The Problem with Manual Billing
Many early-stage SaaS companies start with manual billing — sending invoices, tracking payments in spreadsheets, and manually upgrading/downgrading accounts. This approach breaks down quickly:
- Missed payments — Invoices get lost in inboxes, revenue is delayed
- Inconsistent billing cycles — Different customers on different schedules
- Manual account management — Staff spends hours on billing admin
- No automatic provisioning — Account upgrades require manual intervention
- Churn risk — Payment failures aren't caught early enough
How CRM Pro Handles Automated Billing
CRM Pro uses Razorpay for automated subscription management, handling the entire billing lifecycle automatically:
14-Day Free Trial
Every new user gets a full 14-day free trial with access to all features. No credit card required. The system tracks trial expiry dates and sends reminders before the trial ends.Trial Expiry Enforcement
When the trial expires, the CRM automatically restricts access. Users see a clear message to subscribe and choose their plan. No manual intervention needed.Seamless Subscription Activation
Users choose their plan (Starter, Professional, or Enterprise), select their currency (USD or INR), and billing period (monthly or annual). Razorpay handles the checkout:- UPI — Instant payment for Indian customers
- Credit/Debit Cards — Visa, Mastercard, Amex, RuPay
- Net Banking — All major Indian banks
- Wallets — PhonePe, Paytm, Amazon Pay
Automatic Monthly Charging
Once subscribed, Razorpay automatically charges the customer each billing cycle. The CRM receives webhook notifications for every payment event:- subscription.activated — New subscription starts, account is upgraded
- subscription.charged — Monthly payment received, account stays active
- subscription.cancelled — Customer cancels, account downgrades at end of period
- subscription.paused — Payment failed, account is flagged as past due
Automatic Service Enforcement
The CRM checks subscription status on every API request. If payment fails or the subscription lapses:- Account status changes to "expired" or "past_due"
- User sees a paywall prompting them to update their payment method
- All data is preserved — nothing is deleted
- Once payment is restored, access is immediately reinstated
Subscription Plans and Pricing
CRM Pro offers three tiers designed for different team sizes:
Starter ($19/mo or $15/mo annual)
Perfect for small teams getting started with CRM. Includes 1,000 leads, basic pipeline management, invoice generation, and email support.Professional ($49/mo or $39/mo annual)
For growing teams that need AI-powered features. Includes unlimited leads, AI lead scoring, custom pipelines, WhatsApp integration, follow-up automation, and priority support.Enterprise ($99/mo or $79/mo annual)
For large organizations with advanced needs. Everything in Pro plus WhatsApp templates, custom email SMTP, API access, advanced analytics, dedicated account manager, SSO, and custom integrations.Best Practices for SaaS Billing
1. Offer a Generous Trial
A 14-day trial gives users enough time to experience the value of your product. Don't require a credit card upfront — it increases trial signups by 60%.2. Send Payment Reminders
Notify users before their trial expires (3 days and 1 day before). After expiry, show clear upgrade prompts — don't just silently block access.3. Support Multiple Payment Methods
Different markets prefer different payment methods. Supporting UPI, cards, and wallets ensures you don't lose customers at checkout.4. Handle Failed Payments Gracefully
Don't immediately lock out customers when a payment fails. Use "past due" status, send payment retry notifications, and give them time to update their payment method.5. Make Cancellation Easy
Making it hard to cancel doesn't reduce churn — it just creates angry customers. Offer easy cancellation with data export options.Key Billing Metrics to Track
- Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) — Your predictable monthly income
- Churn Rate — Percentage of customers who cancel each month
- Trial-to-Paid Conversion — How many trial users become paying customers
- Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) — Revenue divided by active customers
- Failed Payment Rate — Percentage of billing attempts that fail
CRM Pro's automated billing with Razorpay handles all of this out of the box. Start your 14-day free trial and experience seamless subscription management.