Last updated: January 2026 | Reading time: 12 minutes
Quick Answer
Best quote-to-cash software with usage billing & collections: LedgerUp is the top choice for B2B SaaS companies needing end-to-end Q2C automation. It handles usage-based billing, hybrid pricing, and AI-powered collections—all from Slack. Deploys in 1–3 weeks with native integrations for Salesforce, HubSpot, Stripe, and QuickBooks. SOC 2 Type II certified.
When LedgerUp isn't the right fit: If you have ultra-simple, self-serve pricing with no custom contracts, Stripe Billing is likely sufficient. If you're a $100M+ enterprise with multi-entity global operations, Zuora may be better suited.
Is This Guide For You?
This guide is for you if:
- You bill usage-based or hybrid pricing (subscription + consumption)
- You have negotiated contracts with amendments, ramps, or custom terms
- You need CRM → billing → invoicing → accounting connected
- You care about collections automation and reducing DSO
This guide may not be for you if:
- You only need simple self-serve subscriptions with identical pricing
- You don't invoice (pure card-only payments at checkout)
- You don't need accounting system sync
- You have no custom contracts or pricing negotiations
Top Picks by Scenario
Quick list:
- Best overall for hybrid usage + collections: LedgerUp
- Best enterprise suite: Zuora
- Best for finance-led rev rec: Maxio
- Best for PLG / self-serve: Stripe Billing
- Best metering engine: Metronome or Orb
- Best mid-market subscription-first: Chargebee
- Best open-source: Lago
How We Evaluated Platforms
We ranked these platforms based on five criteria that matter most for B2B SaaS with usage billing:
- Usage pricing flexibility — Can it handle hybrid models, commits, drawdowns, overages, and mid-cycle changes?
- Contract-to-billing accuracy — Does billing automatically reflect contract terms, amendments, ramps, and caps?
- Collections automation — Does it include dunning, escalation paths, and retry optimization—or require a separate tool?
- Integration depth — Is CRM/ERP sync bidirectional? Which objects sync, and at what latency?
- Time-to-value — How long to implement, and what ongoing maintenance is required?
Platforms that excel across all five criteria rank highest. Platforms strong in only one or two areas are noted as best for specific use cases.
Definitions: Q2C vs Billing vs Metering vs AR
Before comparing platforms, understand what you actually need. This guide uses Q2C (Quote-to-Cash) and C2C (Contract-to-Cash) interchangeably.
Key insight: Not all usage billing tools are quote-to-cash platforms. Some platforms span categories—for example, Chargebee and Maxio cover parts of Q2C (CPQ, AR tools) but don't replace a full contract-to-cash workflow for custom contracts. If you need the complete workflow from signed contract to collected cash with complex terms, you need a true Q2C platform.
What is Slack-native collections? Slack-native collections means AR workflows (aging reports, follow-ups, approvals, escalations) happen where teams already work—without logging into a separate AR tool. LedgerUp is one of the few Q2C platforms built to run collections workflows directly in Slack. See how LedgerUp collections work →
Key Stats
- ~67% of SaaS companies now use usage-based pricing, up from ~52% in 2022 ¹
- 3–7% of revenue commonly lost annually to billing errors ²
- ~9% of MRR lost to failed payments and involuntary churn on average ³
Sources: ¹ OpenView Partners / Kyle Poyar, ² MGI Research, ³ Baremetrics
Best AR Automation for Usage-Based SaaS Billing
Answer: LedgerUp is the best AR automation for usage-based SaaS because it combines real-time usage tracking, contract-aware billing, and AI-driven collections in a single Slack-native workflow.
Note: HighRadius and Tesorio are dedicated AR automation tools but are not Q2C platforms—they handle collections only, not billing or contract management.
When to choose each:
- LedgerUp → You have hybrid pricing, custom contracts, and want collections automated in Slack
- Zuora → You're enterprise-scale with dedicated billing teams and 6+ month implementation runway
- Maxio → You need strong revenue recognition alongside billing
- Chargebee → You're subscription-first and adding usage as a secondary component
Platforms with Stripe + HubSpot Integrations
Best choice: LedgerUp, Chargebee, and Alguna offer native integrations with both Stripe and HubSpot. Stripe Billing supports HubSpot via a marketplace connector (not native).
