diff --git a/shard_core/data_model/backend/api_token_model.py b/shard_core/data_model/backend/api_token_model.py
index 981b745..86bbd7c 100644
--- a/shard_core/data_model/backend/api_token_model.py
+++ b/shard_core/data_model/backend/api_token_model.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 from .permission_model import PermissionHolder, Permission
 
 
-class ApiTokenResult(PermissionHolder, BaseModel):
+class ApiTokenDb(BaseModel):
     id: uuid.UUID
     name: str
     created: datetime
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ class ApiTokenResult(PermissionHolder, BaseModel):
     owner_name: str | None
 
 
+class ApiTokenResult(ApiTokenDb, PermissionHolder):
+    pass
+
+
 class ApiTokenCreate(BaseModel):
     name: str
     permissions: Set[Permission]
diff --git a/shard_core/data_model/backend/settings_model.py b/shard_core/data_model/backend/settings_model.py
index fa72d54..ed04032 100644
--- a/shard_core/data_model/backend/settings_model.py
+++ b/shard_core/data_model/backend/settings_model.py
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 class SettingKey(StrEnum):
     MIN_NR_OF_STANDBY_SHARDS = auto()
     NEW_INSTANCE_SIZE = auto()
+    AUTO_PROVISIONING_ENABLED = auto()
+    NEW_SHARD_CORE_VERSION = auto()
+    TRIAL_MAX_VM_SIZE = auto()
+    SUBSCRIBED_MAX_VM_SIZE = auto()
 
 
 class Setting(BaseModel):
diff --git a/shard_core/data_model/backend/shard_model.py b/shard_core/data_model/backend/shard_model.py
index 54bfca3..e01ac15 100644
--- a/shard_core/data_model/backend/shard_model.py
+++ b/shard_core/data_model/backend/shard_model.py
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime
 from enum import StrEnum, auto
-from functools import total_ordering
 from typing import List
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 from .permission_model import PermissionHolder
+from .subscription_model import SubscriptionStatus
 from .telemetry_model import Telemetry
 
 
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ class ShardStatus(StrEnum):
 _VM_SIZE_ORDER = ["xs", "s", "m", "l", "xl"]
 
 
-@total_ordering
 class VmSize(StrEnum):
     XS = auto()
     S = auto()
@@ -40,10 +39,28 @@ class VmSize(StrEnum):
     L = auto()
     XL = auto()
 
+    def _idx(self) -> int:
+        return _VM_SIZE_ORDER.index(self.value)
+
     def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if not isinstance(other, VmSize):
             return NotImplemented
-        return _VM_SIZE_ORDER.index(self.value) < _VM_SIZE_ORDER.index(other.value)
+        return self._idx() < other._idx()
+
+    def __le__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if not isinstance(other, VmSize):
+            return NotImplemented
+        return self._idx() <= other._idx()
+
+    def __gt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if not isinstance(other, VmSize):
+            return NotImplemented
+        return self._idx() > other._idx()
+
+    def __ge__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if not isinstance(other, VmSize):
+            return NotImplemented
+        return self._idx() >= other._idx()
 
     def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         return str.__eq__(self, other)
@@ -58,7 +75,7 @@ class Cloud(StrEnum):
     OVHCLOUD = auto()
 
 
-class ShardBase(PermissionHolder, BaseModel):
+class ShardBase(BaseModel):
     machine_id: str | None
     hash_id: str | None = None
     domain: str | None = None
@@ -81,6 +98,10 @@ class ShardBase(PermissionHolder, BaseModel):
     auto_managed: bool = True
     core_version: str | None = None
     last_seen_backup: datetime | None = None
+    subscription_id: int | None = None
+    price_cents: int | None = None
+    pending_vm_size: VmSize | None = None
+    pending_price_cents: int | None = None
 
     @property
     def short_id(self) -> str:
@@ -91,8 +112,28 @@ class ShardDb(ShardBase):
     id: int
 
