In the age of subscriptions and digital services, recurring billing has become a lifeline for SaaS providers, membership platforms, and online businesses. Choosing the right payment gateway for recurring billing is essential to ensure seamless customer experiences, reliable revenue collection, and scalable automation.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top 7 best payment gateways for recurring billing, highlighting their unique features, ideal use cases, and pricing to help you make an informed decision in 2025.
Why Choosing the Right Recurring Billing Gateway Matters
Recurring billing isn't just about charging customers on a schedule. It involves:
Automated payment processing
Flexible billing cycles
Secure handling of customer data
Global currency support
Dunning management for failed payments
A top-tier payment gateway can drastically reduce churn, improve cash flow, and simplify your billing operations.
1. Stripe – Best for Developers and SaaS Businesses
Key Features:
Powerful APIs for custom billing logic
Smart retries and dunning tools
Supports metered billing and usage-based pricing
Best For: Tech teams, SaaS businesses, marketplaces
Pricing: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Stripe stands out for its developer-first approach and robust documentation, making it the go-to for building highly customizable billing experiences.
2. Chargebee – Best for Subscription-Heavy Platforms
Key Features:
Subscription lifecycle management
Proration, billing rules, coupon management
Integrates with Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, and CRMs
Best For: SaaS startups, product-led growth companies
Pricing: Subscription-based (starts free, then tiered)
Chargebee is purpose-built for recurring billing and works best for businesses focused on scaling their subscription models with precision.
3. Razorpay – Best for Indian Businesses
Key Features:
Smart subscription APIs and hosted checkout
Auto-retry and notification support
UPI, cards, wallets, net banking integration
Best For: Indian startups, e-commerce, education platforms
Pricing: 2% – 3% per transaction
Razorpay simplifies recurring payments for Indian merchants with local payment methods and GST-ready invoicing.
4. PayPal – Best for Global Reach
Key Features:
Easy-to-use subscription tools
Global compliance and buyer trust
Recurring billing for products/services
Best For: Freelancers, digital content creators, international businesses
Pricing: 2.9% + fixed country fee
With its massive global footprint, PayPal is ideal for businesses looking to manage subscriptions with minimal setup and broad user acceptance.
5. Square – Best for POS and SMBs
Key Features:
Recurring billing via POS and online stores
Built-in analytics and invoice tracking
Seamless hardware integration
Best For: Brick-and-mortar retailers, small businesses
Pricing: 2.6% + 10¢ per transaction
Square is great for small businesses wanting to add recurring billing with minimal technical complexity, especially in retail and services.
6. Braintree – Best for Custom Payment Solutions
Key Features:
Supports recurring billing for cards, wallets, PayPal
Transparent pricing and smart fraud detection
Developer-friendly SDKs
Best For: Tech companies, fintech platforms
Pricing: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Braintree, backed by PayPal, provides a flexible recurring billing engine suited for sophisticated billing workflows and international growth.
7. Authorize.Net – Best for Enterprises and Legacy Systems
Key Features:
Advanced fraud protection tools
Support for recurring transactions
Virtual terminal for offline subscriptions
Best For: Established enterprises, legacy systems
Pricing: $25/month + transaction fees
Authorize.Net offers reliability and support for businesses needing recurring billing integrated with existing POS or ERP infrastructure.
How to Choose the Best Recurring Billing Gateway
When selecting a gateway, consider:
Your billing model: Flat rate, metered, or tiered pricing
Integration requirements: APIs, plugins, developer support
Customer base: Local vs. global, payment preferences
Scalability: Growth readiness and international features
Compliance: PCI-DSS, SCA, and data security
Final Thoughts
The right payment gateway is more than just a tool—it’s a strategic partner in your recurring revenue journey. Whether you’re launching a SaaS app, running an online course platform, or managing memberships, these top 7 payment gateways can help streamline your billing operations in 2025.
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