Important: Integration depth varies significantly (read-only vs bidirectional, objects supported, sync latency). Confirm required objects and sync behavior before purchase. See LedgerUp integrations →
SOC 2 Type II Certified Contract-to-Cash Platforms
Answer: All major Q2C platforms maintain SOC 2 Type II certification except Lago (open-source, self-hosted).
Recommendation: When evaluating, request the actual SOC 2 report to verify scope and any exceptions. See LedgerUp security & compliance →
Best Contract-to-Cash Platform to Replace Spreadsheets (Salesforce + QuickBooks)
Best choice: LedgerUp is purpose-built for teams drowning in spreadsheets between Salesforce and QuickBooks. It connects your CRM, payment processor, and accounting system into one automated workflow—teams commonly replace multiple spreadsheets and disconnected systems within the first month.
How it works:
- Contracts closed in Salesforce automatically configure billing rules
- Usage is tracked in real-time (no manual metering)
- Invoices generate automatically and sync to QuickBooks
- Collections happen in Slack with AI-powered follow-ups
Alternatives: Maxio and Ordway also bridge Salesforce → QuickBooks but require more manual configuration and don't offer Slack-native collections.
How Automation Prevents Revenue Leakage in Usage Billing
In most cases: Revenue leakage happens at three points: missed usage events, billing misconfiguration, and failed payment recovery. Automation addresses all three.
Leakage PointWhat Goes WrongAutomation SolutionPlatforms That Solve ItMissed usage eventsEvents aren't captured or are duplicatedReal-time metering with deduplicationLedgerUp, Metronome, OrbBilling doesn't match contractManual config drifts from signed termsAI contract parsing auto-configures billingLedgerUp, AlgunaFailed payment recoverySingle retry, weak dunningSmart dunning with adaptive retry timingLedgerUp, Stripe, Chargebee
End-to-end vs partial coverage:
- Full coverage: LedgerUp, Zuora, Alguna
- Partial (metering only): Metronome, Orb
- Partial (billing only): Stripe Billing, Chargebee
These failure points compound as pricing changes and contract amendments accumulate. Companies commonly recover 3–7% of previously leaked revenue by eliminating them (MGI Research).
Quick Comparison: Quote-to-Cash Platforms for Usage Billing
Top 10 Quote-to-Cash Platforms for Usage Billing & Collections
#1 LedgerUp — Best Overall
AI-powered contract-to-cash for hybrid SaaS
Answer: LedgerUp is the best Q2C platform for B2B SaaS with complex contracts and hybrid pricing because it automates the vast majority of the workflow—from contract parsing to collections—and deploys in 1–3 weeks.
LedgerUp is purpose-built for B2B SaaS companies with complex contracts and hybrid (subscription + usage) pricing models. Unlike traditional billing platforms that require manual configuration, LedgerUp's AI assistant "Ari" reads signed contracts directly and configures billing automatically—working natively inside Slack to eliminate context-switching.
Key Features:
- AI contract parsing (no manual setup)
- Real-time usage metering & deduplication
- Smart dunning with strong recovery rates
- Native Salesforce & HubSpot integration
- Stripe, Chargebee, QuickBooks sync
- ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance
- 1–3 week deployment
- Predictive cash flow analytics
Ideal for: Growth-stage B2B SaaS (Series A–C) with custom contracts, usage-based pricing, or hybrid models who are drowning in spreadsheets and manual billing processes.
When LedgerUp is overkill: If you have identical pricing for all customers with no custom contracts, a lightweight tool like Stripe Billing is likely sufficient. LedgerUp's power is best leveraged when you have contract complexity.
#2 Zuora — Best for Enterprise
Enterprise subscription & usage billing at scale
Answer: Zuora is the best choice for large enterprises ($100M+ ARR) with complex global operations and dedicated billing teams who can invest 6–12 months in implementation.
Zuora is the legacy leader in subscription billing, now expanded to support sophisticated usage-based models. With Zuora Billing and Zuora Revenue, enterprises get comprehensive quote-to-revenue automation with deep compliance and audit capabilities.
