Chargebee vs Recurly: Updated comparison [2024]

Choosing the right billing platform is crucial for your business's success. This article provides a comprehensive comparison of Chargebee and Recurly to help you make an informed decision.

We'll cover their core features, integration possibilities, pricing plans, and real user feedback.

If you want to compare more platform, you can read the recurring billing comparison guide here.

What is Chargebee?

Chargebee is a cloud-based billing solution tailored for companies that depend on recurring revenue streams. It provides an extensive suite of tools to streamline and automate recurring billing operations, covering both subscription-based and usage-based billing models.

What is Recurly?

Recurly is an all-encompassing billing system designed to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in automating and managing their subscription and revenue workflows. It provides a flexible and scalable billing solution that evolves with the growth of the business.

Key features of Chargebee and Recurly

Both platforms offer similar core functionalities :

• Subscription lifecycle management.
• Customizable invoices.
• Flexible pricing options.
• Integration with popular payment gateways and business tools

Who uses Chargebee and Recurly?

Both Chargebee and Recurly are used by businesses relying on subscription-based revenue models, as well as those with a mix of subscription and non-subscription revenue models, such as annual maintenance contracts, service plans, or usage-based billing.

Notable Industries:

• SaaS.
• Financial Services.
• Digital Media and Entertainment.
• E-commerce.
• Consumer Goods and Retail.
• Healthcare.
• Startups.
• Professional Services.
• Online Learning.
• Publishing.
• Health and Fitness.
• Non-Profit…

Chargebee and Recurly pricing

Chargebee and Recurly both offer straightforward pricing models with multiple tiers. However, except for the basic plan, Recurly does not disclose its pricing publicly, and there are no credible sources for price estimates.

Chargebee pricing:

• Free Trial.
• Launch Plan: $0/month.
• Rise Plan: $249/month.
• Scale Plan: $549/month.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing.

Recurly pricing:

• Free Trial.
• Core Plan: $0/month.
• Professional Plan: Price on request.
• Elite Plan: Price on request.

User experience comparison: Chargebee vs. Recurly

While Chargebee and Recurly offer extensive subscription and billing management features, a few areas differentiate them.

Chargebee:

• Higher customization options.
• Built-in tax management.
• Advanced dunning management capabilities.
• More advanced reporting and customization options.

Recurly:

• Simpler user interface.
• Built-in accounting and compliance management.
• Robust subscription analytics.
• Developer-friendly API.

Customer experience and feedbacks: Chargebee

Users often praise Chargebee for its user-friendly interface and extensive subscription management features. However, some report issues with billing processes and the absence of advanced features for complex billing models.

Average Ratings on capterra: 4.6/5.

Customer Experience and Feedback: Recurly

Recurly is noted for its flexibility and ease of use. However, some users report limited customization options and occasional issues with billing scenarios and customer support.

Average Ratings on Capterra: 4.4/5.

Pros and Cons: Chargebee

Pros:

• User-friendly.
• High flexibility and customization.
• Strong integrations.

Cons:

• Limited features for complex billing models.
• Limited payment gateway support.
• Limited reporting capabilities.
• Bad customer support.

Pros and Cons: Recurly

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• High flexibility.

Cons:

• Limited features for complex billing models.
• Limited payment gateway support.
• Limited reporting capabilities.

Best alternative to Chargebee and Recurly

While Chargebee and Recurly are popular, they may not suit everyone. Other alternatives might better meet specific business needs.

Hyperline stands out as a more complete solution, offering a user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, fast integration, and comprehensive support, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking a versatile and efficient billing platform.

What is Hyperline?

Hyperline is a cloud-based billing and revenue management platform designed to help businesses efficiently manage their recurring billing processes. Known for its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options, Hyperline aims to provide a seamless billing experience that adapts to various business needs.

Key Features:

• No-code/Low-code solution: Ensures accessibility for non-technical users, faster implementation, reduced dependence on developers, and improved customer experience.
• Usage-Based friendly: Handles complex billing models with high flexibility and adaptability to various pricing structures.
• Portal for each client: Enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty through a user-friendly portal experience, playing a central role in customer retention and profitability.
• Provider-Agnostic/Multi-Provider: Offers flexibility in choosing preferred Payment Service Providers (PSPs).
• VAT management: Streamlines financial operations and ensures compliance, saving time and money.
• Customer support: Provides timely and effective support to ensure smooth operation of the billing system.
• Fast integration time: Allows swift integration, especially for complex pricing structures, enabling businesses to focus on product development.
• Dashboard with key metrics: Provides real-time key business metrics (ARR/MRR, churn, revenue), facilitating informed decision-making and transparency.
• Integration with business tools: Seamlessly integrates with popular business tools like HubSpot and Salesforce.
• Improved billing experience: Enhances user satisfaction by providing a more intuitive and efficient billing process, leading to quicker payments and improved cash flow.
• Potential cons:
• Complexity for small businesses: The extensive features might be overwhelming for very small businesses with simple billing needs.
• Learning curve: Despite its user-friendliness, there may still be a learning curve for users unfamiliar with billing platforms.

Hyperline Pricing

Hyperline offers competitive pricing tailored to various business needs.

• The Free plan is ideal for startups and includes basic billing and invoicing for up to €90,000 billed revenue per year.
• The Basic plan, at €149 per month, suits growing businesses with real-time analytics and customer portal features, supporting up to €250,000 billed revenue per year.
• The Premium plan, costing €349 per month, is designed for larger businesses, offering advanced analytics and CRM integration for up to €1,000,000 billed revenue per year. For enterprises with over €1,000,000 billed revenue per year, the Enterprise plan provides custom pricing, dedicated support, and additional resources.

Check the pricing details here.

Why Hyperline is a better option?

Hyperline provides a no-code/low-code solution, fast integration, and a provider-agnostic approach, catering to various business requirements.

Additionally, its advanced metrics dashboard and robust customer support ensure that businesses can manage their billing processes efficiently and effectively, making Hyperline a compelling alternative to both Chargebee and Recurly.

Conclusion

Choosing between Chargebee and Recurly depends on individual business needs. Both platforms offer robust subscription management tools, but businesses should evaluate their specific requirements and thoroughly investigate each platform's strengths and weaknesses.

Ultimately, businesses should choose a platform that can scale with their growth, has predictable costs, and provides the necessary tools for business expansion.

Hyperline is the best alternative to both.