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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