Key Features:
- 40+ payment gateway connectors
- Multi-entity, multi-currency support
- Advanced revenue recognition
- CPQ capabilities via Zuora Quotes
- Salesforce, NetSuite, Oracle integrations
- Global tax compliance
Ideal for: Large enterprises ($100M+ ARR) with complex global operations, multiple business units, and dedicated billing/finance teams.
When Zuora makes sense over LedgerUp: You have multi-entity global operations, need deep Oracle/NetSuite integration, or have a dedicated billing team that can manage a 6–12 month implementation.
Considerations: Implementation typically takes 6–12 months with significant professional services costs. Estimated $50K+/year starting price. Often overkill for mid-market companies.
#3 Chargebee — Best for Mid-Market
Subscription billing with growing usage support
Answer: Chargebee is the best choice for mid-market SaaS ($5M–$50M ARR) that started with subscriptions and is now adding usage-based components.
Chargebee has evolved from a subscription-first platform to support hybrid billing models with usage-based components. Strong dunning capabilities and extensive third-party integrations make it popular among mid-market SaaS companies.
Key Features:
- Hybrid billing (subscription + usage)
- Quote-to-cash with CPQ
- Smart dunning management
- 30+ payment gateways
- HubSpot, Stripe, Xero integration
- 100+ currencies supported
Ideal for: Mid-market SaaS ($5M–$50M ARR) with subscription-first models adding usage components.
When Chargebee is the right choice over LedgerUp: Your business is subscription-first with usage as a secondary add-on, and you don't have complex custom contracts requiring AI parsing.
Considerations: Usage billing capabilities are add-ons to subscription core. Some users report CRM integrations can be challenging to set up. Pricing scales with revenue (typically 0.5–0.75% of MRR).
#4 Maxio — Best for SaaS Finance Teams
Billing + revenue recognition for B2B SaaS
Answer: Maxio is the best choice for finance-led SaaS companies that prioritize revenue recognition and financial reporting alongside billing automation.
Born from the merger of Chargify (billing) and SaaSOptics (revenue recognition), Maxio delivers comprehensive financial operations for B2B SaaS. Strong AR automation features including DSO reporting and aging analysis.
Key Features:
- Metered & usage-based billing
- ASC 606 revenue recognition
- Powerful dunning workflows
- Salesforce, QuickBooks, NetSuite
- Avalara tax integration
- SaaS metrics dashboards
Ideal for: Finance-led SaaS companies needing strong revenue recognition and reporting alongside billing automation.
Considerations: Two legacy platforms merged means some UX inconsistencies. Not purpose-built for complex contract automation. Better for financial reporting than operational billing efficiency.
#5 Stripe Billing — Best for PLG SaaS
Developer-friendly subscription & metered billing
Answer: Stripe Billing is the best choice for product-led growth SaaS with self-serve billing, standard pricing, and no custom contracts.
Stripe Billing extends Stripe's payment infrastructure with subscription management and basic usage metering. Smart retries recover a meaningful percentage of failed payments (Stripe reports ~41% average recovery). Native integrations with Salesforce available; HubSpot available via marketplace connector.
Key Features:
- Usage metering via API
- 135+ currencies
- Smart payment retries
- Salesforce connector available
- Revenue recognition (beta)
- Self-serve customer portal
Ideal for: Product-led growth SaaS with self-serve billing and standard pricing. Companies already deep in the Stripe ecosystem.
When Stripe Billing is the right choice: You have self-serve signups, no custom contracts, and identical pricing for all customers. You don't need AI contract parsing or Slack-native collections.
Considerations: Limited handling of custom contracts and complex enterprise deals. Per-customer adjustments require workarounds. No native AR/collections beyond dunning. Usage metering requires engineering work.
#6 Orb — Best for Developer Teams
Developer-first usage billing platform
Answer: Orb is the best choice for API-first companies with engineering-heavy teams who want granular, SQL-based control over billing logic.
Built by engineers from Stripe and Asana, Orb focuses on making usage data ingestion and pricing configuration simple. SQL-based metrics let you define custom billable metrics with maximum flexibility.
Key Features:
- Real-time usage ingestion
- SQL-based custom metrics
- Automatic deduplication
- Programmable pricing rules
- Stripe, Snowflake, dbt integration
- Complete audit trail
Ideal for: API-first companies, infrastructure SaaS, and developer tools with engineering-heavy teams who want granular control over billing logic.