 
-class ShardResponse(ShardDb):
+class ShardWithPermissions(ShardDb, PermissionHolder):
+    """ShardDb enriched with permissions loaded from the DB."""
+
+    pass
+
+
+class ShardSubscriptionSummary(BaseModel):
+    status: SubscriptionStatus
+    price_cents: int
+    currency: str
+    next_billing_date: datetime | None = None
+    payer_email: str | None = None
+    pending_vm_size: VmSize | None = None
+    pending_price_cents: int | None = None
+    paypal_manage_url: str
+
+
+class ShardResponse(ShardWithPermissions):
     telemetry: List[Telemetry]
+    telemetry_start: datetime
+    telemetry_end: datetime
+    subscription: ShardSubscriptionSummary | None = None
 
 
 class ShardUpdate(BaseModel):
@@ -100,6 +141,7 @@ class ShardUpdate(BaseModel):
     max_vm_size: VmSize | None = None
     delete_after: datetime | None = None
     status: ShardStatus | None = None
+    core_version: str | None = None
 
 
 class ShardCreateDb(BaseModel):
@@ -131,6 +173,10 @@ class ShardUpdateDb(BaseModel):
     time_assigned: datetime | None = None
     core_version: str | None = None
     last_seen_backup: datetime | None = None
+    subscription_id: int | None = None
+    price_cents: int | None = None
+    pending_vm_size: VmSize | None = None
+    pending_price_cents: int | None = None
 
 
 class AppUsageReport(BaseModel):
@@ -157,6 +203,10 @@ class AssignShardRequest(BaseModel):
     owner_email: str | None = None
 
 
+class AssignTrialRequest(BaseModel):
+    owner_email: str | None = None
+
+
 class AssignShardResponse(BaseModel):
     hash_id: str
     domain: str
@@ -191,6 +241,15 @@ class AddPubkeyRequest(BaseModel):
     pubkey: str
 
 
+class BulkUpgradeCoreRequest(BaseModel):
+    shard_ids: list[int]
+
+
+class BulkUpgradeCoreResponse(BaseModel):
+    upgraded: int
+    skipped: int
+
+
 class InvalidShardStatus(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -206,12 +265,6 @@ class ShardLifecycleEventDb(BaseModel):
     error_traceback: str | None = None
 
 
-class ShardLifecycleEventResponse(BaseModel):
-    id: int
-    shard_id: int
-    timestamp: datetime
-    status_to: ShardStatus
-    actor: str
-    details: str | None = None
-    error_message: str | None = None
-    error_traceback: str | None = None
+class ShardLifecycleEventResponse(ShardLifecycleEventDb):
+    actor_owner_name: str | None = None
+    actor_db_id: int | None = None
diff --git a/shard_core/data_model/backend/subscription_model.py b/shard_core/data_model/backend/subscription_model.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bcdf10e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shard_core/data_model/backend/subscription_model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# DO NOT MODIFY - copied from freeshard-controller
+
+from datetime import datetime
+from enum import StrEnum
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+
+
+class SubscriptionStatus(StrEnum):
+    ACTIVE = "active"
+    GRACE = "grace"
+    ENDED = "ended"
+    ERROR = "error"
+
+
+class SubscriptionBase(BaseModel):
+    paypal_subscription_id: str
+    status: SubscriptionStatus
+    payer_email: str | None = None
+    payer_name: str | None = None
+    price_cents: int
+    currency: str = "EUR"
+    next_billing_date: datetime | None = None
+    last_payment_failed_at: datetime | None = None
+    created: datetime
+    activated: datetime | None = None
+    ended: datetime | None = None
+
+
+class SubscriptionDb(SubscriptionBase):
+    id: int
+
+
+class SubscriptionCreateDb(BaseModel):
+    paypal_subscription_id: str
+    status: SubscriptionStatus
+    price_cents: int
+    currency: str = "EUR"
+    payer_email: str | None = None
+    payer_name: str | None = None
+    next_billing_date: datetime | None = None
+    created: datetime
+    activated: datetime | None = None
+
+
+class SubscriptionUpdateDb(BaseModel):
+    status: SubscriptionStatus | None = None
+    payer_email: str | None = None
+    payer_name: str | None = None
+    price_cents: int | None = None
+    next_billing_date: datetime | None = None
+    last_payment_failed_at: datetime | None = None
+    activated: datetime | None = None
+    ended: datetime | None = None
+
+
+class SubscribeResponse(BaseModel):
+    approval_url: str
+    expected_price_cents: int
+
+
+class ResizeResponse(BaseModel):
+    approval_url: str | None = None
+    expected_price_cents: int | None = None
+    current_price_cents: int | None = None
diff --git a/shard_core/data_model/profile.py b/shard_core/data_model/profile.py
index a6dce1d..c7064e1 100644
--- a/shard_core/data_model/profile.py
+++ b/shard_core/data_model/profile.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
-from shard_core.data_model.backend.shard_model import ShardBase
+from shard_core.data_model.backend.shard_model import (
+    ShardBase,
+    ShardSubscriptionSummary,
+)
 from shard_core.database.database import set_value, get_value
 from shard_core.data_model.app_meta import VMSize
 
