Roblox stopped selling lifetime memberships in 2016 and shut down all existing ones by 2017
If you bought a Roblox lifetime membership before 2016, that membership no longer exists. Roblox ended the lifetime membership product entirely and converted all active lifetime members to month-to-month Roblox Premium subscriptions instead. You were not charged anything for this conversion — your lifetime membership simply became a regular Premium subscription that you can cancel anytime.
The company made this change because lifetime memberships created problems for their business model. Once someone paid a one-time fee, Roblox had no way to predict future revenue from that player, and the company had no reason to keep those members engaged with new Premium features. Switching everyone to a monthly subscription meant Roblox could plan their finances and continue offering new benefits to paying members.
If you had a lifetime membership when the conversion happened, you kept your Premium status — you just lost the "lifetime" part. Your account was moved to a standard Premium subscription, and you started getting charged monthly unless you manually turned off auto-renewal.
Key Takeaways
- Roblox lifetime memberships were discontinued in 2016 and all existing ones were converted to monthly Premium subscriptions by 2017.
- If you owned a lifetime membership, you were automatically switched to Premium without being charged, but auto-renewal turned on by default.
- You can cancel your Premium subscription anytime through your account settings — there is no penalty for stopping.
- Current Roblox Premium is a monthly subscription only; there is no way to buy a lifetime membership anymore.
What lifetime membership actually gave you
Before Roblox shut down the program, a lifetime membership was a one-time purchase that gave you permanent access to member-only features. The exact price varied, but players typically paid between $50 and $100 upfront to get lifetime status. Once you paid, you never had to pay again — the membership stayed active on your account forever, even if you stopped playing for years.
Lifetime members got the same perks that Premium members get today: a monthly Robux stipend (the in-game currency), access to member-only games, a special member badge on your profile, and the ability to sell items you created in the game. The difference was that you paid once instead of every month.
The lifetime membership was attractive to serious players who knew they would stick with Roblox long-term. If you played regularly, paying $50 upfront meant you would break even in less than a year compared to paying $10 a month for Premium. After that, every month was free.
Why Roblox killed the lifetime membership
Roblox is a business that needs predictable revenue to plan budgets, hire staff, and build new features. Lifetime memberships created a problem: once someone paid $50, Roblox had no way to know if that player would stay active or quit tomorrow. The company could not count on future money from that account, which made financial planning difficult.
Monthly subscriptions solve this problem. When you pay $10 a month, Roblox knows you are choosing to stay engaged. If you stop playing, you stop paying. This gives the company a clear picture of how many active, paying members they have at any given time. It also creates a reason to keep Premium members happy — if the service gets worse, people cancel.
Lifetime memberships also meant Roblox had less incentive to add new Premium features. If you already paid your $50 and would never pay again, why would the company spend money developing new perks just for you? Monthly subscriptions fix this too: new features give people a reason to keep their subscription active.
What happened to your account during the conversion
When Roblox converted lifetime memberships to Premium subscriptions in 2017, the process was automatic. You did not have to do anything. Your account was flagged as a former lifetime member, and your status was switched to an active Premium subscription.
The conversion happened in waves over several months, so not everyone switched on the same day. Roblox sent emails to lifetime members explaining the change, but many players did not notice or did not read them. If you had a lifetime membership and suddenly stopped seeing the member badge or monthly Robux, that was the conversion happening to your account.
One important detail: Roblox turned on auto-renewal for your Premium subscription by default. This means you started getting charged $10 a month automatically unless you went into your account settings and turned it off. Some players did not realize this and were surprised to see charges on their credit card or payment method months later.
How to check if you still have Premium and manage your subscription
To see whether your account currently has Premium active, log into Roblox and go to your account settings. Click on the "Billing" tab, and you will see your subscription status. If you see "Premium" listed with an active renewal date, you are currently subscribed and will be charged on that date.
If you want to keep Premium, you do not need to do anything. Your subscription will renew automatically every month. If you want to cancel, click the "Cancel Subscription" button on the same page. Roblox will let you keep Premium until your current billing period ends, then it will stop charging you.
If you cancel and later change your mind, you can resubscribe anytime by going back to the same page and clicking "Get Premium." There is no penalty for canceling and restarting — you can turn your subscription on and off as many times as you want.
Why you might still be charged if you had a lifetime membership
If you owned a lifetime membership and are now seeing monthly charges on your payment method, it is because your account was converted to Premium with auto-renewal turned on. Roblox did not charge you for the conversion itself, but they did start charging you $10 a month going forward.
This happened to many players who did not read the conversion email or did not realize they needed to manually turn off auto-renewal. If you did not want Premium after the conversion, you were charged for months before noticing. Roblox does not automatically refund these charges, but you can contact their support team to ask about a refund if you were charged without realizing it.
To avoid future charges, go to your account settings, click "Billing," and turn off auto-renewal. You can also remove your payment method from your account entirely if you do not plan to spend money on Roblox.
What Premium costs now and what it includes
Roblox Premium is now a monthly subscription only — there is no lifetime option anymore. The standard Premium tier costs $10 a month and gives you a monthly Robux stipend (the amount varies by region), access to member-only games, a member badge, and the ability to sell items you create.
Roblox also offers a higher tier called Premium Plus for $20 a month, which gives you double the monthly Robux and some additional perks. Both subscriptions renew automatically every month unless you cancel.
If you want Robux without a subscription, you can buy them directly with real money. A one-time Robux purchase gives you the currency to spend on games and items, but it does not include the other Premium benefits like the monthly stipend or member badge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund for Premium charges after my lifetime membership converted?
Roblox does not automatically refund Premium charges after the conversion. However, if you were charged without realizing your lifetime membership had been converted to a subscription, you can contact Roblox support and explain the situation. They may refund charges from the first few months, but this is not may provide.
Is there any way to buy a lifetime membership now?
No. Roblox discontinued lifetime memberships entirely in 2016 and has not brought them back. The only membership option available now is the monthly Premium subscription.
What happens if I cancel Premium after having a lifetime membership?
You lose all Premium benefits immediately, including the monthly Robux stipend and member badge. You can still play Roblox and create items, but you will not be able to sell items or access member-only games. You can resubscribe anytime if you change your mind.
Do former lifetime members get any special treatment or discount?
No. Roblox treats all Premium subscribers the same way, regardless of whether they had a lifetime membership before. There is no discount or special status for former lifetime members.
Why did Roblox not let me keep my lifetime membership?
Roblox needed to switch to a monthly subscription model for financial planning and to have a reason to keep developing new Premium features. Lifetime memberships made both of these things difficult. The company decided the benefits of monthly subscriptions outweighed keeping the lifetime option.