Recurly vs. Chargebee: What’s the best billing tool?

In this post, we’ll compare Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb. We’ll break down pricing, features, and real-world fit so you can pick the billing platform that supports how your SaaS business grows. Whether you rely on flat-rate subscriptions or usage-based pricing, we’ll show you where each tool shines and where it might hold you back.

Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb: Quick comparison

Each platform has a different approach to subscription billing. Whether you're scaling with steady MRR or experimenting with usage-based pricing, the right tool depends on what you need: pricing control, speed, support, or predictable costs. Let’s break it down:

Billing platform comparison table

Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb: An in-depth look

Below, we break down what each tool does, what it offers, and where it may fall short. Whether you're evaluating Chargebee pricing, exploring Recurly alternatives, or considering a shift to Orb, this section helps you compare with clarity. Let’s start with Recurly:

Recurly

What is Recurly?

Recurly is a billing platform built around subscription lifecycle management. It helps businesses automate recurring payments, reduce churn, and manage customer billing across currencies and markets. The platform is known for strong revenue recovery features and ease of use.

Key features

• Automated dunning and revenue recovery powered by machine learning
  
• Subscription upgrades, downgrades, and proration with minimal setup
  
• Invoice consolidation and support for global currencies and payment methods
  
• Real-time usage-based billing (with some limitations)
  
• Smart tools for retention, including churn analysis and at-risk user tracking
  
• Developer-friendly API with strong documentation
  
• Integrations with ERPs, CRMs, Zendesk, Avalara, and major payment gateways

Pricing

Recurly pricing starts at $249/month under the Core plan. New customers pay $0/month for the first three months and get up to $40,000 in monthly billing with no volume fees.

Higher tiers (Professional and Enterprise) require custom pricing. Pricing scales with usage, and implementation generally takes around 3 months.

Best for

Recurly works well for mid-market teams with traditional subscription models. It fits companies that want fast onboarding, need solid automation for dunning, and aren’t too reliant on heavy analytics.

Ideal users include SaaS, streaming platforms, consumer goods, and services like healthcare or education.

Drawbacks

Recurly’s reporting features are a weak spot. Many users complain about inaccurate data and limited customization in dashboards. There are also occasional issues with support quality and delays on technical tickets.

For teams that rely on real-time billing data or need advanced reporting, Recurly may fall short. It's a strong choice, but some teams will look for a Recurly alternative with better analytics and usage support.

Chargebee

What is Chargebee?

Chargebee is a billing and subscription platform designed for SaaS companies and online businesses. It handles recurring billing, tax, invoicing, retention, and revenue recognition. Teams often choose it for its ready-made tools and integrations.

Key features

• Hosted checkout, recurring invoicing, and coupon support
  
• Smart dunning and multi-gateway payment processing
• Optional add-ons for revenue recognition and retention workflows
  
• No-code cancel page builder with AI to offer suggestions
  
• GAAP-ready RevRec for ASC 606 and IFRS 15 compliance
  
• Built-in analytics and out-of-the-box integrations with Stripe, CRMs, and more
  
• Account hierarchy and multi-entity support on Enterprise plans

Pricing

Chargebee pricing starts with a Chargebee free trial under the Starter plan, which is free until you process $250K in lifetime billing. After that, expect a 0.75% overage fee on all billing beyond the cap.

The Performance plan costs $599/month with support for $100K in MRR — and the same 0.75% overage fee.

Higher tiers, like Enterprise, offer custom pricing and unlock advanced features like custom contracts and full RevRec, but require long-term contracts and often add hidden costs.

Best for

Chargebee suits startups and early-stage SaaS companies with simple MRR billing. It’s great if you want a quick setup, built-in tax tools, and don’t need custom pricing models. Teams that can grow slowly on the Starter plan without exceeding usage caps will get the most value.

Drawbacks

Chargebee can get expensive as you grow. Most core features (like Chargebee usage-based billing, retention, and rev rec) are hidden behind paywalls or higher plans. Overage charges kick in early and scale fast.

Teams using usage or hybrid models often outgrow it, which is why Chargebee competitors like Orb are gaining traction. The billing logic also sits inside templates, making it harder to test new pricing without dev support.

Orb

What is Orb?

Orb is a modern billing platform purpose-built for usage-based pricing. It gives teams full control over pricing logic, supports real-time billing, and connects usage data directly to invoicing and revenue reporting.

Key features

• Built-in support for usage-based, hybrid, and tiered pricing
  
• SQL-based pricing configuration for full control
  
• Plan versioning and pricing experiments without code changes
  
• Fast setup with API-first design and ready audit trails
  
• Real-time usage tracking for accurate billing and transparent invoices
  
• Finance dashboards that support compliance and audit exports out of the box

Pricing

Orb offers volume-based pricing with no overage fees. Plans scale with usage, not flat limits. Pricing is custom but designed to remain predictable — no surprise spikes when your MRR grows. Teams don’t pay extra for usage-based logic or retention tools.

