If anyone from Stripe is here, question: We currently use Chargebee for all our subscription and Stripe to actually process the payments. With Chargebee V3 [1] we've just dropped in their js and then we get an overlay/pop-up for both subscription and then subscription management, like editing subscription, invoicing etc. Is this a replacement for Chargebee on the integration and coding side that we get without work? [2] We'd like to reduce the number of services we integrate with and if Stripe Billing provides this, then we would like to directly use it.
As far as I can tell this is just dashboard and api only. But I guess they're moving towards that. Ironic as the connect partners that helped them grow are now having their toes be stepped on. Not a nice way to play. Burn the community who helped you get there in the first place.
You can't expect that Stripe doesn't expand their feature set. Seeing that there are hundreds of services built around stripe (https://stripe.com/works-with/types/stripe-extensions) it's really expected that some of them will be cannibalized eventually.
Subscription billing has been in Stripe for many years... it's just been very weak until now. Totally makes sense for them to work on this and if you built a subscription billing company on top of Stripe you should have known it was only a matter of time before theirs got better.
They’re also shooting themselves in the foot. They’re without a doubt less competitively positioned from a developer POV now. In my opinion. Even from a startup who isn’t technical. More percentages just get scary when you have people like Braintree keeping it simple...
Also Stripe still rely on their partners to drive business to them at the end of the day. No denying that it’s a big part of their funnel. A startup looking at their offering cold now will just be confused as well. What even is it? Some people think it’s a checkout when it’s not. It’s just s slightly more advanced subscription api with a price tag.
Also by cannibalising their partners will dry up their eco system. Chances are the partners do a better job as they’re focused on it. Can’t be perfect at everything.
I’ll see what they have to say on the call I have with them tomorrow.
To be clear there is no doubt it’s a sensible direction and a great product but charging for it is not IMO. Superior product will drive more business to them regardless. The market of payment gateways is competitive already.
But congrats and good job Stripe. Just reconsider the pricing.
Of course, I’m just saying to charge for it when they built their success on this is leaving a bitter taste... the community that made them are being pushed aside in favour of short term profit
It seems on par with many platforms in the past. Twitter, FB, Paypal etc. See what was built on top, see what is succeeding and they add that to the offering.
[1] https://www.chargebee.com/docs/checkout-v3.html [2] https://www.chargebee.com/docs/assets/screenshots/images/cha...