diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
index 3555b7db..42e107df 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/TopBar.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { usePermissions } from '@/hooks/usePermissions'
 import { BrandLogo } from '@/components/common/BrandLogo'
 import { CommandPalette } from './CommandPalette'
 import { NotificationsPanel } from './NotificationsPanel'
+import { TrialPill } from './TrialPill'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
 export function TopBar() {
@@ -110,6 +111,9 @@ export function TopBar() {
         {/* Spacer - push actions to right */}
         <div className="flex-1" />
 
+        {/* Billing-state pill (trial countdown / paid tier / past_due / etc.) */}
+        <TrialPill />
+
         {/* Action buttons */}
         <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
           <Link
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/TrialPill.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/TrialPill.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6c8dde34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/TrialPill.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import { Link } from 'react-router-dom'
+import { Clock } from 'lucide-react'
+import { useTrialBanner } from '@/hooks/useTrialBanner'
+import { useBillingStore } from '@/store/billingStore'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+/**
+ * Topbar billing-state pill.
+ *
+ * Reads `useTrialBanner()` to map subscription state → label + tone.
+ * Returns `null` when there is nothing to display (e.g. subscription not yet
+ * loaded). Clickable variants (expired / past_due / canceled) render as
+ * keyboard-focusable `<Link>`s; static variants render as `<span>`.
+ *
+ * Mobile: when the topbar is too narrow, the label collapses to a clock icon
+ * with a `title` tooltip carrying the full text.
+ */
+
+interface PillContent {
+  /** Full label shown on >= sm. */
+  label: string
+  /** Short label for mobile (sm:hidden); typically a single token / icon. */
+  shortLabel?: string
+  /** Tailwind classes applied to the pill (color tokens). */
+  toneClass: string
+  /** When set, render as a clickable Link to this route. */
+  href?: string
+  /** Extra emphasis (used by `urgent` to differentiate from `warning`). */
+  emphasized?: boolean
+}
+
+const BASE_CLASS =
+  'trial-pill inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-xs font-medium transition-colors whitespace-nowrap'
+
+export function TrialPill() {
+  const { stage, daysRemaining } = useTrialBanner()
+  const planBilling = useBillingStore((s) => s.planBilling)
+
+  const content = resolveContent(stage, daysRemaining, planBilling?.display_name ?? null)
+  if (!content) return null
+
+  const className = cn(
+    BASE_CLASS,
+    content.toneClass,
+    content.emphasized && 'font-semibold',
+    content.href &&
+      'cursor-pointer hover:opacity-90 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-accent focus-visible:ring-offset-1 focus-visible:ring-offset-bg-sidebar',
+  )
+
+  const inner = (
+    <>
+      <span className="hidden sm:inline">{content.label}</span>
+      <span className="sm:hidden inline-flex items-center" aria-hidden="true">
+        <Clock size={14} />
+      </span>
+    </>
+  )
+
+  if (content.href) {
+    return (
+      <Link
+        to={content.href}
+        className={className}
+        title={content.label}
+        data-testid="trial-pill"
+      >
+        {inner}
+      </Link>
+    )
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={className}
+      title={content.label}
+      data-testid="trial-pill"
+    >
+      {inner}
+    </span>
+  )
+}
+
+function resolveContent(
+  stage: ReturnType<typeof useTrialBanner>['stage'],
+  daysRemaining: number | null,
+  paidDisplayName: string | null,
+): PillContent | null {
+  switch (stage) {
+    case null:
+      return null
+    case 'pristine': {
+      const days = daysRemaining ?? 0
+      return {
+        label: `Pro trial · ${days}d`,
+        toneClass: 'text-info bg-info-dim',
+      }
+    }
+    case 'warning': {
+      const days = daysRemaining ?? 0
+      return {
+        label: `Pro trial · ${days}d`,
+        toneClass: 'text-warning bg-warning-dim',
+      }
+    }
+    case 'urgent':
+      return {
+        label: 'Pro trial · today',
+        toneClass: 'text-warning bg-warning-dim',
+        emphasized: true,
+      }
+    case 'expired':
+      return {
+        label: 'Trial expired — pick a plan',
+        toneClass: 'text-danger bg-danger-dim',
+        href: '/account/billing/select-plan',
+      }
+    case 'paid':
+      return {
+        label: paidDisplayName ?? 'Pro',
+        toneClass: 'text-muted-foreground bg-elevated',
+      }
+    case 'complimentary':
+      return {
+        label: 'Complimentary Pro',
+        toneClass: 'text-accent bg-accent-dim',
+      }
+    case 'past_due':
+      return {
+        label: 'Payment failed — update card',