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ class Profile(BaseModel):
     delete_after: Optional[datetime] = None
     vm_size: VMSize
     max_vm_size: Optional[VMSize] = None
+    subscription: Optional[ShardSubscriptionSummary] = None
 
     @classmethod
     def from_shard(cls, shard: ShardBase):
@@ -31,6 +35,7 @@ def from_shard(cls, shard: ShardBase):
             max_vm_size=(
                 VMSize(shard.max_vm_size.value.lower()) if shard.max_vm_size else None
             ),
+            subscription=getattr(shard, "subscription", None),
         )
 
 
diff --git a/shard_core/service/portal_controller.py b/shard_core/service/portal_controller.py
index 52768d3..26ab5f2 100644
--- a/shard_core/service/portal_controller.py
+++ b/shard_core/service/portal_controller.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
 
-from shard_core.data_model.backend.shard_model import ShardBase, SasUrlResponse
+from shard_core.data_model.backend.shard_model import ShardResponse, SasUrlResponse
 from shard_core.data_model import profile
 from shard_core.settings import settings
 from shard_core.service.signed_call import signed_request
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ async def refresh_profile() -> profile.Profile | None:
             return None
         else:
             raise
-    shard = ShardBase.model_validate(response.json())
+    shard = ShardResponse.model_validate(response.json())
     profile_ = profile.Profile.from_shard(shard)
     await profile.set_profile(profile_)
     log.debug("refreshed profile")
diff --git a/shard_core/web/management/__init__.py b/shard_core/web/management/__init__.py
index 7055c80..3d76a35 100644
--- a/shard_core/web/management/__init__.py
+++ b/shard_core/web/management/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from fastapi import APIRouter
 
-from . import apps, pairing_code
+from . import apps, notify, pairing_code
 
 router = APIRouter(
     prefix="/management",
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@
 )
 
 router.include_router(apps.router)
+router.include_router(notify.router)
 router.include_router(pairing_code.router)
diff --git a/shard_core/web/management/notify.py b/shard_core/web/management/notify.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68b2ad0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shard_core/web/management/notify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import logging
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter, status
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+
+from shard_core.service.websocket import ws_worker
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+router = APIRouter(
+    prefix="/notify",
+)
+
+
+class NotifyRequest(BaseModel):
+    type: str
+
+
+@router.post("", status_code=status.HTTP_204_NO_CONTENT)
+async def notify(body: NotifyRequest):
+    try:
+        ws_worker.broadcast_message(body.type)
+    except Exception:
+        log.exception("failed to broadcast notify message of type %s", body.type)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index e6e6707..66ed62d 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
     ShardStatus,
     VmSize,
     ShardDb,
+    ShardResponse,
+    ShardSubscriptionSummary,
     Cloud,
 )
 from shard_core import app_factory
@@ -261,8 +263,26 @@ async def app_client(mocker) -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncClient]:
 )
 
