Build It Once. Own It Forever. Never Pay a Percentage of Your Revenue Again.
Why Recurring Billing Should Belong to You—Not a SaaS Platform
Recurring revenue is the lifeblood of every modern ecommerce brand.
It fuels predictability. It increases lifetime value. It drives customer loyalty. It makes your business more valuable. But most ecommerce brands are bleeding margins every single month—because they don’t own their subscription infrastructure.
They’re handing 1–3% of their recurring revenue to third-party SaaS platforms like Recharge, Bold, and Recurly.
Every charge. Every renewal. Every month. For businesses relying on recurring payments, that’s a quiet but steady drain on revenue collection—made worse by hidden fees buried in every transaction and a lack of transparent pricing.
And for what?
- Checkout flows that break the user experience
- Platforms that lock you into Stripe only
- Limited billing flexibility—no support for multiple payment methods
- Poor retry automation
- Rigid logic that can’t adapt to your brand
- And zero admin control unless you pay for their “enterprise tier”
If you’re generating $500K, $1M, or $10M+ in recurring revenue, that silent tax adds up fast.
That’s why we built a different model.
Own the Infrastructure. Control the Billing. Keep Every Dollar.
This isn’t another subscription management app.
This is a fully owned, custom-built Auto Recurring Payment System that connects directly into your Shopify or BigCommerce store—runs on your gateway, your backend, your checkout—and gives you complete control over every credit card payment, renewal, and retry rule.
It’s infrastructure, not a plugin.
And it pays for itself in months—then adds pure margin to your bottom line.
What This Article Covers
This guide breaks down:
- Why SaaS-based subscription platforms are draining your profits
- What our custom recurring system includes
- How it integrates with your existing stack (Authorize.net or Stripe)
- The end-to-end customer and admin flow
- Smart retry automation to reduce churn
- Real results from brands like Founders Fuel
- A side-by-side comparison with Recharge, Recurly, and Bold
- Who this is for (and who it’s not for)
- A simple next step to see it in action
The Real Problem With SaaS Subscription Apps
Let’s talk about what no one wants to say out loud:
Subscription management apps are rent-seeking middlemen.
They do offer convenience—but at the cost of long-term control and profitability.
If you’re on Recharge, Recurly, or Bold Subscriptions, you’re probably paying:
- $99–$499/month in base fees
- 1–2.9% per subscription transaction
- Plus API access fees if you want admin control
- And development fees if you want something slightly custom
You don’t control the billing stack.
You can’t modify the retry logic.
You can’t manage your gateway preferences.
And every charge—forever—costs you money.
That might be fine when you’re testing subscriptions at $10K/month.
But if you’re running a high-volume recurring payment system at $500K, $1M, or more in ARR?
That’s $15K–$30K per year… evaporated.
We Built a System to End That
We designed this system for brands who are scaling subscriptions and ready to own the engine that powers them.
This is not an app.
It’s a full-stack recurring billing system integrated directly into:
- Shopify or BigCommerce
- Authorize.net ARB (or Stripe Subscriptions API)
- Your backend (Laravel-powered admin + database)
- A branded customer subscription portal
- A real-time webhook automation engine for renewals, failures, retries, and alerts
- Seamless payment processing flows that improve reliability and boost cash flow
This is more than just recurring billing software—it’s infrastructure built for scale, flexibility, and full control.
Once it’s implemented, it runs on your terms. No percentage. No lock-in. No third-party middlemen taking a slice of your margin.
What You Actually Get — Built Like a Product, Not an App
This isn’t a feature-limited plugin. This is your own subscription payment processor—your enterprise-grade subscription management software. And it comes with everything you need to automate recurring billing like an enterprise brand, with support for multiple payment options, flexible payment options, and multiple currencies across global markets. It’s built to adapt to a wide range of business models without sacrificing performance or control.
- Seamless Native Checkout
Let customers select monthly, quarterly, or annual subscription options right from your product page. No popups, redirects, or iframe workarounds. The entire subscription logic is embedded inside your Shopify or BigCommerce checkout flow, ensuring smooth payment processing without breaking the customer experience.
Support for mobile payments, multiple currencies, and flexible payment options helps you meet customers where they are—no matter their location or preferences. - Recurring Billing Engine (Authorize.net or Stripe)
We support both Authorize.net ARB and Stripe Subscriptions. Use what works best for your gateway, product type, or compliance needs. Payments are tokenized, secure payment processing is standard, and charges are scheduled per customer—powering a robust recurring billing software experience. - Branded Customer Portal
Let customers self-manage their subscriptions through a fully branded portal built into your storefront:- View subscription details
- Change frequency
- Update payment details
- Pause or cancel
- Access billing history and next charge date
- