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Business Finance

Top 10 Best Usage Based Billing Software of 2026

Discover top 10 usage based billing software solutions. Compare features and pick the best fit for your business—start choosing now.

Sarah Mitchell

Sarah Mitchell

Feb 11, 2026

10 tools comparedExpert reviewed
Independent evaluation · Unbiased commentary · Updated regularly
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Usage-based billing software is a cornerstone of modern pricing strategies, allowing businesses to align revenue with customer consumption and scale adaptably. With a range of tools designed to handle metering, complex pricing, and global operations, selecting the right platform is critical for financial accuracy, customer trust, and sustainable growth—our curated list simplifies this decision.

Quick Overview

  1. 1#1: Orb - Purpose-built platform for metering, billing, and revenue recognition on usage-based pricing models.
  2. 2#2: Metronome - Universal billing infrastructure designed for flexible usage-based metering and pricing at scale.
  3. 3#3: M3ter - High-performance metering and usage-based billing engine for complex pricing strategies.
  4. 4#4: Stripe Billing - Seamless metered billing integration for tracking and charging based on customer usage.
  5. 5#5: Chargebee - Subscription management platform with robust support for usage-based and hybrid billing.
  6. 6#6: Zuora - Enterprise monetization suite handling subscriptions, usage, and consumption billing globally.
  7. 7#7: Lago - Open-source metering and billing system optimized for usage-based models with self-hosting.
  8. 8#8: BillingPlatform - Configurable enterprise billing solution supporting complex usage-based and product catalog billing.
  9. 9#9: Recurly - Subscription billing platform with add-on usage tracking and dunning management.
  10. 10#10: Kill Bill - Open-source billing and payment platform with plugins for usage-based metering.

We ranked these tools by evaluating functionality, reliability, ease of integration, and value, ensuring they excel in diverse scenarios including high-volume metering, enterprise complexity, and open-source flexibility.

Comparison Table

Explore the landscape of usage-based billing software with this comparison table, featuring tools like Orb, Metronome, M3ter, Stripe Billing, Chargebee, and more. Uncover key features, pricing models, and strengths to find the right fit for varying business needs, from scalability to integration flexibility.

1Orb logo9.7/10

Purpose-built platform for metering, billing, and revenue recognition on usage-based pricing models.

Features
9.9/10
Ease
8.8/10
Value
9.5/10
2Metronome logo9.3/10

Universal billing infrastructure designed for flexible usage-based metering and pricing at scale.

Features
9.7/10
Ease
8.8/10
Value
9.0/10
3M3ter logo8.7/10

High-performance metering and usage-based billing engine for complex pricing strategies.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
7.8/10
Value
8.5/10

Seamless metered billing integration for tracking and charging based on customer usage.

Features
9.4/10
Ease
7.6/10
Value
8.9/10
5Chargebee logo8.7/10

Subscription management platform with robust support for usage-based and hybrid billing.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
8.0/10
Value
8.1/10
6Zuora logo8.7/10

Enterprise monetization suite handling subscriptions, usage, and consumption billing globally.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
7.1/10
Value
8.0/10
7Lago logo8.4/10

Open-source metering and billing system optimized for usage-based models with self-hosting.

Features
9.1/10
Ease
7.2/10
Value
9.5/10

Configurable enterprise billing solution supporting complex usage-based and product catalog billing.

Features
9.0/10
Ease
7.5/10
Value
7.8/10
9Recurly logo8.4/10

Subscription billing platform with add-on usage tracking and dunning management.

Features
8.7/10
Ease
8.2/10
Value
7.9/10
10Kill Bill logo8.4/10

Open-source billing and payment platform with plugins for usage-based metering.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
6.8/10
Value
9.1/10
1
Orb logo

Orb

specialized

Purpose-built platform for metering, billing, and revenue recognition on usage-based pricing models.

Overall Rating9.7/10
Features
9.9/10
Ease of Use
8.8/10
Value
9.5/10
Standout Feature

Advanced pricing engine with support for arbitrary mathematical expressions and gradient pricing for hyper-accurate, real-time consumption billing.

Orb (orb.io) is a leading usage-based billing platform designed for SaaS companies to implement precise metering, complex pricing models, and automated invoicing based on actual customer consumption. It excels in handling high-volume event ingestion, real-time usage calculations with support for tiers, gradients, and custom formulas, and seamless integrations with Stripe, Salesforce, and data warehouses. Orb also provides customizable customer portals for self-serve usage tracking and payments, ensuring scalability for growing businesses.