 
+def _shard_self_response_body(
+    shard: ShardDb, subscription: ShardSubscriptionSummary | None = None
+) -> str:
+    now = datetime.now()
+    return ShardResponse(
+        **shard.model_dump(),
+        telemetry=[],
+        telemetry_start=now,
+        telemetry_end=now,
+        subscription=subscription,
+    ).model_dump_json()
+
+
 @contextmanager
-def requests_mock_context(*, shard: ShardDb = None, profile: Profile = None):
+def requests_mock_context(
+    *,
+    shard: ShardDb = None,
+    profile: Profile = None,
+    subscription: ShardSubscriptionSummary | None = None,
+):
     from shard_core.settings import settings
 
     management_api = "https://management-mock"
@@ -296,7 +316,7 @@ def requests_mock_context(*, shard: ShardDb = None, profile: Profile = None):
             )
             rsps.get(
                 f"{controller_base_url}/api/shards/self",
-                body=(shard or mock_shard).model_dump_json(),
+                body=_shard_self_response_body(shard or mock_shard, subscription),
             )
             rsps.post(f"{controller_base_url}/api/feedback")
             rsps.get(f"{controller_base_url}/api/foo")
diff --git a/tests/test_notify.py b/tests/test_notify.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..545a700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_notify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from httpx import AsyncClient
+
+
+async def test_notify_broadcasts_message_type(app_client: AsyncClient, mocker):
+    mock_broadcast = mocker.patch(
+        "shard_core.web.management.notify.ws_worker.broadcast_message"
+    )
+    response = await app_client.post(
+        "management/notify",
+        json={"type": "subscription_updated"},
+        headers={"authorization": "constantSharedSecret"},
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 204
+    mock_broadcast.assert_called_once_with("subscription_updated")
+
+
+async def test_notify_swallows_broadcast_errors(app_client: AsyncClient, mocker):
+    mocker.patch(
+        "shard_core.web.management.notify.ws_worker.broadcast_message",
+        side_effect=RuntimeError("queue exploded"),
+    )
+    response = await app_client.post(
+        "management/notify",
+        json={"type": "subscription_updated"},
+        headers={"authorization": "constantSharedSecret"},
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 204
+
+
+async def test_notify_rejects_missing_type(app_client: AsyncClient):
+    response = await app_client.post(
+        "management/notify",
+        json={},
+        headers={"authorization": "constantSharedSecret"},
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 422
diff --git a/tests/test_profile.py b/tests/test_profile.py
index d01b076..3034baa 100644
--- a/tests/test_profile.py
+++ b/tests/test_profile.py
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+
 from httpx import AsyncClient
 
+from shard_core.data_model.backend.shard_model import ShardSubscriptionSummary
+from shard_core.data_model.backend.subscription_model import SubscriptionStatus
 from shard_core.data_model.profile import Profile
 from tests import conftest
 
@@ -10,3 +14,28 @@ async def test_profile(requests_mock, app_client: AsyncClient):
     assert Profile.model_validate(response.json()) == Profile.from_shard(
         conftest.mock_shard
     )
+
+
+async def test_profile_includes_subscription(app_client: AsyncClient):
+    subscription = ShardSubscriptionSummary(
+        status=SubscriptionStatus.ACTIVE,
+        price_cents=499,
+        currency="EUR",
+        next_billing_date=datetime(2026, 7, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+        payer_email="payer@example.com",
+        paypal_manage_url="https://paypal.example/manage/abc",
+    )
+    with conftest.requests_mock_context(subscription=subscription):
+        response = await app_client.get("protected/management/profile")
+        response.raise_for_status()
+        profile = Profile.model_validate(response.json())
+        assert profile.subscription == subscription
+
+
+async def test_profile_without_subscription_is_none(
+    requests_mock, app_client: AsyncClient
+):
+    response = await app_client.get("protected/management/profile")
+    response.raise_for_status()
+    profile = Profile.model_validate(response.json())
+    assert profile.subscription is None