Lago vs Chargebee(2026)
Lago is better for teams that need open source (self-host free). Chargebee is the stronger choice if free up to $250k revenue. Lago is open-source (from $500/month (Lago Cloud)) and Chargebee is freemium (from $0 (free up to $250k revenue)).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
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Lago
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 LagoChargebee
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 ChargebeeHow Do Lago and Chargebee Compare on Features?
| Feature | Lago | Chargebee |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | freemium |
| Starting price | $500/month (Lago Cloud) | $0 (free up to $250k revenue) |
| Metered billing | ✓ | — |
| Usage-based pricing | ✓ | — |
| Subscription management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoice generation | ✓ | — |
| Tax handling | ✓ | — |
| Open source | ✓ | — |
| Revenue recognition | — | ✓ |
| Dunning management | — | ✓ |
| Trial management | — | ✓ |
| Invoicing | — | ✓ |
| MRR analytics | — | ✓ |
Lago Pros and Cons vs Chargebee
Lago
Chargebee
Should You Use Lago or Chargebee?
Choose Lago if…
- •Open source (self-host free)
- •Best for usage-based pricing
- •Full ownership of billing data
Choose Chargebee if…
- •Free up to $250k revenue
- •Excellent subscription features
- •Revenue recognition included