Special notes: the PayPal IPN (Instant Payment Notification) will automatically activate new accounts if Activate is set to Auto.  However, if for any reason an account does not get activated you may need to activate the account manually here: ACTIVATE a new member
ONLY when a Successful payment is made and Activate is set to Auto will an account be automatically activated.

PayPal - Standard: this will take one payment initially and phpAMA will send a reminder (if Automated Renewals is enabled) days before the renewal date, then the member can login to your members area and renew.

PayPal - Subscriptions: this will add a recurring payment to the new member's PayPal account (Automated Renewals is not required). When a payment is successfully received for the subscription the account is automatically activated (so long as Activate is set to Auto); this activates the account for the first period (where period could be: days, months, or years - as defined by you above: PayPal - Subscription options). If the member cancels their PayPal subscription during any period then the member can still use the account until the period has expired. When a subscription payment is made phpAMA will automatically add the next period to the members account via PayPal IPN.
Limitations: only one subscription per phpAMA member allowed.
More details on phpAMA and PayPal subscriptions.