| Website | getlago.com |
| Category | Billing / FinTech |
| License | AGPLv3 (open source) |
| Pricing | Free (self-hosted), Cloud from $350/mo |
Overview
Lago is an open-source metering and billing platform. Usage-based pricing, subscription management, real-time billing. Stripe Billing alternative.
Pros
- Open source (AGPLv3)
- Usage-based billing
- Real-time metering
- Flexible pricing models
- Stripe/payment integration
- Self-hosted option
Cons
- AGPLv3 limits commercial embedding
- Cloud pricing is high
- Complex setup for advanced billing
- Smaller community
- Limited reporting
Verdict
Lago is the strongest open-source alternative for usage-based billing. If your pricing model charges by API calls, compute hours, seats, or any metered unit, Lago handles the metering, invoicing, and payment integration. The alternative is building billing logic into your app or paying Stripe Billing's percentage — Lago gives you control over both.