How do I change the card used only on the next renewal?

Valid Email Checker tracks two related but distinct settings: your default card (used for PAYG checkouts and auto-refill) and your renewal payment preference (card vs crypto, used for the next subscription charge). You can change them independently. The renewal preference lives on the Subscription sub-tab, not on Payment Methods — important to know so you do not waste time looking in the wrong place.

Where the selector lives

1. Open Account Settings → Billing & Payments.
2. Stay on the Subscription sub-tab (default landing).
3. Look for the Renewal payment method card (typically just below the next-billing-date row).
4. Toggle between Card and Crypto — your selection writes to last_payment_method on the subscription record.

What the toggle actually does

VEC uses a sticky last-explicit-choice model. The subscription has a last_payment_method column that the renewal cron reads to decide whether to attempt a card charge or create a crypto-style pending invoice. The column gets updated in two ways:

• You complete a payment with a given method — successful card payment sets last_payment_method = card; successful crypto payment sets it to crypto.
• You explicitly toggle the selector on the Subscription tab — same effect, written via the update-renewal-payment-method edge function.

Either way, the next renewal cron run honours that preference. The default card and saved-card list are unaffected — they still drive PAYG checkouts, auto-refill, and invoice payments.

Common reasons to switch

• Card-to-crypto for an upcoming renewal. You normally pay by card but want to use Bitcoin this time. Toggle to crypto on day 25 of the cycle, and on day 30 VEC creates a crypto-style pending invoice instead of attempting the card.
• Crypto-to-card to enable auto-charge. You previously paid by crypto so renewals are manual. Switching to card lets VEC auto-charge a saved default card next cycle.
• Stay in past-due grace, switch method. If you are in past-due grace, you can still switch the renewal preference via this toggle. The pending invoice is paid by whichever method you choose during invoice payment, regardless of the toggle.

What the toggle does not change

• Your default card stays the default (see setting a default card).
• Auto-refill keeps using the default card.
• PAYG checkout pre-selection is unchanged.
• Saved cards remain saved.