Stripe Billing vs Chargebee for a B2B SaaS: fees, invoicing and VAT

The verdict in three sentences

For a B2B SaaS company in London or Dublin billing 600 customers, Stripe Billing is the simplest option as long as invoicing fits standard monthly and annual subscriptions, at 0.7% of billed volume. Chargebee pays off once negotiated quotes, usage tiers and sales approval workflows pile up, because it holds contract logic that Stripe leaves to your developers. In both cases, e-invoicing rules and cross-border VAT require an integration layer with your accounting system, and that layer is often the most expensive part.

What each tool really costs in 2026

Take a SaaS company billing 600 customers: 420 monthly at an average of 250 GBP and 180 annual at 3,600 GBP, plus a usage component for API calls above quota. Annual billed revenue is around 1.9 M GBP (about 2.2 M EUR). The figures below are 2026 orders of magnitude from public price lists, to be checked at signature.

The takeaway: at this volume, the fee gap between the two tools stays under 9,000 GBP a year. The real criterion is the time your team spends maintaining billing logic and the quality of the data flowing into accounting.

E-invoicing and VAT: the part comparisons skip

The UK has not mandated B2B e-invoicing yet, but HMRC's Making Tax Digital requires digital records and digital links for VAT. Ireland plans phased B2B e-invoicing from 2028 under the EU's ViDA package, and any customer in France must receive compliant e-invoices through an approved platform from September 2026. Neither Stripe nor Chargebee is an approved French platform: they produce the invoice, a connector handles Factur-X or UBL transmission.

For an EU business customer billed from Dublin, the invoice is issued net with a reverse-charge note, provided the VAT number was validated. An undetected invalid number turns a B2B sale into a taxable consumer sale at Irish VAT of 23%. One error on a 3,600 GBP contract costs around 830 GBP.

When to choose which

Stripe Billing fits if your offer is three or four plans, usage billing stays simple and you have a developer to maintain webhooks. Chargebee wins if sales reps close negotiated annual contracts, tiered discounts and mid-term amendments, and the CFO wants approval flows without the engineering team.

Either way, Kolonell builds the missing layer: ERP sync, Factur-X generation, upload to approved platforms, VIES checks and an MRR dashboard. This falls under our custom application grid: simple 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR), medium 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), complex 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR). A Stripe Billing integration with an e-invoicing connector usually lands in the medium tier. See also our custom web applications offer and our piece on a B2B ordering portal for bakeries.

Mini case study

Sarah, CFO of a scheduling SaaS in Dublin, bills about 2.2 M EUR a year to 600 customers. A financial controller spends 3 days a month reconciling Stripe, Word quotes and the accounting system: 36 days a year at a loaded cost of 450 EUR per day, so 16,200 EUR.

Chosen scenario: stay on Stripe Billing and fund a medium-tier integration, 6,100 to 10,670 EUR depending on final scope. Reconciliation drops to half a day a month, 6 days a year or 2,700 EUR. Annual saving: 16,200 minus 2,700, so 13,500 EUR. With a 10,670 EUR integration, payback comes in under 10 months, before counting VAT errors avoided and readiness for French customers' e-invoicing.

FAQ

Is Stripe Billing cheaper than Chargebee for 600 customers?

At about 1.9 M GBP billed, Stripe Billing costs around 13,300 GBP a year. Chargebee can drop near 6,200 GBP on a negotiated plan, but the real gap depends on included volume and quoting options.

Are Stripe or Chargebee approved e-invoicing platforms?

No. They generate invoices, but transmission in Factur-X, UBL or Peppol formats goes through an approved platform or access point. French customers must receive e-invoices from September 2026.

How do we handle EU reverse-charge VAT from the UK or Ireland?

Validate every VAT number in VIES before invoicing and apply reverse charge. Stripe Tax charges about 0.5% per transaction, Chargebee relies on its own engine or Avalara.

Can we migrate from Stripe Billing to Chargebee without losing history?

Yes, Chargebee imports Stripe subscriptions and can keep Stripe as the gateway. Plan 4 to 8 weeks for 600 customers, with parallel billing checks over at least one cycle.

How long does an e-invoicing integration take?

Order of magnitude for 2026: 6 to 10 weeks for a Stripe to platform to ERP connector, testing included. It can double if the chart of accounts needs restructuring.

Let's scope your project. We map your SaaS billing chain, from Stripe or Chargebee to e-invoicing platforms and your ERP, on a 6 to 10 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.