8 Open Source Alternatives to Stripe Billing

A list of 8 carefully selected open-source alternatives to Stripe Billing.

Adrian
Created by
Adrian
Mar 9, 20257 min read

The open-source alternatives are ranked based on our custom ranking system and score. This system takes into account various factors to determine the best alternatives.

If you’re looking for alternative features or workflows, here is a prepared detailed list of Stripe Billing open-source alternatives — each with its own distinctive strengths and key features.

OpenMeter is a real-time metering and billing platform designed for AI, API, and DevOps environments. It collects millions of usage events, enabling dynamic, usage-based pricing through seamless integration with tools like Stripe and popular SDKs. OpenMeter’s open source foundation standardizes metering to drive accurate revenue insights.

OpenMeter screenshot

Key Features

  • Real-time aggregation of millions of usage events
  • Dynamic usage metering and enforcement of limits
  • SDKs for Node.js, Python, and Go
  • Seamless integration with Stripe and CRM systems
  • Open source under the Apache 2.0 license

OpenMeter transforms raw events, logs, and metrics into actionable data for usage-based billing. The tool aggregates millions of events per second, enforces usage limits with low latency, and integrates with diverse systems using SDKs in Node.js, Python, and Go. Its flexible product catalog supports plans, credits, and custom pricing models, empowering teams to monitor real-time usage and optimize revenue operations.

#2
Crater logo

Crater

7,968
1,603

Crater is an open source invoicing solution designed for individuals and businesses seeking a robust, all-in-one financial management tool. It streamlines tasks such as invoicing, payments, lending, and accounting automation to help users manage cash flow and financial operations efficiently.

Crater screenshot

Key Features

  • Intuitive invoicing and billing workflows
  • Embedded general ledger for comprehensive financial tracking
  • AI-powered Financial Copilot for instant answers and report generation
  • Seamless payments integration with card and ACH support
  • Robust APIs and customizable SDKs for developers
  • Easy integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and other accounting tools

Crater consolidates invoicing workflows, bill payments, and working capital tools into a single platform. It features embedded general ledger functionality for holistic financial tracking, an AI-powered Financial Copilot for quick insights, and seamless integration with popular accounting software via robust APIs and SDKs, making it ideal for developers and businesses alike.

#3
Polar logo

Polar

4,670
234

Polar is an open source engine designed to help developers integrate payments and billing into their digital products. With an emphasis on simplicity and speed, it enables you to start selling SaaS and digital products in minutes.

Polar screenshot

Key Features

  • Setup in under a minute with six lines of code
  • Global Merchant of Record handles billing, taxes, and refunds
  • Automated benefits configuration (license keys, digital downloads, etc.)
  • Customizable checkout links and embedded checkout options
  • Developer-friendly CLI tools for quick bootstrapping
  • Zero fixed costs with a transparent fee structure

Polar streamlines payment processing and digital product management with just six lines of code. It offers reliable, secure, and fast integration along with a global Merchant of Record that handles billing, taxes, and transactions. Developers benefit from automated product benefits such as license keys and digital downloads, along with easy-to-implement checkout links and customer portals. Command line tools further simplify bootstrapping subscriptions, products, and checkouts in your projects.

Formance is an open source infrastructure that modernizes financial operations by empowering developers to build and scale bespoke financial backends. Its modular suite of primitives and agnostic integration with any financial partner provide unprecedented control over money flows.

Formance screenshot

Key Features

  • Open source financial primitives for bespoke money flows
  • 100% agnostic integration with any financial provider
  • Modular and extensible architecture tailored for custom applications
  • Enterprise-grade security with SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications
  • Flexible deployment options: cloud hosted, hybrid, or self-hosted
  • Developer-first design enabling full programmability

Formance transforms legacy financial systems with its programmable ledger, extensive connectivity, and flows modules, allowing engineering teams to build customizable financial features. With options for cloud or self-hosted deployment, the platform offers complete ownership, enterprise-grade security, and a unified data layer to power innovative financial applications without vendor lock-in.

