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Recent and featured coverage about Chargify.

Chargify – The Quick and Easy Billing Solution

November 21, 2009

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Chargify is a web-based billing system that acts as an intermediary between online businesses and their customers, collecting payments and scheduling monthly transactions so you don’t have to. By allowing users to create custom-branded payment pages directly on their own websites, Chargify helps businesses begin generating revenue right away after signing up. And because Chargify handles all aspects of the billing and collecting process—from the initial charges to email receipts, and even refunds and one-time fees—business owners can spend more time concentrating on building their lineup of products and services and less time worrying about collecting on invoices and late payments.

One of the things Chargify prides itself on the most is its fast setup and ease of use. After selecting a plan and signing up online, get started integrating the system into your website immediately by inputting your company’s information and defining your current lineup of products and prices. From there, either link your company’s website to Chargify’s custom-branded payment page or sync your site with Chargify’s API. Not only will you begin receiving credit card payments from customers, but you’ll also be able to use Chargify’s back-end management system to send out custom notifications for pretty much any potential billing scenario that could come up.

Not only will Chargify bill your clients and collect on outstanding fees, but the service will analyze your revenue trends and generate real-time metrics to show how your businesses has grown over the course of months or years, too. Thanks to its unique partnership with Authorize.net, Chargify says it can ensure that your communications and private data will always remain secure. Unlike many online billing systems, Chargify doesn’t require any contracts, setup fees, or transaction fees. Although the site is still in beta, we can already tell that it is a product we would gladly recommend to any company looking to simplify its current method of online payment collection.

Practical Uses:

  • Begin accepting credit card payments from customers online
  • Send instant e-mail receipts to customers without lifting a finger
  • Receive custom reports based on current billing data and business trends
  • Save time by linking directly to Chargify’s branded payment website

Insider Tips:

  • Create custom e-mail notices to handle specific billing events
  • Use Chargify’s RESTful API to process payments through your own website
  • Search by customer, plan, or transaction to find a specific bill from the archives
  • Send notifications to clients letting them know their credit card on file is due to expire

What we liked:

  • Bill an unlimited number of customers for a flat monthly rate
  • If a credit card billing error occurs, Chargify says it will handle the entire situation
  • No requirement to sign a long-term contract
  • Upgrade to a more premium account at any time

What we didn’t like:

  • The service is currently only being targeted toward Web 2.0 companies and online service providers

Alternatives:

  • FreshBooks – freshbooks.com
  • Google Checkout – checkout.google.com
  • PayPal (standard and pro) – paypal.com

Company Info:

  • Launched: September 2009
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Needham, MA
  • Founded by: Grasshopper Labs
  • Web site: chargify.com

Costs:

  • Free for companies with less than 50 customers per month
  • Paid plans range from $49 to $2,499 per month depending on the number of customers

Rating:

  • 5 out of 5 (wow)

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