# Which subscription triggers and actions does Zubs add to Shopify Flow?

> Source: https://zubs.app/features/shopify-flow-subscriptions
> Title: Shopify Flow Triggers and Actions for Subscriptions — Zubs
> Published: 2026-10-02
> Updated: 2026-10-06
> Language: en

## Short answer

Zubs adds subscription triggers and actions to Shopify Flow, so your automations can react when a subscription starts, renews, fails to bill, skips or ends, and can cancel, skip or add a free item in return. There's nothing to connect: they appear in Flow as soon as Zubs is installed.

## Which triggers does Zubs add to Shopify Flow?

Each trigger passes the subscription and the customer, so any Flow step can use them: tag the customer, post to Slack, open a helpdesk ticket or call another app.

| Trigger                    | Fires when                                                             |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Subscription Created       | A new subscription starts                                              |
| Subscription Cancelled     | A subscription is cancelled                                            |
| Renewal Successful         | A renewal is billed and its order is created                           |
| Billing Failure            | A billing attempt fails, on every [dunning](https://zubs.app/glossary/dunning) attempt |
| Order Skipped              | An order is skipped                                                    |
| Upcoming Order Reminder    | Before an order, on your reminder schedule                             |
| Subscription Items Updated | The items on a subscription change                                     |
| Frequency Changed          | The delivery frequency changes                                         |

The reminder trigger fires even when the Zubs reminder email is off, so a flow can take over that moment entirely.

## Which actions can a flow run in Zubs?

| Action                       | What it does                                     |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Cancel Subscription          | Cancels the subscription and can record a reason |
| Skip Next Billing Cycle      | Skips the next upcoming order                    |
| Add Free One-Time Item       | Adds a free product to the next order            |
| Fetch Subscription Contracts | Returns a customer's subscriptions               |

A cancellation from a flow can carry one of your own [cancellation reasons](https://zubs.app/features/cancellation-flow), so Zubs shows it next to the ones customers made themselves.

## What can you build with it?

- **Payment failure, then a person.** On Billing Failure, tag the customer, notify a Slack channel or open a support ticket, so someone can follow up personally.
- **Cancellation follow-up.** On Subscription Cancelled, add a tag, start an email in another tool or create a task. That's the starting point for [winning cancelled subscribers back](https://zubs.app/playbooks/win-back-cancelled-subscribers) without Klaviyo.
- **Welcome gift.** On Subscription Created, add a free sample to the first renewal.
- **Skip watch.** On Order Skipped, tag the customer or log it, so a pattern of skips shows up before it turns into a cancellation. See [skip rate](https://zubs.app/glossary/skip-rate).

## How does it fit with the rest of Zubs?

Zubs has two kinds of automation. [Sequential Flows](https://zubs.app/features/sequential-flows) change a subscription at a set order number and live in Zubs. Use them for progressions like "10% off from the fourth renewal". Use Shopify Flow for anything that reacts to an event or reaches into other Shopify features and apps. For emails, the same moments also reach [Klaviyo](https://zubs.app/features/klaviyo-subscription-events) as events, with more detail for each step of [dunning](https://zubs.app/features/dunning).

Set it up in the help center: [Shopify Flow integration](https://help.zubs.app/docs/subscription-management/automation/shopify-flow/).

## Who is it for?

Merchants who already automate with Shopify Flow, and teams that want subscription events in their helpdesk, Slack or other apps without custom code.

## Bottom line

Zubs puts subscriptions into Shopify Flow with no connection step: triggers for the moments that matter and actions that cancel, skip, add a free item or look up subscriptions. Combine them with everything else Flow can do, and use Sequential Flows for changes tied to an order number.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I have to connect anything?

No. The Zubs triggers and actions are available in Shopify Flow as soon as Zubs is installed.

### Can a flow react to every failed payment?

Yes. The Billing Failure trigger fires on every failed attempt, so your team can follow up while Zubs is still retrying.

### Can a flow cancel a subscription with a reason?

Yes. Cancel Subscription can record one of your cancellation reasons and a note, which appear next to the cancellations customers made themselves.

### When should I use Sequential Flows instead?

For changes tied to an order number, such as a discount from the fourth renewal. Shopify Flow is for reacting to events and reaching other apps.

## Related

- [Feature: Zubs subscription events in Klaviyo](https://zubs.app/features/klaviyo-subscription-events)
- [Feature: Sequential Flows for rewards at order milestones](https://zubs.app/features/sequential-flows)
- [Feature: payment retries and dunning in Zubs](https://zubs.app/features/dunning)
- [Playbook: win back cancelled subscribers](https://zubs.app/playbooks/win-back-cancelled-subscribers)
- [Help center: Shopify Flow triggers and actions](https://help.zubs.app/docs/subscription-management/automation/shopify-flow/)