How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Subscription billing tools (Chargebee, Recurly, Maxio, Stripe Billing, Zuora) charge as a percentage of your billing volume, typically 0.65% to 0.9% on top of payment processing.
- Membership site platforms (MemberPress, Wild Apricot, Kajabi) charge flat monthly or annual fees instead, which is cheaper once revenue grows.
- Chargebee's pay-as-you-go Flow plan and Recurly's $249/month Starter are the most accessible entries to serious subscription billing.
- For a WordPress membership site, MemberPress at $399/year beats the SaaS platforms on cost once you pass a few thousand dollars in annual revenue.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Chargebee | SaaS companies that need flexible subscription billing | 0.80% of billing volume (Flow, pay-as-you-go) | Free trial |
 Recurly | consumer subscriptions where churn recovery matters | $249/month + 0.9% of billing volume (Starter) | Free trial (90-day) |
 Maxio | B2B SaaS companies with negotiated contracts and audits ahead | $599/month (Grow, up to $100K monthly billings) | Free trial |
 Stripe Billing | product teams that already process payments with Stripe | 0.7% of billing volume | No |
 MemberPress | WordPress membership sites you fully control | $399/year (Launch) | No |
 Wild Apricot | associations, clubs and nonprofits managing members | $63/month (100 contacts) | Free trial (60-day) |
 Kajabi | creators selling memberships bundled with courses and community | $143/month (Basic, billed annually) | Free trial |
 Zuora | enterprises running full quote-to-cash on subscriptions | See website | No |
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We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
#1
Chargebee
Best for: SaaS companies that need flexible subscription billing
Visit chargebee.com
Starting price0.80% of billing volume (Flow, pay-as-you-go)
Free planFree trial
Chargebee rebuilt its pricing in 2026 around a simple idea: pay a percentage of what you bill. The Flow plan charges 0.80% of monthly billing volume with no platform fee, or $99 per month plus 0.65% if you commit. That makes the entry cost proportional to revenue, which early SaaS companies prefer over flat fees. The billing engine itself handles trials, upgrades, downgrades, usage-based charges and dunning without custom code.
The trade-offs are familiar. Revenue recognition (RevRec) is a separate product with separate pricing, and implementations take real engineering time. At high volumes the percentage adds up; a company billing $1M per month pays $8,000 on pay-as-you-go. For SaaS companies between startup and enterprise, Chargebee remains the most capable billing platform you can self-serve.
What we like- No platform fee on pay-as-you-go
- Handles complex pricing models without code
- 40+ gateway integrations
Watch out for- Revenue recognition costs extra
- Implementation is a real project
- Percentage model gets expensive at scale
#2
Recurly
Best for: consumer subscriptions where churn recovery matters
Visit recurly.com
Starting price$249/month + 0.9% of billing volume (Starter)
Free planFree trial (90-day)
If your business lives or dies on involuntary churn, failed credit cards quietly killing subscriptions, Recurly is purpose-built for you. Its intelligent retry logic and dunning campaigns recover revenue other platforms leave on the table, and its customer list (streaming, media, subscription boxes) shows where it shines. Starter costs $249 per month plus 0.9% of billing volume, with the first $40,000 of monthly billings included, and comes with a 90-day free trial.
The catch is plan gating. The machine-learning retries and multiple dunning campaigns that make Recurly famous sit on All-Access, which needs $1M in billing volume. Starter gets static retries and one campaign. For consumer subscription businesses approaching scale, the recovery math usually justifies the upgrade. For B2B SaaS with invoiced contracts, Maxio or Chargebee fit better.
What we like- Best-in-class failed-payment recovery
- 90-day free trial on Starter
- Strong for media and DTC subscriptions
Watch out for- Advanced recovery features need All-Access
- $1M volume minimum for the top tier
#3
Maxio
Best for: B2B SaaS companies with negotiated contracts and audits ahead
Visit maxio.com
Starting price$599/month (Grow, up to $100K monthly billings)
Free planFree trial
Maxio, formed from Chargify and SaaSOptics, is the billing platform for companies whose finance team has veto power. The decisive feature is built-in GAAP and IFRS revenue recognition, audit-ready for ASC 606, which competitors sell as expensive add-ons. Contract billing, usage-based models, CPQ and SaaS metrics come in the same platform. Grow costs $599 per month for up to $100,000 in monthly billings, with Scale quoted for higher volumes.
That positioning is also the limitation. A simple SaaS with flat monthly plans does not need Maxio's financial operations depth and should not pay for it. But if you invoice against negotiated contracts, recognize revenue across multi-year deals, or are preparing for an audit or fundraise, Maxio is the right category. The free Build sandbox lets your team test the billing engine before talking to sales.
