Paylio vs Lago
Lago is open-source billing you self-host. Paylio is a fully managed subscription platform you can set up in 5 minutes.
Feature
Paylio
Lago
Hosting
Fully managed
Self-hosted (or cloud)
Free tier
Up to 100 subs
Free (self-hosted)
Setup time
5 minutes
Hours (Docker + Postgres)
Visual plan builder
Yes (no-code)
No
Embeddable checkout
Yes (iframe widget)
No
Usage-based billing
Basic
Advanced metering engine
Open source
SDKs open source
Fully open source (AGPL)
Infrastructure control
Paylio-managed
Full control (your infra)
Compare the Code
Paylio
// Managed - no infra needed
const sub = await paylio
.getSubscription(userId);
// Built-in entitlements
if (sub.features.storage > 0) {
// allow file uploads
}Lago
# Self-host first
docker compose up -d
# Then query subscriptions
curl -X GET \
http://localhost:3000/api \
/v1/subscriptions \
-H "Bearer: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-d '{"external_customer_id":
"user_123"}'When to Choose Paylio
Choose Paylio if:
- You want a fully managed platform with zero infrastructure
- You need to go live in 5 minutes, not hours of Docker setup
- You want a visual plan builder and embeddable checkout
- You prefer flat pricing over managing your own billing infra
Choose Lago if:
- You need advanced usage-based billing with metering
- You want full control over your billing infrastructure
- You prefer open source and self-hosting