Must know
- The choice appears when more than one purchasable cycle is on sale at once — or when the only available cycle would bill a prorated mid-period amount — so any prorated “due today” charge is always shown before you buy.
- Both options are paid today at checkout — the choice only changes the amount and when coverage begins, not when you’re charged.
- Start now charges a one-time partial amount for the rest of the current period; Next cycle usually charges the full price today and holds coverage until that period opens — though the amount can be smaller when the membership is set to end soon. Each option shows the exact dates it covers and its price, and the card’s Due today total updates to the option you select.
- A prorated Start now amount has no /mo or /yr suffix — it’s a single partial payment, and normal cycles follow after it.
- Start now — coverage begins today. Because the current period is already underway, you pay only for the part that remains. This is a one-time partial amount, so it carries no /mo or /yr rate.
- Next cycle — you pay today, at checkout, and coverage is held until the next period opens rather than starting right away. This is usually the full period price, but it can be smaller when the membership is set to end soon. This option shows only when the upcoming period is on sale.