The Best Stripe Billing Alternative for Developers
Paylio replaces Stripe Billing's subscription management layer with a simpler API, built-in entitlements, and flat pricing. Still uses Stripe for payments.
Start Free — No Transaction FeesWhy Developers Switch from Stripe Billing
Stripe Billing Pain Points
- 0.5–0.8% transaction fee on top of Stripe processing fees
- Complex webhook handling required for subscription lifecycle
- No built-in entitlements — build your own feature-gating logic
- Subscription status requires multiple API calls to piece together
Paylio Advantages
- $0 to start with 100 free subscribers
- Flat monthly pricing — no per-transaction fees from Paylio
- Built-in entitlements on every plan — check access in one call
- One API call for full subscription status with features included
- No webhook handling needed for subscription state
Feature Comparison
Compare the Code
Paylio — One Call
// Get subscription + entitlements
const sub = await paylio
.getSubscription(userId);
if (sub.features.canExport) {
// user has export access
}Stripe Billing — Multiple Calls
// 1. Find Stripe customer
const customers = await stripe
.customers.list({ email });
const custId = customers.data[0].id;
// 2. Get subscriptions
const subs = await stripe
.subscriptions.list({
customer: custId,
});
// 3. No entitlements API
// Build your own feature logic
// 4. Handle webhooks for changesFrequently Asked Questions
Is Paylio a replacement for Stripe?
Paylio replaces Stripe Billing (the subscription management layer), not Stripe Payments. Paylio uses Stripe under the hood for payment processing. You get the reliability of Stripe payments with a simpler subscription and entitlements API on top.
Can I still use Stripe with Paylio?
Yes — Paylio uses Stripe as its payment processor. Your customers still pay through Stripe. Paylio manages the subscription lifecycle, plan configuration, and entitlements so you don’t have to build that logic yourself.
How does Paylio pricing compare to Stripe Billing?
Stripe Billing charges 0.5–0.8% per transaction on top of Stripe’s standard processing fees. Paylio charges a flat monthly fee ($0 for up to 100 subscribers, $19/mo or $99/mo for higher tiers) with no per-transaction markup from Paylio.
How do I migrate from Stripe Billing to Paylio?
Paylio connects to your existing Stripe account. You can set up your plans in Paylio’s visual builder, point your integration to Paylio’s SDK, and begin managing new subscriptions through Paylio while existing Stripe subscriptions continue uninterrupted.
What about payment processing — does Paylio handle that?
Paylio delegates payment processing to Stripe (and Razorpay for India). It focuses on what Stripe Billing does: subscription management, plan configuration, and entitlements — but with a simpler API and built-in feature gating.
Simpler Than Stripe Billing. Powered by Stripe.
Start with 100 free subscribers. No per-transaction fees. Built-in entitlements.
Get Started Free