What we like- Revenue recognition built in, not an add-on
- Strong for usage-based and contract billing
- CFO-friendly reporting
Watch out for- Premium entry price
- Overkill for simple subscriptions
- Sales-led above Grow
#4
Stripe Billing
Best for: product teams that already process payments with Stripe
Visit stripe.com
Starting price0.7% of billing volume
Free planNo
The case for Stripe Billing is simplicity: if Stripe already processes your payments, turning on Billing adds subscriptions for 0.7% of billing volume with no platform fee and no new vendor relationship. Trials, prorations, coupons, dunning with smart retries and customer portals all work inside the Stripe dashboard your team knows.
The gaps matter for some businesses. True usage-based billing for metered products runs through Metronome, a separate Stripe product with its own pricing conversation. You remain the merchant of record, so tax and compliance are yours. And there is no free tier, though at 0.7% the cost is proportional from the first dollar. For Stripe-native teams with straightforward subscriptions, it is the path of least resistance.
What we like- Zero integration friction if you use Stripe
- Smart retries included
- No separate vendor to manage
Watch out for- Usage-based billing needs a separate product
- You stay merchant of record
- No free tier
Starting price$399/year (Launch)
Free planNo
MemberPress is the standard answer to the best platform for membership site searches when the site runs on WordPress. It turns any WordPress site into a membership business: content restriction, subscription management, coupons, courses and community features. Pricing is annual: Launch at $399 per year, Growth at $699, Scale at $999, with first-year intro discounts at half price. Watch the fine print: Launch adds a 4.9% transaction fee on payments, and renewals bill at full price.
The economics favor owners who will grow. A flat $699 per year with 0% transaction fees on Growth beats every percentage-based SaaS platform once annual revenue passes a few thousand dollars. The cost is control: you own hosting, security, backups and updates. For creators and businesses committed to WordPress, that trade is usually worth it.
What we like- Flat annual fee with no revenue share on higher tiers
- Unlimited members
- Deep WordPress ecosystem
Watch out for- Launch tier adds a 4.9% transaction fee
- Renewals are double the intro price
- You manage WordPress yourself
Starting price$63/month (100 contacts)
Free planFree trial (60-day)
Wild Apricot is built for member organizations rather than subscription businesses: associations, chambers, clubs and nonprofits. One account covers the member database, a website builder, event registration, email newsletters, dues collection and donations. Pricing is based on contact count, starting at $63 per month for 100 contacts, with every tier getting all features.
That all-features model is the appeal and the trap. Small organizations get the full toolkit cheaply, but the contact tiers jump steeply, $63 to $252 to $462, as the database grows. The website builder is functional rather than beautiful. For volunteer-run organizations that need one system for everything membership, Wild Apricot remains the pragmatic default, and the 60-day trial is enough to run a real evaluation.
What we like- Membership database, website, events and email in one
- Pricing by contacts, not features
- Generous 60-day trial
Watch out for- Contact-based pricing jumps steeply as you grow
- Design flexibility is limited
#7
Kajabi
Best for: creators selling memberships bundled with courses and community
Visit kajabi.com
Starting price$143/month (Basic, billed annually)
Free planFree trial
Kajabi is the all-in-one for creators whose membership includes courses, coaching or community. One subscription covers the website, course hosting, email marketing, automations, community and payments, with no plugins to maintain. Basic costs $143 per month billed annually ($179 month-to-month), Growth $199, Pro $399, each with product and contact limits that rise by tier.
It is expensive compared to MemberPress, and the limits on Basic (5 products, 2,500 contacts) push growing creators toward Growth quickly. What you buy is freedom from technical work and a polished experience members notice. For creators who would rather make content than manage WordPress, Kajabi's premium is the cost of that freedom.
What we like- Courses, memberships, email and community in one platform
- No WordPress maintenance
- Polished member experience
Watch out for- Premium pricing
- Product and contact limits on lower tiers
- No free plan
#8
Zuora
Best for: enterprises running full quote-to-cash on subscriptions
Visit zuora.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Zuora invented the subscription billing category and still defines its enterprise end. The platform covers the full quote-to-cash cycle: CPQ, billing, revenue recognition, payments and analytics for companies with complex subscription businesses. Pricing is quote-based, implementations are significant programs, and the sales cycle matches.