Pros

  • Exceptional accuracy in metering with 100% event processing and no sampling
  • Highly flexible pricing engine supporting complex models like gradients and blended rates
  • Robust integrations and APIs for easy incorporation into existing tech stacks

Cons

  • Steeper learning curve for non-technical users due to developer-focused setup
  • Pricing scales with usage volume, which can become costly at enterprise scale
  • Limited out-of-box reporting customization compared to some legacy billing tools

Best For

Scaling SaaS companies with complex, high-volume usage-based pricing needs requiring precision and automation.

Pricing

Free development plan; production pricing is usage-based starting at ~$0.0005 per metered event, $20/month per customer, with minimums around $500/month for growth plans and custom enterprise options.

Visit Orborb.io
2
Metronome logo

Metronome

specialized

Universal billing infrastructure designed for flexible usage-based metering and pricing at scale.

Overall Rating9.3/10
Features
9.7/10
Ease of Use
8.8/10
Value
9.0/10
Standout Feature

Universal metering API that ingests and bills any usage event type instantly, without schema changes or engineering toil

Metronome is a robust, API-first billing platform tailored for usage-based billing, allowing SaaS companies to meter customer usage in real-time, apply complex pricing models, and automate invoicing and revenue recognition. It supports hybrid billing strategies, including tiered, volume, and blended pricing, with seamless integrations into data pipelines and CRMs. Designed for scalability, it handles high-volume metering without performance degradation, making it ideal for fast-growing tech companies.

Pros

  • Extremely flexible metering engine supports any usage metric or pricing model without code changes
  • Real-time usage streaming and revenue recognition for accurate financials
  • Scalable architecture handles millions of events per second with 99.99% uptime

Cons

  • API-heavy interface requires developer resources for setup
  • Pricing is custom and opaque, better suited for enterprises than startups
  • Limited no-code tools compared to more UI-focused competitors

Best For

Scaling SaaS and B2B companies needing enterprise-grade, customizable usage-based billing infrastructure.

Pricing

Custom usage-based pricing upon request, typically starting at $5,000+/month based on customer volume and metering needs.

Visit Metronomemetronome.com
3
M3ter logo

M3ter

specialized

High-performance metering and usage-based billing engine for complex pricing strategies.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
7.8/10
Value
8.5/10
Standout Feature

Real-time, event-driven metering engine that processes millions of events per second with sub-second latency

M3ter is a specialized usage-based billing platform designed for SaaS and API companies, enabling real-time metering of customer usage data from various sources. It supports complex pricing models like tiered, volume, and blended pricing, while automating billing, invoicing, and revenue recognition compliant with IFRS 15 and ASC 606. The platform scales effortlessly for high-volume environments and integrates natively with tools like Stripe, AWS Marketplace, and Snowflake.

Pros

  • Exceptional flexibility in metering and pricing models for complex usage scenarios
  • Seamless integrations with data warehouses, payment processors, and cloud marketplaces
  • Built-in revenue recognition automation with audit-ready reporting

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for advanced configurations and custom pricing
  • Pricing model ties costs directly to your revenue, which can feel unpredictable for startups
  • Limited out-of-the-box templates compared to more general billing platforms

Best For

Scaling SaaS companies with high-volume, multi-dimensional usage data needing robust, real-time metering without building custom infrastructure.

Pricing

Usage-based: Free up to $10k monthly metered revenue; then 0.75% of metered revenue for Growth tier, down to 0.3% for Enterprise volumes over $5M.

Visit M3term3ter.com
4
Stripe Billing logo

Stripe Billing

specialized

Seamless metered billing integration for tracking and charging based on customer usage.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.4/10
Ease of Use
7.6/10
Value
8.9/10
Standout Feature

Advanced usage metering with gradient pricing, tiers, and packages for precise consumption-based billing

Stripe Billing is a robust platform from Stripe that specializes in subscription management, invoicing, and advanced usage-based billing for SaaS and digital services. It enables precise tracking of customer consumption via customizable meters, supporting complex models like tiers, packages, thresholds, and blended pricing. Seamlessly integrated with Stripe Payments, it automates billing cycles, handles proration, and scales globally with built-in compliance features.

