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Kill Bill
What it is
Kill Bill is an open-source billing platform with APIs for pricing models, subscriptions, invoices, and payment gateway connections. It supports recurring subscriptions and usage-based billing. Plugins link its payment platform with gateways, issuing banks, and fraud tools, while the web-based Kaui back-office interface is used to configure price books and manage subscriptions and payments. Named integrations include Stripe, Adyen, PayPal, Braintree, GoCardless, Coinbase, Avalara, and Vertex. Docker and Tomcat are installation options, and the software can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux computers, or on a Linux cloud server. Security controls described by the maker include encryption at rest and in transit, TLS, AES-256 stored-data encryption, audit logs, role-based access, and tenant isolation. Technical controls are intended to help enterprises meet SOC 2 and PCI-DSS requirements. The self-hosted open-source option includes community support, but customers operate and upgrade it; paid support tiers are separate. AWS Marketplace is listed at about $40/mo plus AWS infrastructure costs, while hosted-platform pricing uses a separate commercial model.
For and against
For
- Supports subscriptions and usage-based billing.
- Kaui provides a web-based back-office interface.
- Offers integrations through payment plugins.
- Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Against
- Self-hosted customers operate and upgrade the software.
- Community support is included for the self-hosted option.
- AWS Marketplace pricing adds infrastructure costs.
- Hosted-platform pricing follows a separate commercial model.
The verdict
Kill Bill offers programmable billing with a broad set of deployment choices and payment integrations. Self-hosting provides infrastructure control but puts operation and upgrades on the customer.
Who it suits
It may suit online businesses and teams that need customizable billing, including startups and growth-stage companies. It is also relevant to organizations willing to manage a self-hosted deployment.
Plans and prices
Kill Bill open source
Apache 2.0 · self-hosted · community help · no SLA
Read 19 Oct 2026 · killbill.io
Aviate
enterprise modules · catalog UI · metering · wallet
Read 19 Oct 2026 · killbill.io
Self-Hosted Open Source
Self-hosted · 100% open-source · You operate infrastructure and upgrades
Read 30 Sep 2026 · killbill.io
AWS Marketplace
Runs in your AWS account · You operate the stack
Read 30 Sep 2026 · killbill.io
Hosted Platform (ChaChing)
Fully managed · Same Kill Bill APIs and data model
Read 30 Sep 2026 · killbill.io
On the record
- Admin interface
- Kaui is a web-based back-office interface for configuring price books and managing subscriptions and payments.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- API documentation depth
- The API reference documents endpoints with examples in cURL, Java, Ruby, Python, JavaScript and PHP, plus Swagger UI on the server.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Audit trail
- Audit logs record who changed an object, when, the reason code and a comment, and are viewable in Kaui or through the API.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Catalog and pricing
- Its catalog supports plans, trial and discount phases, add-ons, price lists and multiple currencies through XML and APIs.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Company database facts
- Crunchbase describes Kill Bill as an active for-profit private company in San Francisco, lists 1–10 employees and says the open-source project started in 2010.crunchbase.com · read 19 Oct 2026
- Company size and type
- LinkedIn lists Kill Bill as a privately held software-development company headquartered in San Francisco with 11–50 employees and founded in 2010.linkedin.com · read 19 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- The maker says Kill Bill provides technical controls intended to help enterprises meet SOC 2 and PCI-DSS requirements.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Deployment
- The maker provides Docker and Tomcat installation options and says Kill Bill can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux computers, or on a Linux cloud server.docs.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Documentation scope
- Documentation includes getting started, platform architecture, subscription billing, payment processing, plugins, Kubernetes, tutorials and internal subsystem guides.docs.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Install options
- Supported installation paths include Docker Compose, Docker images, Tomcat WAR files, Kubernetes and building from GitHub source.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The maker lists Stripe, Adyen, PayPal, Braintree, GoCardless, Coinbase, Avalara, and Vertex among its integrations.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes Kill Bill as serving online businesses, teams needing customization, startups, and growth-stage companies.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
- Invoicing
- Invoices are generated as billing events occur or on billing dates and support credits, adjustments, drafts and dry runs.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- License
- The core Kill Bill project is released under the Apache 2.0 license.killbill.io · read 19 Oct 2026
- Limit: documentation gaps
- Reviewers report missing detail in complex API areas, limited Java Javadocs and incomplete web-interface documentation.capterra.com · read 19 Oct 2026
- Limit: learning curve
- Reviewers repeatedly describe the product as complex with a steep learning curve, especially for non-trivial billing models.capterra.com · read 19 Oct 2026
- Limit: operational effort
- One G2 reviewer says teams must personally understand catalog versions, dates, overdue behavior and plugins, making engineering time the practical cost of the free core.g2.com · read 19 Oct 2026
- Limits
- Self-hosting requires the customer to operate and upgrade Kill Bill; the maker says hosted-platform pricing follows a separate commercial model.killbill.io · read 30 Sep 2026