There is no reason for a small or mid-size company to evaluate Zuora; the tools above deliver what you need at a fraction of the cost and effort. But when subscription revenue is the business and the billing scenarios involve ramp deals, multi-entity structures and global tax complexity, Zuora is the platform enterprises standardize on. Evaluate it when your billing team, not your product team, is driving the purchase.
What we like- The enterprise standard for subscription quote-to-cash
- Handles the most complex billing scenarios
- Deep Salesforce integration
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Implementation is a major program
- Far beyond what smaller companies need
How we chose
We split this category deliberately: subscription billing platforms for recurring revenue businesses, and membership site platforms for gated content and communities. Every tool ships in 2026 and leads or nearly leads its niche. Prices come from the vendors' own published pricing pages; where vendors do not publish, we say so. We weighed billing-model fit, fee structures at realistic volumes, and review feedback on implementation effort, and we ignored vendor awards and customer counts.
These are different jobs that buyers often confuse. Subscription billing platforms (Chargebee, Recurly, Maxio, Stripe Billing, Zuora) manage recurring revenue: plans, trials, prorations, dunning, invoicing and revenue recognition. They sit between your product and your payment gateway, and they charge as a percentage of what you bill.
Membership site platforms (MemberPress, Wild Apricot, Kajabi) manage gated access: who can see what content, member directories, community, events and dues. They charge flat fees because their cost does not scale with your revenue. Many businesses need both: a membership site for access control plus a billing platform for complex subscription logic. But most small membership businesses only need the membership platform, and adding a billing platform on top is unnecessary cost and complexity. Start with the membership platform; add billing software when your subscription logic outgrows it.
The sticker price is never the whole cost. On percentage-based billing platforms, add payment processing (typically 2.9% + $0.30) to the platform fee: Chargebee's 0.80% becomes roughly 3.7% all-in on card payments. On flat-fee membership platforms, add the transaction fees some tiers carry (MemberPress Launch's 4.9%) plus your own processing.
Then add the hidden layers. Implementation and migration for billing platforms can run into tens of thousands for complex catalogs. Revenue recognition modules, tax automation and premium support are often separate line items. And on contact-based pricing like Wild Apricot's, model your database growth: today's $63 per month becomes $252 when your list quadruples. The honest comparison is three-year total cost at your projected volume, not the starting price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best subscription billing platform for a SaaS startup?
Chargebee's pay-as-you-go Flow plan is the most accessible: 0.80% of billing volume with no platform fee, scaling with revenue. Stripe Billing at 0.7% is simpler if you already use Stripe. Avoid enterprise platforms like Zuora until your finance team demands revenue recognition and contract billing.
How much does subscription billing software cost?
Most platforms charge 0.65% to 0.9% of billing volume plus a platform fee ($0 to $599 per month), on top of payment processing at around 2.9% + $0.30. A SaaS billing $100,000 per month pays roughly $650 to $900 in platform fees plus ~$3,000 in processing. Membership platforms charge flat fees from $63 per month to $399 per year instead.
What is the best platform for a membership site?
For WordPress sites, MemberPress at $399 per year is the best value once revenue grows, with no transaction fees on higher tiers. For non-technical owners who want everything handled, Kajabi at $143 per month is the polished all-in-one. For associations and clubs, Wild Apricot at $63 per month covers members, events and email in one place.
Do I need a subscription platform if I use Stripe?
Stripe processes payments but does not manage subscription logic well on its own. Stripe Billing adds that layer for 0.7% of volume. If your subscriptions are simple (one plan, monthly billing), Stripe plus basic code may suffice. If you need trials, upgrades, usage billing or dunning, a dedicated platform pays for itself.
What is dunning and why does it matter?
Dunning is the automated process of recovering failed subscription payments: retrying cards, emailing customers and updating billing details. Involuntary churn from failed payments silently costs subscription businesses 5 to 10% of revenue. Recurly built its reputation on this; every platform here offers some version of it.
Can I switch subscription platforms later?
Yes, but migration is the hard part. Moving active subscriptions means migrating payment tokens between processors, which requires cooperation from both vendors and sometimes re-authentication by customers. Plan migrations carefully, run both systems in parallel during the switch, and expect the project to take weeks, not days.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.chargebee.com/pricing/
- https://www.recurly.com/pricing/
- https://www.maxio.com/pricing/
- https://stripe.com/billing
- https://memberpress.com/plans/pricing/
- https://www.wildapricot.com/pricing
- https://www.kajabi.com/pricing
- https://www.zuora.com/
- https://baremetrics.com/blog/what-is-chargebee
- https://dodopayments.com/blogs/recurly-vs-stripe
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.