Pros

  • Highly flexible usage metering with support for tiers, packages, and real-time adjustments
  • Seamless integration with Stripe Payments for instant revenue recognition
  • Scalable for high-volume usage with excellent API and webhooks documentation

Cons

  • Requires developer expertise for setup and custom usage tracking
  • Additional fees on top of payment processing can accumulate at scale
  • Dashboard and configuration can feel complex for non-technical users

Best For

SaaS companies with engineering teams needing sophisticated, scalable usage-based billing tied to payments.

Pricing

0.5% of monthly recurring revenue (including usage-based billing), plus standard Stripe payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge).

5
Chargebee logo

Chargebee

enterprise

Subscription management platform with robust support for usage-based and hybrid billing.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
8.0/10
Value
8.1/10
Standout Feature

Flexible metered billing engine supporting real-time usage tracking, overages, and hybrid models in a single platform

Chargebee is a comprehensive revenue management platform that excels in handling subscription billing alongside usage-based models for SaaS and digital services. It allows businesses to track usage metrics via APIs, webhooks, and integrations, automatically calculating and invoicing based on consumption like API calls, data usage, or seats. With support for tiered, graduated, and hybrid pricing, it streamlines complex billing scenarios while ensuring accurate revenue recognition.

Pros

  • Robust usage metering with support for multi-dimensional tracking and complex tiers
  • Seamless integrations with Stripe, AWS, and analytics tools for real-time data syncing
  • Automated invoicing, dunning, and revenue recognition tailored for usage models

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for advanced configurations and custom usage setups
  • Pricing can become expensive for high-volume or small-scale usage billing
  • Reporting dashboards lack depth for granular usage analytics without custom exports

Best For

Growing SaaS companies with hybrid subscription and usage-based pricing needs that require scalable automation.

Pricing

Starts at $249/month (Launch plan) billed annually, $599/month (Scale), with Enterprise custom pricing based on revenue volume and features.

Visit Chargebeechargebee.com
6
Zuora logo

Zuora

enterprise

Enterprise monetization suite handling subscriptions, usage, and consumption billing globally.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
7.1/10
Value
8.0/10
Standout Feature

Advanced Usage API and rating engine for dynamic, real-time consumption billing across hybrid models

Zuora is a leading enterprise-grade monetization platform that excels in subscription management and usage-based billing, allowing businesses to track, rate, and invoice based on actual consumption metrics. It supports complex pricing models like tiered, overage, and block-based usage, integrated seamlessly with CRM and ERP systems. Designed for scalability, Zuora automates billing workflows, revenue recognition, and global compliance, making it suitable for high-volume SaaS and service providers transitioning to consumption-based models.

Pros

  • Powerful usage metering and rating engine for real-time, granular billing
  • Seamless handling of hybrid subscription + usage models with automated invoicing
  • Strong integrations, scalability, and compliance features for global enterprises

Cons

  • Steep learning curve and complex initial setup requiring expertise
  • High enterprise pricing not ideal for SMBs or startups
  • Limited out-of-the-box customization without professional services

Best For

Large enterprises and scaling SaaS companies needing robust, high-volume usage-based billing with complex pricing.

Pricing

Custom quote-based pricing, typically starting at $25,000+ annually based on volume, features, and usage tiers.

Visit Zuorazuora.com
7
Lago logo

Lago

other

Open-source metering and billing system optimized for usage-based models with self-hosting.

Overall Rating8.4/10
Features
9.1/10
Ease of Use
7.2/10
Value
9.5/10
Standout Feature

100% open-source metering engine allowing full code transparency and customization for any usage-based model

Lago is an open-source metering and usage-based billing platform designed for SaaS companies to charge customers based on actual resource consumption, such as API calls, storage, or compute usage. It offers flexible pricing models like graduated tiers, volume discounts, and packages, with real-time usage tracking and automated invoicing. The self-hosted nature provides full data ownership and customization, complemented by integrations with Stripe, AWS, and customer portals.

Pros

  • Fully open-source with no vendor lock-in and auditable metering
  • Highly flexible billing models supporting complex usage scenarios
  • Scalable for high-volume usage with strong API and integration support

Cons

  • Self-hosting requires DevOps expertise and infrastructure management
  • Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
  • Community-driven support may lack enterprise-level SLAs

Best For

Developer-centric teams at startups and mid-sized SaaS companies seeking customizable, cost-effective usage billing without proprietary dependencies.

Pricing

Open-source self-hosted version is free; Lago Cloud offers a free Developer plan up to $10K MRR, Pro at $0.20 per $1 billed (min. $250/mo), and Enterprise custom.

