Payments & finance

Chargebee Startup Program: free subscription billing until $1M billed

Partner VC / accelerator neededLast verified 15 October 2026

Credit amount (provider's words)

Chargebee Billing free until first $1M in cumulative billing

As stated by Chargebee; not a guarantee. Chargebee decides who is approved.

Apply on Chargebee →Opens the official Chargebee page. SuperLaunch earns nothing from this link.

Chargebee's startup program lets companies from its partner accelerators and VC portfolios use Chargebee Billing for free until they have billed $1 million in total through the platform. It is for new Chargebee customers that have raised less than $5 million. Teams above that can still apply for a custom offer. It suits founders who want subscription, usage-based or prepaid-credit pricing set up properly from the start.

Chargebee lets startups that are in a partner accelerator or VC portfolio run Chargebee Billing completely free until they have billed $1M in cumulative revenue. That suits companies setting up subscription or usage-based pricing early. Startups above $5M raised can still apply for a custom offer.

What you get

Chargebee Billing free until your first $1 million in cumulative billing
Usage-based pricing, prepaid credits and 40+ payment gateways
Free data migration and 24/7 email support
CPQ, tax and revenue reporting available as you grow

Eligibility

New Chargebee customer (not currently on a paid plan)
Part of a partner accelerator or VC portfolio network
Raised less than $5 million in funding. Companies above $5M or $1M billing can select the $5M+ option for a custom offer

Chargebee only gives this offer to startups referred by one of its partner investors, accelerators or communities. Check with your investor or accelerator for a referral code first.

How the Chargebee startup program works

Credit types and validity

Chargebee Billing free until $1M in cumulative billing
Usage-based pricing, prepaid credits and 40+ payment gateways
Free data migration and 24/7 email support
Custom offer for startups that raised $5M+ or billed over $1M

How the credits are applied and when they expire

There is no credit balance. Billing is simply free until the total amount invoiced through Chargebee reaches $1M. That is cumulative billing over time, not ARR or MRR. Chargebee notifies you before you reach the threshold, then moves you to pay-as-you-go with no annual commitment.

Approval time

Chargebee says it reviews applications and reaches out within 2–3 business days

For founders in India

Thresholds are set in USD. For non-US customers, including Indian startups invoicing in INR, Chargebee converts them at current exchange rates. You still need your accelerator or VC to be in Chargebee's partner network.

How to apply, step by step

Go to chargebee.com/startups and click 'Apply now'
Fill in the application form, choosing your funding band (including the $5M+ option if it applies)
Chargebee reviews it and reaches out within 2–3 business days
For questions, use the website chat or email startups@chargebee.com

Documents and details to keep ready

Name of your partner accelerator or VC
Funding raised to date (the form has a funding-band selection)
Chargebee does not publish a full document list

Common reasons applications are declined

Not part of a partner accelerator or VC portfolio network
Already a paid Chargebee customer (the offer is for new customers)
Raised $5M or more (eligible only for a custom offer via the $5M+ option)

Tips before you apply

Confirm your accelerator or VC is a Chargebee partner before applying; it is required
Pick the right funding band on the form. Choose $5M+ if it applies so you get the custom-offer route
Use the free data migration if you're moving off spreadsheets or another billing tool
Track cumulative invoiced amount (not MRR) so the switch to pay-as-you-go isn't a surprise

Terms to know

'Cumulative billing' means the total invoiced through Chargebee over time, not ARR/MRR
After $1M you move to pay-as-you-go with no annual commitment, and Chargebee notifies you beforehand
Thresholds are in USD. For non-US customers they're converted at current exchange rates

Frequently asked questions

Is Chargebee free for startups?

Eligible startups get Chargebee Billing free until their first $1 million in cumulative billing, then move to pay-as-you-go with no annual commitment.

Who is eligible for the Chargebee startup program?

New Chargebee customers in a partner accelerator or VC portfolio network that have raised less than $5 million.

What does cumulative billing mean?

It is the total amount invoiced through Chargebee over time, not your ARR or MRR.

How long does Chargebee take to respond?

Chargebee says it reviews the application and reaches out within 2–3 business days.

What if I've raised more than $5M?

You can still apply by selecting the $5M+ option on the form, and Chargebee will discuss a custom offer.

How are thresholds handled outside the US?

Thresholds are in USD and are converted at current exchange rates for non-US customers.

Checked against Chargebee's own pages on 15 October 2026. Official sources:

www.chargebee.com/startups/

Spotted an outdated detail? Tell us through the contact page.

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