Stripe vs Lago
Agent-native side-by-side. Scores are curated estimates on a 0–10 scale. Lock-in: higher = worse. Prefer JTBD picks via /api/decide when choosing for a job.
| Dimension | Stripe | Lago |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8.8 | 8.3 |
| Capability fit | 9.6 | 8.6 |
| Price / performance | 7.8 | 8.8 |
| Latency / reliability | 9.4 | 8.0 |
| Developer & agent DX | 9.6 | 8.0 |
| Privacy / data retention | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Lock-in risk (higher = worse) | 6.0 | 3.0 |
| Maturity / track record | 9.8 | 7.8 |
| Pricing | Pay-as-you-go payment processing + Billing subscriptions; Connect for marketplaces; Atlas etc. | As of 2026-09-14: AGPLv3 OSS metering/billing — self-host free (infra+eng). Lago Cloud remains package/sales-led; docs FAQ does not publish a Cloud seat/event table. Third parties historically cite low-hundreds $/mo star… |
| Tagline | Non-negotiable for most commercial agent products. Use Billing meters for token pass-through pricing. | Depot OSS pick for AI usage metering when you refuse to marry Stripe's meter model. Still collect cash with… |
Stripe
Non-negotiable for most commercial agent products. Use Billing meters for token pass-through pricing. Strengths: Default payments/billing API; Excellent docs and Agent/tooling ecosystem; Billing + metering for AI products.
Strengths
- Default payments/billing API
- Excellent docs and Agent/tooling ecosystem
- Billing + metering for AI products
Weaknesses
- Fees add up globally
- Account review risk
- Not a full auth solution
Lago
Depot OSS pick for AI usage metering when you refuse to marry Stripe's meter model. Still collect cash with Stripe/Adyen. Strengths: OSS / self-host exit ramp; Purpose-built usage billing primitives; Vendor-neutral vs Stripe-only meters.
Strengths
- OSS / self-host exit ramp
- Purpose-built usage billing primitives
- Vendor-neutral vs Stripe-only meters
Weaknesses
- AGPL compliance diligence required
- Cloud pricing less transparent than Stripe
- You own more billing ops than Stripe Billing
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