Visit Lagogetlago.com
8
BillingPlatform logo

BillingPlatform

enterprise

Configurable enterprise billing solution supporting complex usage-based and product catalog billing.

Overall Rating8.2/10
Features
9.0/10
Ease of Use
7.5/10
Value
7.8/10
Standout Feature

Universal rating engine that dynamically handles any usage-based pricing model without code changes

BillingPlatform is a enterprise-grade revenue management platform that specializes in usage-based billing, enabling precise metering, rating, and invoicing based on consumption data from sources like IoT, cloud, or APIs. It supports complex pricing models including tiers, thresholds, overages, and hybrids with subscriptions, while handling high-volume transactions scalably. The platform offers robust integrations, revenue recognition, and compliance features for global operations.

Pros

  • Highly flexible rating engine for complex usage scenarios and custom pricing
  • Enterprise scalability with proven handling of millions of transactions
  • Seamless integrations with CRM, ERP, and data pipelines

Cons

  • Steep learning curve and lengthy implementation requiring experts
  • Premium enterprise pricing inaccessible for SMBs
  • Overly complex for simple usage-based needs

Best For

Large enterprises with high-volume, intricate usage-based billing across global operations.

Pricing

Custom enterprise pricing upon request; typically starts at $50,000+ annually based on volume and features.

Visit BillingPlatformbillingplatform.com
9
Recurly logo

Recurly

enterprise

Subscription billing platform with add-on usage tracking and dunning management.

Overall Rating8.4/10
Features
8.7/10
Ease of Use
8.2/10
Value
7.9/10
Standout Feature

Usage Billing Pipelines for customizable data processing, tiering, and rollover logic

Recurly is a subscription management and billing platform designed for recurring revenue businesses, with robust support for usage-based billing through its Usage Billing feature. It enables companies to track, aggregate, and bill customers based on metered usage data submitted via API, supporting complex pricing models like tiers, thresholds, and overages. The platform integrates with major payment gateways and offers tools for revenue recognition, churn management, and analytics to optimize billing operations.

Pros

  • Flexible usage billing pipelines for custom aggregation and tiered pricing
  • Comprehensive revenue analytics and dunning management
  • Seamless integrations with 50+ payment gateways and tools

Cons

  • Higher pricing suitable mainly for mid-to-enterprise scale
  • Requires developer expertise for advanced UBB setups
  • Less intuitive for pure usage-based models compared to UBB specialists

Best For

Mid-market SaaS companies needing scalable subscription billing with integrated usage-based metering.

Pricing

Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $199/month platform fee plus 0.8-1.2% + $0.10 per transaction, with add-ons for advanced UBB.

Visit Recurlyrecurly.com
10
Kill Bill logo

Kill Bill

other

Open-source billing and payment platform with plugins for usage-based metering.

Overall Rating8.4/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
6.8/10
Value
9.1/10
Standout Feature

Advanced usage metering engine with support for time-based, volume-based, and multi-tenant usage calculations

Kill Bill is an open-source billing and payments platform designed for complex monetization models, including robust support for usage-based billing through metering and usage record APIs. It enables real-time tracking of consumption metrics, automated invoicing based on usage tiers, and integration with external systems for accurate billing. Ideal for developers building scalable SaaS billing, it offers flexibility via its plugin architecture but requires technical setup.

Pros

  • Highly customizable for complex usage metering and multi-dimensional pricing
  • Open-source with no licensing costs and strong community support
  • Excellent scalability for high-volume usage tracking and integrations

Cons

  • Steep learning curve requiring DevOps and development expertise
  • Self-hosted setup demands infrastructure management
  • Documentation can be dense for non-technical users

Best For

Engineering-led SaaS teams needing deeply customizable, self-hosted usage-based billing without vendor lock-in.

Pricing

Core platform is free and open-source (Apache 2.0); paid enterprise support and hosting options available starting at custom pricing.

Visit Kill Billkillbill.io

Conclusion

Orb tops the list as the leading choice, designed specifically for metering, billing, and revenue recognition in usage-based models. Metronome and M3ter follow closely, with Metronome offering flexible scaling and M3ter handling complex pricing strategies, while the remaining tools provide strong alternatives for diverse needs.

Orb logo
Our Top Pick
Orb

Ready to optimize your usage-based billing? Start with Orb to unlock seamless management, then explore Metronome or M3ter if scaling or complexity is your key priority.