+        toneClass: 'text-warning bg-warning-dim',
+        href: '/account/billing',
+      }
+    case 'canceled':
+      return {
+        label: 'Reactivate',
+        toneClass: 'text-warning bg-warning-dim',
+        href: '/account/billing/select-plan',
+      }
+    default: {
+      const _exhaustive: never = stage
+      void _exhaustive
+      return null
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export default TrialPill
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/__tests__/TrialPill.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/__tests__/TrialPill.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cfc83328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/__tests__/TrialPill.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom'
+
+import { TrialPill } from '../TrialPill'
+import { useBillingStore } from '@/store/billingStore'
+import type { SubscriptionState, PlanBillingState } from '@/types/billing'
+
+const FROZEN_NOW = new Date('2026-05-06T12:00:00Z')
+
+function renderPill() {
+  return render(
+    <MemoryRouter>
+      <TrialPill />
+    </MemoryRouter>,
+  )
+}
+
+function setBilling(opts: {
+  subscription: SubscriptionState | null
+  planBilling?: PlanBillingState | null
+}) {
+  useBillingStore.setState({
+    subscription: opts.subscription,
+    planBilling: opts.planBilling ?? null,
+    planLimits: {},
+    enabledFeatures: {},
+    isLoading: false,
+    error: null,
+  })
+}
+
+function isoDaysFromNow(days: number): string {
+  const d = new Date(FROZEN_NOW.getTime() + days * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
+  return d.toISOString()
+}
+
+describe('TrialPill', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(FROZEN_NOW)
+    useBillingStore.setState({
+      subscription: null,
+      planBilling: null,
+      planLimits: {},
+      enabledFeatures: {},
+      isLoading: false,
+      error: null,
+    })
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('renders Pro trial · Nd for pristine stage', () => {
+    setBilling({
+      subscription: {
+        status: 'trialing',
+        plan: 'pro',
+        current_period_start: FROZEN_NOW.toISOString(),
+        current_period_end: isoDaysFromNow(12),
+        cancel_at_period_end: false,
+        seat_limit: 5,
+        has_pro_entitlement: true,
+        is_paid: false,
+      },
+    })
+
+    renderPill()
+
+    const pill = screen.getByTestId('trial-pill')
+    expect(pill).toHaveTextContent(/Pro trial · 12d/)
+    // Pristine uses info tone tokens.
+    expect(pill.className).toContain('text-info')
+    expect(pill.className).toContain('bg-info-dim')
+  })
+
+  it('renders Trial expired CTA for expired stage', () => {
+    setBilling({
+      subscription: {
+        status: 'trialing',
+        plan: 'pro',
+        current_period_start: isoDaysFromNow(-14),
+        current_period_end: isoDaysFromNow(-1), // already past
+        cancel_at_period_end: false,
+        seat_limit: 5,
+        has_pro_entitlement: false,
+        is_paid: false,
+      },
+    })
+
+    renderPill()
+
+    const pill = screen.getByTestId('trial-pill')
+    expect(pill).toHaveTextContent(/Trial expired — pick a plan/)
+    // Clickable: rendered as anchor/link.
+    expect(pill.tagName).toBe('A')
+    expect(pill.getAttribute('href')).toBe('/account/billing/select-plan')
+  })
+
+  it('renders Complimentary Pro tag for complimentary subscription', () => {
+    setBilling({
+      subscription: {
+        status: 'complimentary',
+        plan: 'pro',
+        current_period_start: null,
+        current_period_end: null,
+        cancel_at_period_end: false,
+        seat_limit: null,
+        has_pro_entitlement: true,
+        is_paid: true,
+      },
+    })
+
+    renderPill()
+
+    const pill = screen.getByTestId('trial-pill')
+    expect(pill).toHaveTextContent(/Complimentary Pro/)
+    // Friendly tag, not clickable.
+    expect(pill.tagName).toBe('SPAN')
+    expect(pill.className).toContain('text-accent')
+  })
+
+  it('is hidden when subscription is null', () => {
+    setBilling({ subscription: null })
+
+    const { container } = renderPill()
+
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('trial-pill')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(container.firstChild).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('past_due variant is clickable and links to /account/billing', () => {
+    setBilling({
+      subscription: {
+        status: 'past_due',
+        plan: 'pro',
+        current_period_start: isoDaysFromNow(-30),
+        current_period_end: isoDaysFromNow(-2),
+        cancel_at_period_end: false,
+        seat_limit: 5,
+        has_pro_entitlement: false,
+        is_paid: true,
+      },
+    })
+
+    renderPill()
+
+    const pill = screen.getByTestId('trial-pill')
+    expect(pill).toHaveTextContent(/Payment failed — update card/)
+    expect(pill.tagName).toBe('A')
+    expect(pill.getAttribute('href')).toBe('/account/billing')
+  })
+})