Best for

Orb fits SaaS teams with dynamic pricing needs. It’s a great match if you're monetizing based on events, storage, seats, or API calls. Teams that iterate on pricing or support hybrid models (fixed + variable) benefit from the control Orb offers.

It’s also a smart fit for growth-stage companies that need to bill accurately and report revenue without delays.

Drawbacks

Orb doesn’t have as many plug-and-play templates as older platforms. Teams used to more rigid systems may need to adjust. It works best for product-led teams who want pricing to move as fast as their roadmap.

That said, its long-term flexibility far outweighs the early learning curve, especially compared to most Chargebee alternatives or Recurly competitors.

Which billing platform should you choose?

The right billing tool depends on how your team sells, what you want to track, and how often your pricing changes. Here’s a quick way to figure out the best match for your business:

• Choose Chargebee if… You’re an early-stage SaaS company with steady monthly revenue and no plans to switch pricing models soon.
  
  Chargebee makes it easy to launch subscriptions with ready-made templates, hosted checkout, and tax support. It's also a good fit if you're under $250K in billing and want to take advantage of the free Starter plan for as long as possible
  
  .Want to dig deeper? Check out our full article on Chargebee reviews for real-world insights from teams using it daily.
• Choose Recurly if… Your company operates on standard subscriptions, and you need robust billing automation without requiring custom logic. Recurly is a good option if dunning workflows, international billing support, and multiple payment gateways are high on your list.
  
  It’s best for mid-market companies that don’t need deep reporting or real-time usage tracking. If you’re comparing Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb, Recurly stands out with ease-of-use and fast setup, but it can hit limits as your needs evolve.
• Choose Orb if… Your pricing model is dynamic. You charge based on usage, you run experiments, or you want to make changes without writing code or waiting on contracts.
  
  Orb supports usage-based billing out of the box, ties revenue recognition to actual product usage, and gives RevOps and finance teams accurate data without delays.
  
  Setup is fast, there are no surprise overage fees, and pricing adapts to how your business grows. Among Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb, Orb is the only one designed from day one for fast-moving SaaS teams that want control without compromise.

FAQs

What’s the biggest difference between Chargebee and Recurly?

Chargebee is an all-in-one billing suite with built-in rev rec and retention tools. Recurly focuses more on subscription lifecycle management and dunning automation. Chargebee offers broader features across billing, accounting, and churn management. Recurly emphasizes faster setup and stronger payment recovery workflows.

Which is better for usage-based billing: Recurly or Chargebee?

Recurly supports usage-based billing more natively than Chargebee, though both have limitations. Chargebee requires Enterprise upgrades or workarounds, while Recurly allows usage tracking but may struggle with scale and accuracy.

Is Orb a Chargebee competitor?

Yes, Orb is a modern Chargebee competitor focused on usage-based and hybrid billing. It offers pricing experiments, real-time billing, and native rev rec built for SaaS teams. Orb appeals to companies that want more pricing control without hitting overage limits.

What are Chargebee’s pricing limits?

Chargebee’s free Starter plan supports up to $250K in lifetime billing. The $599/month Performance plan allows up to $100K in MRR. Overage fees of 0.75% apply once you pass those caps. Higher-volume companies need Enterprise pricing.

Does Recurly support revenue recognition?

Recurly includes revenue recognition features. However, they’re not as advanced or fully integrated as dedicated RevRec tools. It supports deferred revenue tracking and basic accruals. For complex accounting needs, many teams supplement it with external systems.

See why SaaS teams are switching to Orb

If you're comparing Recurly vs. Chargebee vs. Orb, you’re likely looking for more than billing basics. You want control. Speed. Real data you can act on. Orb gives modern SaaS teams the tools to turn pricing into a growth strategy. Here’s how:

• Build pricing without waiting on engineering: Orb gives your business team direct control over the pricing structure.
  
  Whether you’re launching usage-based tiers, creating bundles, or setting up trial-based pricing, Orb’s SQL-powered pricing engine makes it possible; no ticket queues required. Move faster and test what actually works in your market.
• Bill based on real value, not rough estimates: Orb tracks the exact metrics that matter to you, from seats to API events to GB usage. Every charge reflects true product value, which means fewer disputes, cleaner reporting, and stronger customer trust.
• Test new pricing before you go live: Orb Simulations lets you model changes before they hit production. Use your own data to forecast revenue impact and customer response. Experiment confidently and roll out new pricing with clarity, no guesswork, no engineering bottlenecks.
• See what’s working across segments and products: Track performance by plan, SKU, or customer segment. Orb's built-in dashboards show you what’s driving revenue and where your pricing needs work. Use this visibility to refine monetization strategies, backed by real behavior, not assumptions.

Billing shouldn’t hold you back. Orb was built for teams who treat pricing as a product and want the tools to ship changes fast.

Explore our pricing plans and find the one that fits your next stage of growth.