#5
Lago logo

Lago

7,414
359

Lago is an open source metering and usage-based billing API designed for consumption tracking, subscription management, pricing iterations, payment orchestration, and revenue analytics. It delivers a robust solution for both large tech companies and small projects, enabling effortless handling of billing complexities.

Lago screenshot

Key Features

  • Open source billing and metering API
  • Usage-based pricing and consumption tracking
  • Flexible subscription and billing cycle management
  • Instant charge options with customizable invoicing
  • Seamless integration with customer portals and payment systems

Lago streamlines billing operations by offering powerful APIs that support usage-based pricing, flexible billing cycles, and instant charge management. With both a premium offering for teams needing control and an open source version for smaller projects, Lago integrates seamlessly into your workflow, allowing you to focus on building your product rather than worrying about billing intricacies.

#6
Trench logo

Trench

1,532
54

Trench is an open-source analytics infrastructure that combines ClickHouse, Kafka, and Node.js into a single production-ready Docker image. It enables rapid event tracking and real-time analytics, making it ideal for building product dashboards, observability platforms, and more.

Trench screenshot

Key Features

  • Single production-ready Docker image integrating ClickHouse, Kafka, and Node.js
  • Supports thousands of events per second with high throughput capabilities
  • Real-time SQL queries and REST API access
  • GDPR compliant with industry-standard event tracking (Track, Identify, Group)
  • Flexible deployment with self-hosted and cloud options

Trench delivers a robust solution for tracking events and page views with lightning-fast queries and massive throughput. Engineered with scalability in mind, it adheres to industry standards like the Segment specification while providing flexible deployment options through self-hosted and cloud environments. Powered by proven technologies, Trench is designed to simplify the setup of high-performance analytics systems.

#7
Lotus logo

Lotus

1,749
127

Lotus is an open source pricing and billing engine designed for SaaS companies that need adaptable subscription models. It enables businesses to deploy, monitor, and experiment with complex pricing schemes, including usage-based and per-seat models.

Lotus screenshot

Key Features

  • Supports usage-based, per-seat, and bespoke enterprise pricing models
  • Intuitive plan management with version control
  • Robust experimentation capabilities including A/B testing and backtesting
  • Seamless integrations with existing monetization stacks
  • Developer-friendly and fully self-hosted solution

Lotus is a self-hosted pricing and packaging infrastructure that streamlines the management of custom subscriptions and elaborate pricing models. It offers a flexible control panel to integrate data across your existing quote-to-cash systems, allowing seamless integration with payment, customer management, and analytics platforms. Built with a modern tech stack including React, Django, and Go, Lotus accelerates pricing deployments, experiments, and monitoring, empowering engineering teams to optimize revenue strategies efficiently.

BoxBilling is an open source billing and client management software that empowers businesses with a robust and flexible platform for all their financial and administrative needs. It is community-driven, extensible through APIs, and completely free to use.

BoxBilling screenshot

Key Features

  • Open source and community-driven
  • Completely free with no hidden fees
  • Extensible API for custom integrations
  • Powerful admin panel for comprehensive management
  • Seamless integration with popular platforms

BoxBilling is designed to simplify billing, client management, and administrative tasks with a powerful admin panel. It offers seamless integration with leading platforms such as PayPal, cPanel, Plesk, and Stripe, making it ideal for managing hosting servers, domain registrars, and payment gateways. The platform's open source nature invites contributions and customization, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptability to diverse business requirements.

Price comparison of Stripe Billing open-source alternatives

ToolTier 1Tier 2Tier 3Details
OpenMeter logo
OpenMeter
$0
Free
$349
Pro
-
Enterprise
Learn more
Polar logo
Polar
-
Transaction Fee
--Learn more
Formance logo
Formance
-
Community
-
Enterprise
-Learn more
Trench logo
Trench
-
Open Source
$0
Cloud
-
Enterprise
Learn more

* Pricing shown is based on publicly available information and may not reflect current rates. Visit each tool's website for detailed pricing information and additional tiers.

This comparison data was compiled with AI assistance.
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Stripe Billing