RevenueCat Webhook Events and Meanings

RevenueCat webhook events describe changes in a customer’s purchases and subscription lifecycle. The event name tells you whether a subscription started, renewed, changed, ended, or had a billing problem.

RevenueCat subscription event meanings

RevenueCat groups events around subscription changes, transfers, and other customer activity. These are the documented event names and their meanings; availability varies by store.

Event	What it means	ActivationPal
`INITIAL_PURCHASE`	A customer starts a subscription. It can also mark a trial start.	Tracked
`RENEWAL`	A subscription renews, or a lapsed customer subscribes again. A renewal can also mark a trial converting to paid.	Tracked
`CANCELLATION`	A subscription or non-renewing purchase is canceled, or a refund is issued. It does not by itself mean access has ended.	Tracked
`UNCANCELLATION`	A canceled subscription is re-enabled before it expires.	Tracked
`NON_RENEWING_PURCHASE`	A customer buys a product that will not renew automatically.	Tracked
`SUBSCRIPTION_PAUSED`	A subscription is scheduled to pause at the end of its current period.	Tracked
`EXPIRATION`	A subscription expires and its entitlement ends.	Tracked
`BILLING_ISSUE`	A charge attempt fails. The subscription may still be active.	Tracked
`PRODUCT_CHANGE`	A subscriber changes subscription products. The new product may take effect later.	Tracked
`SUBSCRIPTION_EXTENDED`	The current subscription period is extended.	Tracked
`REFUND_REVERSED`	A previously issued refund is reversed.	Tracked
`TRANSFER`	Transactions or entitlements move between customer accounts.	Tracked
`TEST`	RevenueCat sends a test event from its dashboard.	Not tracked
`TEMPORARY_ENTITLEMENT_GRANT`	RevenueCat grants temporary access while it cannot validate a store purchase.	Not tracked
`VIRTUAL_CURRENCY_TRANSACTION`	An in-app currency balance changes through a purchase, refund, or other adjustment.	Not tracked
`EXPERIMENT_ENROLLMENT`	A customer is enrolled in a RevenueCat experiment.	Not tracked
`PURCHASE_REDEEMED`	A customer redeems a purchase and associates it with an app user.	Not tracked
`SUBSCRIBER_ALIAS`	A legacy event for registering a new app user ID for an existing subscriber.	Not tracked
`PRICE_INCREASE_CONSENT_REQUIRED`	A customer must approve a price increase before a subscription can renew at the new price.	Not tracked
`PRICE_INCREASE_CONSENT_APPROVED`	A customer approves a pending price increase.	Not tracked
`INVOICE_ISSUANCE`	An unpaid invoice is created for a RevenueCat Billing purchase or renewal.	Not tracked

The event catalog and store availability are maintained in RevenueCat’s event type documentation.

Events that change access or subscription status

Subscription events describe different points in a status timeline. A scheduled pause does not end access immediately: keep access through the current period, then treat EXPIRATION as the point access ends. Reading events this way separates a planned status change from an actual entitlement change.

How purchases, trials, cancellations and refunds appear in ActivationPal

ActivationPal subscription analytics tracks RevenueCat’s purchase lifecycle events alongside revenue and in-app activity. Initial purchases and paid renewals contribute subscription revenue; one-time purchases appear separately from subscriptions.

Trial starts come from initial purchases marked as trials. A renewal that converts a trial to paid is counted as a new subscription. Trial cancellation is visible when the customer turns off renewal, while expiration marks the end of access. If a customer changes their mind before expiration, an uncancellation can return the trial to a pending outcome.

Cancellations and refunds are related but do not always mean the same thing. A cancellation can mean auto-renew is off while the current period remains active. Refunds affect refunded revenue, and ActivationPal also tracks a refund reversal when a refund is undone. See subscription metrics for how these outcomes fit into subscription reporting.

For account setup, see the RevenueCat integration guide. To compare localized price points for an app, use country pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Does a RevenueCat cancellation mean the subscription has expired?

No. Cancellation can mean that auto-renewal was turned off while the current subscription period is still active. Expiration is the event that marks the end of the entitlement.

Which RevenueCat events does ActivationPal track?

ActivationPal tracks initial purchases, renewals, cancellations, uncancellations, one-time purchases, pauses, expirations, billing issues, product changes, extensions, refund reversals, and transfers. The event table above shows which other documented event types are not included in its subscription analytics.

How does ActivationPal count trial conversions?

A trial starts with an initial purchase marked as a trial. When its paid renewal arrives, ActivationPal counts it as a converted trial and new subscription revenue, rather than as a regular renewal.

How are refunds shown in subscription analytics?

Refunded transactions reduce the refunded revenue shown in the analytics. Gross and net revenue views account for refunds, and a refund reversal is tracked as its own lifecycle event.