Does Upgrading a Subscription Count as a Returning Subscriber?

No, upgrading a subscription does not count as a returning subscriber and will not contribute to the Subscriber Growth calculation.

Here is how Recurly defines a Returning Subscriber: A subscriber who was previously a subscriber, churned for at least one day, and has now opened a new subscription. Either subscription could have been in a trial or on any plan, and the subscriber is still considered returning.

When a customer upgrades their subscription, the existing plan is simply switched with the new one. The subscription does not expire and churn in this process, which is a key requirement for being considered a returning subscriber.