export isn't meant for reading"
  },
  {
   "id": "s30",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/export-your-organization",
   "title": "Export your organization",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "allowed administrators to export their private data",
   "supports": "private data from members who consent"
  },
  {
   "id": "s31",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/plans/",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud plans and pricing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "6.67 /user/month billed annually or $8 billed monthly",
   "supports": "annual billing costs less (Standard)"
  },
  {
   "id": "s32",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/plans/",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud plans and pricing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "File storage up to 5 GB total",
   "supports": "the Free plan's storage limit"
  },
  {
   "id": "s33",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "you automatically purchase a Zulip license for each user in your organization at the start of each billing period",
   "supports": "licenses follow the user count at each billing period"
  },
  {
   "id": "s34",
   "url": "https://zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
   "title": "Zulip Cloud billing",
   "publisher": "vendor",
   "quote": "Deactivating a user frees up their license for reuse. No refunds are given for unused licenses.",
   "supports": "deactivating users frees licenses; no refunds"
  }
 ],
 "verification": {
  "level": "docs",
  "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
  "by": "stackcut-research",
  "unverified": [
   "Which roles can manage plans and billing by default isn't documented (the help page only says the setting can be configured)",
   "How invoice-paid plans cancel, and what confirms a cancellation, are not documented in the pages read"
  ],
  "review": {
   "by": "stackcut-review",
   "on": "2026-09-29",
   "result": "fixed",
   "notes": [
    "Read the official billing help page (earlier unreadable); re-pointed its quotes from the GitHub source to zulip.com/help/zulip-cloud-billing",
    "Step 1 now names the menu: gear icon, then Billing",
    "Export: added the consent-based private export and the format (Zulip import format, not human-readable)",
    "Added annual billing and license reduction to pay_less, and the Free plan's 5 GB storage limit",
    "Level raised to docs: the unread-page gaps are resolved"
   ]
  }
 },
 "delete_account": {
  "url": "https://zulipchat.com/help/deactivate-your-account",
  "difficulty": "easy",
  "source": "JustDeleteMe (MIT), https://github.com/jdm-contrib/jdm"
 },
 "stackcut": {
  "vendor_id": "zulip",
  "name": "Zulip",
  "recipes": [
   {
    "id": "replace-zulip",
    "title": "Team chat",
    "best_year_one_net": 84
   }
  ]
 },
 "page": "https://stackcut.io/cancel/zulip",
 "json": "https://stackcut.io/exits/zulip.json",
 "evidence": {
  "packet_revision": "a2e9e8596561244555ef63d41385b2b1f1051025e3da7dc006dd37d9a13d0c61",
  "docs_checked_on": "2026-09-29",
  "last_observed_success_on": null,
  "verification": "docs",
  "freshness": {
   "as_of": "2026-10-09",
   "status": "current",
   "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
   "age_days": 10,
   "stale_after_days": 30,
   "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
  },
  "routes": [
   {
    "route_id": "zulip--direct-web--r1",
    "channel": "direct_web",
    "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
    "freshness": {
     "as_of": "2026-10-09",
     "status": "current",
     "checked_on": "2026-09-29",
     "age_days": 10,
     "stale_after_days": 30,
     "next_check_on": "2026-10-29"
    }
   }
  ]
 },
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
 "credit": "Stackcut Exits (https://stackcut.io/cancel), CC BY 4.0"
}