Recurly
Medium — underandwithon logic, 20+ gateways
Migration difficulty: medium
Data you keep: API export
API standard: Proprietary
Risk notes: Medium — underandwithon logic, 20+ gateways
💡 Moderate effort required. Export data before canceling
Subscription Billing
Recurly vs RevenueCat
The most concrete split between Recurly and RevenueCat is the pricing model: Recurly runs on hybrid pricing from $249/mo (Core), while RevenueCat uses usage-based pricing from 1% from MTR above $2,500, with a free tier. That shapes how predictable your monthly spend is and how much of the cost sits in infrastructure versus per-seat or per-event fees. Beyond the headline, Recurly carries medium lock-in (medium — underandwithon logic, 20+ gateways) and hybrid pricing from $249/mo (Core); RevenueCat carries medium lock-in (medium — to on storekit/google play, but subscription state + analytics andin) and usage-based pricing from 1% from MTR above $2,500, with a free tier. Recurly is a fit when you are saas. RevenueCat is a fit when you are mobile. The honest trade-off: Recurly is explicitly not for simple projects; RevenueCat is explicitly not for web-only saas. On the product side, Recurly is described as Enterprise subscription management platform with dunning, multi-gateway support, proration, and revenue recognition, and RevenueCat is described as Subscription infrastructure SDK for iOS, Android, and web handling purchase events, entitlements, and revenue analytics.
Quick take
Recurly is for saas; RevenueCat is for mobile; decide on pricing model.
Feature comparison
| | | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Subscription Billing | Subscription Billing |
| Pricing Model | hybrid | usage |
| Entry Price | $249/mo (Core) | 1% from MTR above $2,500 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Billing Complexity | medium | low |
| Developer Experience | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Pricing Transparency | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Lock-in Level | medium | medium |
| Migration Complexity | medium | medium |
| Data Portability | API export | Via API, webhook events |
| Enterprise | Available | — |
| GitHub Stars | — | — |
| License | — | — |
Pricing at scale
Recurly
- Entry
- $249/mo (Core)
RevenueCat
- Entry
- 1% from MTR above $2,500
Switching cost & lock-in
RevenueCat
Medium — to on StoreKit/Google Play, but subscription state + analytics andin
Migration difficulty: medium
Data you keep: Via API, webhook events
API standard: Proprietary byin Apple/Google standardin
Risk notes: Medium — to on StoreKit/Google Play, but subscription state + analytics andin
💡 Moderate effort required. Export data before canceling
When to choose which
Choose Recurly when…
Choose Recurly if its hybrid pricing model fits your budget shape better than RevenueCat's usage model, and you are saas.
- SaaS with recurring revenue
- Usage-based pricing models
Not for: Simple projects
Choose RevenueCat when…
Choose RevenueCat if you need a free tier to start before committing budget, and your use case matches mobile.
- Mobile app with in-app subscriptions (iOS + Android)
- cross-platform entitlement management
- Generous free tier for getting started
Not for: Web-only SaaS
Common use cases
Recurly
- SaaS with recurring revenue
- Usage-based pricing models
- Complex plan management
RevenueCat
- Mobile app with in-app subscriptions (iOS + Android)
- Need cross-platform entitlement management
- Want paywall A/B testing and analytics
Ready to explore?
Check each tool's dedicated page for deeper reviews, setup notes, and pros/cons.
Frequently asked questions
Is Recurly cheaper than RevenueCat?
Recurly starts at $249/mo (Core); RevenueCat starts at 1% from MTR above $2,500. On entry price alone that is the comparison, but real cost scales with users, events or volume, which the entry prices do not capture. Check each vendor's full tier list before committing.
Can I migrate from Recurly to RevenueCat?
Migration from Recurly to RevenueCat is feasible but not trivial: Recurly has medium lock-in (medium — underandwithon logic, 20+ gateways). Core data can move; integrations and workflow logic need rebuild. Allow for a parallel-run period.
Which has better developer experience?
On our scoring RevenueCat rates 5/5 for developer experience versus 4/5 for Recurly. That suggests RevenueCat feels more polished for everyday developer tasks. We still recommend a short hands-on trial on your stack before standardising.
Is RevenueCat a good alternative to Recurly?
RevenueCat is pitched at mobile, which overlaps with Recurly's fit (saas) but is not identical. Note that RevenueCat is explicitly not for web-only saas, so it only replaces Recurly if you are outside that exclusion. Pricing models differ (hybrid vs usage), which may shift total cost.
Community Discussion
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