Subscription billing providers

Updated: August 01, 2023

Subscription billing providers are specialized companies that offer businesses a comprehensive and automated solution for managing subscription-based services and recurring billing. These providers offer a range of services, including subscription plan creation, customer onboarding, invoicing, payment processing, and subscription lifecycle management. They typically integrate with various payment gateways and provide secure and reliable billing infrastructure to handle recurring payments. Subscription billing providers often offer customizable billing options, such as flexible pricing, free trials, and discounts, to cater to the diverse needs of businesses and their customers. By partnering with subscription billing providers, businesses can streamline their billing processes, reduce administrative overheads, and ensure accurate and timely billing for their subscribers. Additionally, these providers offer valuable analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to gain insights into subscription metrics, customer retention, and revenue growth. For businesses operating subscription-based models, subscription billing providers are essential partners in ensuring seamless and efficient recurring billing operations.

See also: Top 10 Payment Processing platforms

2020. Chargebee raises $55 million to help businesses move to subscriptions



Chargebee, a platform that assists businesses in establishing and overseeing their billing, subscription, revenue operations, and compliance, has successfully secured $55M in funding. Chargebee empowers individuals, small businesses, and enterprises to automate their subscription, billing, invoicing, payment, and revenue recognition processes. It offers support for numerous popular payment gateways such as Stripe, Braintree, WorldPay, and PayPal. Additionally, its comprehensive global tax management coverage enables businesses to expand into new markets. For example, MakeSpace, an on-demand storage company, leveraged Chargebee's services to expand from four markets to 31 within a year.


2018. Zuora partners with Amazon Pay to expand subscription billing options



Zuora, a SaaS company specializing in payment management for subscription businesses, has been chosen as a Premier Partner in the Amazon Pay Global Partner Program. This partnership allows businesses utilizing Zuora's billing platform to effortlessly integrate Amazon's digital payment system as an option during the checkout or recurring payment processes. Attaining the "Premier Partner" status holds significant strategic value for Zuora as it expands the range of products offered to current and prospective customers. The ability to accommodate diverse payment methods is a crucial selling point for subscription-based enterprises, enabling them to serve a larger customer base and deliver a more streamlined and seamless customer experience.


2015. Subscription billing service ChargeBee raises $5M



ChargeBee, a startup that specializes in assisting companies with their billing and subscription management, has successfully concluded a Series B funding round, raising $5 million. With a strong focus on supporting startups, particularly those in the SaaS sector, ChargeBee aims to optimize the value derived from billing subscriptions. Among its clientele are prominent names like Freshdesk, Kissflow, Soylent, and VinylMePlease. ChargeBee faces competition from rivals such as Zuora (which recently raised $115 million), Recurly, and Chargify. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including technical support, solutions, and consultancy-like guidance. This may involve advising on essential billing and payment processes necessary for expanding into new markets, among other areas of expertise.


2014. Zoho Subscriptions - new cloud service for recurring billing



Zoho, known for its extensive range of SaaS services and the management of millions of subscriptions, has decided to share its expertise and technologies with others by developing Zoho Subscriptions, a cloud-based recurring billing software. This innovative solution streamlines the subscription process by allowing users to input their subscription details, while handling the entire transaction process, including invoicing, credit card information, receipt generation, and monthly revenue capture. What sets Zoho Subscriptions apart from competitors like Recurly and Zuora is its seamless integration with Zoho Books, an accounting package. This integration serves as a vital link between the subscription economy and traditional accounting practices, offering a comprehensive solution for businesses.


2008. Zuora Introduces Z-Force

Zuora, a rapidly expanding on-demand subscription billing and payment service, has unveiled its plans for Z-Force, a fully native Force.com application that seamlessly integrates Z-Billing and Z-Payments with Salesforce CRM. With a team comprised of SaaS industry experts from salesforce.com and WebEx, Zuora aims to revolutionize the online subscription industry. The announcement took place at Dreamforce '08, the User and Developer Conference hosted by salesforce.com. Z-Force by Zuora is built entirely on the Force.com platform and offers complete integration with Z-Billing and Z-Payments. This combination delivers top-notch on-demand billing and payments alongside Salesforce CRM, resulting in a comprehensive lead-to-cash system that provides a comprehensive view of all customer interactions.