When the Activator's Subscription Expires on Telegram

Group premium on Telegram depends on the activator's active subscription. If their plan lapses, @DoublegramScribeBot automatically downgrades the group to free mode — and bounces back when they renew.

Group premium in Telegram is tied to the member who activated it via @DoublegramScribeBot — not stored as a separate paid flag forever. The bot checks whether that person still has an active Doublegram subscription. If not, the group silently downgrades to the free tier.

What members see after downgrade

When someone tries to use AI (mention or reply to Scribe), the bot posts a clear message:

⚠️ The user who activated this group no longer has an active subscription: we're back to the free plan (50 transcriptions/hour, no AI). A subscribed member can reactivate with /upgrade.

If premium was never activated, members see a different message asking to enable group AI via /upgrade.

What still works on free tier

  • Voice transcription — up to 50 per hour for the whole group
  • Automatic replies — keyword triggers from /reply (see What Are Automatic Replies in Telegram Groups?)
  • /start and /upgrade — always available

What stops working

  • Mentioning Scribe for AI questions
  • Replying to Scribe's AI messages for follow-ups
  • History search, reminders, and other AI features in the group
  • Unlimited transcription — hourly cap returns

Automatic recovery when the activator renews

Scribe keeps the activator on record in the database. When their subscription becomes active again, the group automatically returns to premium — no need to tap the activation button again.

This makes renewal seamless for groups where the same person stays subscribed long-term.

If a different member should power premium

When the original activator will not renew:

  1. Original activator: /start → Settings → Release premium activation (if they still have access)
  2. Or wait — another member with a subscription sends /upgrade after the lapse
  3. New subscriber taps Activate premium for the group

Only one activator at a time. If premium is still held by a lapsed account, release it first or wait for automatic downgrade (premium checks run on each AI request).

For group admins

  • Communicate who is the premium sponsor for the group
  • Consider credit limits in Settings if AI usage is high
  • Transcription-only groups can stay on free tier indefinitely

Quick reference

  • Lapse → free tier (50 voice/hour, no AI)
  • Renew → premium often auto-restores
  • Switch sponsor → release + /upgrade
  • Transcription + auto-replies keep working

Related: how to talk to the bot in a Telegram group — see How to Talk to Scribe in a Telegram Group.