Error during upgrade to Pro (Monthly) prevents subscription confirmation

Platform/Tool: Relevance AI (Web – macOS)
Section/Environment: Billing & Subscription → Upgrade to Pro (Monthly)
Issue Type: Usability / API Error
Severity: High (Prevents critical upgrade action)
Status: Open

Description:‍

While attempting to upgrade from the Free plan to the Pro (Monthly) plan, the user encounters a system-level error after confirming the upgrade modal. The platform displays a red error message at the bottom-right corner, indicating an "unexpected error" related to API usage. Although a confirmation modal is shown beforehand, no clear confirmation of a transaction success or failure is returned. Additionally, the user received a bank app notification stating that their credit card has no available limit for the transaction, but the app did not specify the amount or whether the transaction attempt was from Relevance AI. The user clarified that they have available credit for monthly (but not annual) charges.

Gherkin Scenario:

Feature: Upgrade Plan from Free to Pro (Monthly)

 Scenario: User attempts to upgrade to Pro (Monthly) but receives API error
   Given the user is on the Free plan with valid credit available for monthly payment
   And the user opens the "Manage your plan" section
   When the user selects the "Pro - Monthly" plan and clicks "Upgrade now"
   Then the system should process the upgrade request via API
   And the system should return a success confirmation
   But instead the system shows an unexpected error with error ID
   And the user is unable to complete the upgrade


Positive Notes:

• The UI clearly distinguishes plan features and prices.
• Upgrade flow includes a clear price confirmation step.

Solution Proposals:

1. Error Handling & Feedback: Implement a more robust error-handling mechanism that clarifies if the error is related to payment failure, API malfunction, or invalid card limit.
2. Transaction Status Traceability: Offer a real-time transactional log or receipt system that informs whether the card was charged, rejected, or no attempt occurred.
3. Fallback Logic: Retry or delay queue for failed transactions, giving users the chance to update payment methods or retry after validation.
4. Improve API Error Reporting: The current red box with a technical error message is not actionable for users. It should include clearer next steps or direct access to support with prefilled error ID.

Evidences:

Categories:‍

Usability, Billing, Error Handling, API

‍Tags:

#payment-failure #api-error #subscription-upgrade #billing-ui #feedback-loop