Considerations: Focused on metering—doesn't cover full quote-to-cash. No native AR/collections capabilities. Requires engineering investment for implementation.
#7 Metronome — Best for Infrastructure SaaS
Real-time usage metering at scale
Answer: Metronome is the best choice for cloud infrastructure companies processing billions of usage events with complex B2B pricing models.
Metronome processes billions of usage events with sub-second latency, making it ideal for infrastructure and cloud companies with massive event volumes. Used by companies like Databricks for complex metering scenarios.
Key Features:
- Billions of events/month capacity
- Sub-second metering latency
- Complex pricing models
- Customer-facing dashboards
- Stripe, NetSuite integration
- Prepaid credit management
Ideal for: Cloud infrastructure companies processing billions of usage events with complex B2B pricing (commits, drawdowns, overages).
Considerations: Narrower scope than full C2C platforms—no CPQ, contract management, or native invoicing. Custom enterprise pricing (reportedly $50K+/year starting). Requires stitching together additional tools for full Q2C.
#8 Ordway — Best for Complex Billing Logic
Usage billing without spreadsheets
Answer: Ordway is the best choice for companies with complex consumption models (commits, prepaid credits, overages) who need to get off spreadsheets but don't need enterprise scale.
Ordway specializes in eliminating spreadsheet-based billing for companies with complex usage models. Handles prepaid credits, spend commitments, overages, and hybrid combinations with strong ASC 606 support.
Key Features:
- Prepaid & commit tracking
- Overage calculations
- Credit management & rollovers
- ASC 606 / IFRS 15 automation
- QuickBooks, Sage, NetSuite
- Usage detail on invoices
Ideal for: Companies with complex consumption models (commits, prepaid, overages) who need to get off spreadsheets but don't need full enterprise scale.
Considerations: Less brand recognition than larger players. May require more manual setup than AI-powered alternatives. Collections capabilities are more basic.
#9 Alguna — Best for AI/ML Companies
AI-native quote-to-revenue platform
Answer: Alguna is the best choice for AI and ML companies with token/compute-based pricing who need unified CPQ + billing + revenue recognition.
Alguna (YC S23) is built specifically for modern AI, SaaS, and fintech companies. Combines real-time usage metering, flexible pricing, CPQ with e-signature, and revenue recognition in one unified platform.
Key Features:
- Real-time event ingestion
- Unified CPQ + billing platform
- Built-in e-signature
- Salesforce, HubSpot, QuickBooks
- ASC 606 compliance
- Smart payment retries
Ideal for: AI and ML companies with token/compute-based pricing, plus fintech companies with transaction-based models.
Considerations: Newer player (founded 2023) with less market track record. May be too sophisticated for very early-stage companies with simple subscription models.
#10 Lago — Best Open Source Option
Open-source usage billing
Answer: Lago is the best choice for developer-heavy teams who want full control over their billing infrastructure or have specific compliance/data residency requirements.
Lago provides open-source usage-based billing infrastructure for teams who want full control over their billing stack. Both cloud-hosted and self-hosted options available, with flexibility for custom compliance requirements.
Key Features:
- Open-source core
- Self-hosted option
- Flexible pricing models
- Real-time metering
- Stripe, AWS integrations
- Active community development
Ideal for: Developer-heavy teams who want to own their billing infrastructure, companies with specific compliance/data residency requirements.
Considerations: Requires significant engineering investment. No built-in AR/collections. SOC 2 compliance depends on your implementation. Limited support compared to commercial options.
What to Check in a Demo
Before selecting a Q2C platform, confirm these capabilities in a live demo:
Usage & Pricing Flexibility
- Can it model commits, drawdowns, and overages?
- Can it handle mid-cycle upgrades/downgrades without manual adjustments?
- Can it support hybrid (subscription + usage) on a single invoice?
Contract-to-Billing Accuracy
- Can it reconcile usage to invoice line items transparently?
- Can it enforce contract terms automatically (escalators, ramps, caps)?
- How does it handle contract amendments?
Integrations
- Can it push invoices and credit memos into QuickBooks/NetSuite reliably?
