Category guide
Feature entitlements connect what customers buy to what your application allows.
A feature entitlement is the access, value, limit, or configuration a customer receives because of a plan, package, purchase, or explicit grant.
By Jasen Fici · Updated August 22, 2026
One consistent example
A plan can carry more than a list of on and off switches.
Acme buys the Growth package for an analytics product. The package grants advanced reporting, sets the seat limit to 25, and keeps data for 90 days. Acme's contract includes 40 seats, so an override changes that one value without creating a new plan.
- Toggle feature
advanced-reporting = true - Numeric limit
seat-limit = 25 - Text value
retention-policy = 90-days - Customer override
seat-limit = 40for Acme
Entitlement resolution
Customer overrides take priority over plan values.
Subscrio checks the subscription override first, then the plan value, then the feature default. Customers without an override continue to use the value from their plan or package.
- Subscription overrideUse the explicit value when this customer's assignment contains one.
- Plan valueOtherwise use the feature value defined by the selected plan or package.
- Feature defaultIf the plan does not define the feature, fall back to the feature's default value.
Beyond SaaS
The same model works wherever a package changes product behavior.
The customer does not need a monthly subscription. A software license, purchase, contract, or internal grant can provide a package of features and values.
| System | Question it answers | Usually based on |
|---|---|---|
| Entitlements | What may this customer or account use? | Plan, purchase, assignment, or agreement |
| Feature flags | Is this code path rolled out for this operation? | Release and experiment configuration |
| Authorization / RBAC | May this user perform this action on this resource? | Roles, policies, and relationships |
| Billing | What was ordered, invoiced, paid, or refunded? | Commerce and payment records |
| License activation | May this installation or device run the software? | License keys, devices, and activation state |
Use the flags comparison and authorization comparison for combined decision examples.
Common questions
Questions about feature entitlements
What is a feature entitlement?
A feature entitlement is a product access rule or value assigned to a customer because of a plan, package, purchase, or explicit grant. Examples include advanced reporting, a 25-seat limit, or a configured retention period.
Are entitlements only for subscriptions?
No. A subscription is one way to assign a package. Installed software, APIs, developer tools, and internal products can derive entitlements from purchases, contracts, licenses, or manual grants.
What is the difference between an entitlement and a feature flag?
An entitlement represents what a customer is allowed to use. A feature flag controls whether code is rolled out or operationally enabled. A protected operation can require both conditions.
Can an entitlement store a limit instead of a boolean?
Yes. Subscrio feature values can represent toggles, numeric limits, or text values. A customer-specific override can replace the standard plan value.
Are customer overrides the same as user permissions?
No. An override changes the features or limits a customer receives. User permissions decide which people inside that account may use them.
Next step
Model one feature before you model every plan.
Start with a stable feature key, a default, one plan value, and a single customer assignment. Add overrides only when a real agreement requires one.