Chargebee vs Lago(2026)
Chargebee is better for teams that need free up to $250k revenue. Lago is the stronger choice if open source (self-host free). Chargebee is freemium (from $0 (free up to $250k revenue)) and Lago is open-source (from $500/month (Lago Cloud)).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
By Bikram Nath
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Chargebee
Chargebee is a subscription management platform for SaaS businesses with billing automation, revenue recognition, and metrics.
Starting at $0 (free up to $250k revenue)
Visit ChargebeeLago
Lago is an open source billing API for usage-based and metered billing, allowing you to self-host your billing infrastructure.
Starting at $500/month (Lago Cloud)
Visit LagoHow Do Chargebee and Lago Compare on Features?
| Feature | Chargebee | Lago |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | open-source |
| Starting price | $0 (free up to $250k revenue) | $500/month (Lago Cloud) |
| Subscription management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revenue recognition | ✓ | — |
| Dunning management | ✓ | — |
| Trial management | ✓ | — |
| Invoicing | ✓ | — |
| MRR analytics | ✓ | — |
| Metered billing | — | ✓ |
| Usage-based pricing | — | ✓ |
| Invoice generation | — | ✓ |
| Tax handling | — | ✓ |
| Open source | — | ✓ |
Chargebee Pros and Cons vs Lago
Chargebee
Lago
Should You Use Chargebee or Lago?
For most teams, Lago is the better default: it offers open source (self-host free) and is open-source (from $500/month (Lago Cloud)). Choose Chargebee instead if free up to $250k revenue matters more than newer product. There is no universal winner — the right pick depends on your budget, team size, and whether you value free up to $250k revenue or open source (self-host free) more.
Choose Chargebee if…
- •Free up to $250k revenue
- •Excellent subscription features
- •Revenue recognition included
Choose Lago if…
- •Open source (self-host free)
- •Best for usage-based pricing
- •Full ownership of billing data