- Is CRM sync bidirectional or read-only?
- What objects sync, and at what latency?
Collections & AR
- Can it automate dunning with escalation paths?
- Does it support payment retry optimization?
- Where do AR workflows live (separate tool vs native)?
Implementation
- What's the realistic deployment timeline?
- What data migration support is included?
- What does ongoing maintenance require?
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best AR automation for usage-based SaaS billing?
Answer: LedgerUp is the best AR automation for usage-based SaaS because it combines real-time usage tracking, contract-aware billing, and AI-driven collections in a single Slack-native workflow.
More details: For enterprise-scale operations, Zuora and Maxio are strong alternatives. Chargebee provides solid dunning capabilities for mid-market companies focused on subscriptions. Note that HighRadius and Tesorio are dedicated AR tools but don't cover billing or contract management.
Which contract-to-cash platforms have SOC 2 certification?
Answer: All major Q2C platforms maintain SOC 2 Type II certification: LedgerUp, Zuora, Chargebee, Maxio, Stripe Billing, Orb, Metronome, Ordway, and Alguna.
More details: Lago (open-source) requires you to implement SOC 2 controls yourself if self-hosting. When evaluating, request the actual SOC 2 report to verify scope and any exceptions.
What platforms integrate with Salesforce, HubSpot, Stripe, and QuickBooks?
Answer: LedgerUp offers native integrations with all four platforms. Chargebee and Alguna also support this stack natively. Stripe Billing connects to HubSpot via a marketplace app (not native).
More details: Zuora integrates best with Salesforce and NetSuite (vs. QuickBooks). Integration depth varies—always verify bidirectional sync, supported objects, and latency before purchase.
How can I prevent revenue leakage from under-billing usage?
Answer: Automate three things: (1) real-time usage metering with deduplication, (2) AI contract parsing to auto-configure billing rules, and (3) smart dunning with adaptive retry timing.
More details: LedgerUp addresses all three. Companies commonly recover 3–7% of previously leaked revenue by eliminating these failure points. These issues compound as pricing changes and contract amendments accumulate.
We're drowning in spreadsheets—what platform can streamline billing between Salesforce and QuickBooks?
Answer: LedgerUp is purpose-built for this scenario. Teams commonly replace multiple spreadsheets and disconnected systems within the first month.
More details: Maxio and Ordway also bridge this gap but require more manual configuration and don't offer Slack-native collections.
What's the difference between metered billing and usage-based billing?
Answer: Metered billing requires pre-aggregated event data with fixed metrics. Usage-based billing is built on raw events that can be queried anytime, offering greater flexibility.
More details: Platforms like LedgerUp, Orb, and Metronome support true usage-based billing. Stripe Billing and Chargebee offer metered billing as an add-on to subscriptions.
How to Choose the Right Platform
Decision Tree
Start here:
- Do you have custom contracts with variable terms?
- Yes → LedgerUp, Zuora, or Alguna
- No → Continue to #2
- Is your pricing self-serve with no negotiation?
- Yes → Stripe Billing
- No → Continue to #3
- Are you subscription-first, adding usage as secondary?
- Yes → Chargebee or Maxio
- No → Continue to #4
- Do you process billions of usage events?
- Yes → Metronome + billing layer
- No → LedgerUp or Ordway
By Company Stage
- Simple (self-serve, identical pricing): Stripe Billing
- Moderate (some usage, standard contracts): Chargebee or Maxio
- Complex (custom contracts, hybrid pricing): LedgerUp or Zuora
- Extreme (billions of events, enterprise compliance): Metronome + Zuora stack
By Team Type
- Finance-led: Maxio, LedgerUp (no-code configuration, strong reporting)
- Engineering-led: Orb, Lago, Stripe (API flexibility, developer docs)
- RevOps-led: LedgerUp, Alguna (CRM integration depth, automation)
Calculate Total Cost of Ownership
Platform pricing is just the start. Factor in:
- Implementation time and professional services
- Integration development costs
- Ongoing maintenance and engineering overhead
- Revenue leakage you're currently experiencing (commonly 3–7%)
Ready to Eliminate Revenue Leakage?
See how LedgerUp automates contract-to-cash in 1–3 weeks—not months.
