What shows up on my statement when I sign up?

Charges for membership will show up on your credit card statement as CCBill - "Balance Studios, Inc"

Do I have to choose a recurring membership?

No! You can choose a single month or a single year membership and neither will charge you again.

How does the recurring membership work?

When you sign up for a recurring membership (either 1 month or 3 months) then you are charged initially when you register and then again automatically when the time period is over.