Best / Subscription billing
Best open-source Subscription billing
The best self-hosted subscription-billing split in the c17.io catalog is Lago for AGPL-3.0 usage and subscription billing (the published Chargebee / Stripe Billing / Recurly / Zuora stack — skip premium edition extras), Kill Bill when you want that Apache-2.0 subscription API — /compare/lago-vs-killbill, FOSSBilling when the job is Apache-2.0 hosting-shaped invoices — /compare/lago-vs-fossbilling, and InvoiceShelf when the job is AGPL invoices rather than recurring plans. Baremetrics, ProfitWell, and ChartMogul are hosted MRR desks on the same published stack — Lago meters and invoices; it is not their every dashboard SKU. Paddle and Lemon Squeezy merchant-of-record / tax filing stay behind.
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Ranked picks
1
LagoAGPL-3.0 usage and subscription billing — the c17 Chargebee / Recurly / Zuora path. /compare/lago-vs-killbill.
When to pick it: Plans, usage, and invoices you host. Attach a processor.
10,692 stars in the catalog
2
killbillApache-2.0 subscription billing already on /stacks/lago-billing. /compare/lago-vs-killbill.
When to pick it: The Apache sibling if Lago is not the API you want.
5,794 stars in the catalog
3
FOSSBillingApache-2.0 hosting-oriented billing — /compare/lago-vs-fossbilling.
When to pick it: Clients and invoices for a host, not a usage meter.
1,717 stars in the catalog
4
InvoiceShelfAGPL invoicing already on /best/invoicing-accounting. Not a subscription OS.
When to pick it: Send an invoice, not Recurly dunning.
1,858 stars in the catalog
How they compare
| Tool | License | Self-host | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lago | AGPL-3.0 | Medium | Plans, usage, and invoices you host. Attach a processor. |
| killbill | Apache License 2.0 | Medium | The Apache sibling if Lago is not the API you want. |
| FOSSBilling | Apache License 2.0 | Easy | Clients and invoices for a host, not a usage meter. |
| InvoiceShelf | GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 | Easy | Send an invoice, not Recurly dunning. |
Related pages
- Lago / Kill Bill stack
- Akaunting / Invoice Ninja stack
- Medusa / Saleor / WooCommerce stack
- Replace Chargebee
- Replace Stripe Billing
- Replace Paddle
- Replace Lemon Squeezy
- Replace Lemon Squeezy
- Replace Recurly
- Replace Zuora
- Replace Baremetrics
- Replace ProfitWell
- Replace ChartMogul
- Replace FastSpring
- Replace QuickBooks
- Replace FreshBooks
- Replace Xero
- Replace Zoho Books
- Replace Wave
- Replace Shopify
- Replace BigCommerce
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FAQ
- Lago or Kill Bill?
- Lago if you want the published Chargebee / Recurly path. Kill Bill if you want that Apache API — /compare/lago-vs-killbill.
- Recurly, Zuora, or Chargebee?
- Same published billing engine — /replace/recurly, /replace/zuora, and /replace/chargebee. Lago does not take the card.
- Baremetrics, ProfitWell, or ChartMogul?
- Hosted MRR desks on the same stack — /replace/baremetrics, /replace/profitwell, and /replace/chartmogul. This is not their every analytics SKU.
- Are these free?
- Lago core is AGPL-3.0; skip premium extras. Kill Bill and FOSSBilling are Apache-2.0. You pay hosting and the processor. Template users never pay c17.
- How do I deploy it?
- Open /stacks/lago-billing. Persist Postgres. Create one plan and one test invoice.
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