You have probably heard of WHMCS at some point, either when looking for a web host or when thinking about starting your own online business. WHMCS established itself early on and grew very quickly in the web hosting world, which in turn has made it the leading online billing software out there.
Recently, WHMCS increased its monthly and yearly pricing and removed its lifetime license offers. You can read more about these changes in our post: WHMCS Price Increase 2021.
In light of these changes, many people are considering switching to a different web hosting billing software. Full disclosure: I was not paid by any of these companies, nor am I using affiliate links in this list.
So, what is the best web host billing software? Here are my top 5 WHMCS alternatives for 2021. They are ranked primarily on pricing, support, features, and, most importantly, updates.
1. Blesta
Blesta offers everything you and your clients need in billing software. Its integrations range from cPanel all the way to VestaCP (you can see all of its integrations here). Customization is key, and Blesta offers open code that lets you edit any part of it you wish.
The pricing is great on both its owned and monthly licenses. You can purchase an unbranded owned license for only $300 with $39/year for updates, and a monthly license is only $12.95 for the branded version or $14.95 for the unbranded one.
A major plus of Blesta is that it works on Windows Server. They don't officially recommend using Windows, but it will run on Windows Server, and you can find support for doing so.
Check them out: www.blesta.com
2. Client EXEC
Client EXEC is one of the leading billing software providers out there. It offers a wide array of integrations and a new, professional look. The current Client EXEC style is, well, dated. According to their roadmap, the next major update brings a huge change to the UI. Honestly, it looks fantastic.
Their pricing is great, with many options, including a SaaS version that can be paid yearly or monthly, and of course they offer lifetime licenses. Unbranded lifetime licenses are $295, and unbranded monthly licenses are $14.95/month.
The new changes coming in Q2 2021 will be a fantastic addition, and I believe they will make Client EXEC the best-looking default billing software on the market.
Check them out: www.clientexec.com
3. WISECP
WISECP is a small billing platform that offers a good range of integrations and features. What stands out is the default design, which makes WISECP simple to integrate into any existing website or template. WISECP is also self-hosted and has open code, meaning you can edit the look and feel to your heart's desire.
Now, the pricing is… interesting. On their community forum, they say WISECP is free, yet their website still mentions a 30-day trial. I'm not sure whether the site just hasn't been updated, but if it is indeed free, this software would be a steal.
If it isn't free, the pricing is higher than Blesta's. Lifetime unbranded licenses are $395, while monthly unbranded licenses are on par with Blesta at $14.90/month.
A great feature of WISECP is its easy one-click WHMCS import tool.
Check them out: www.wisecp.com
4. HostBill
At first look, HostBill is a little dated, but there are many plugins, themes, and integrations that transform it into very powerful billing software. Its first pricing tier still gives you all the major integrations, like cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin. If you use SolusVM or R1Soft's backup service, you will need a higher tier at a much higher price.
All of HostBill's licenses are a one-time purchase, and they include lifetime support and updates, which makes them great for the long term. If you are invested and want to save money, HostBill is a great option.
Pricing for the first (Startup) tier is $599, and the second is $999. Like I said, it's a long-term investment. You can compare each tier on their website.
Check them out: www.hostbillapp.com
5. BillingServ
BillingServ is a cloud-hosted billing platform based in the UK. It offers plenty of integrations and modules. One downside: if you are a US-based business, its UK server locations can mean slower load times, so keep that in mind. I couldn't find many screenshots of BillingServ, but the software appears to be built with Bootstrap, and because it's cloud-hosted, you won't have access to the code.
Pricing is in British pounds. At the time of writing, the basic plan works out to about $16.98/month (unbranded, but limited to 250 clients), which makes BillingServ more expensive than other billing providers on the market.
Check them out: www.billingserv.com
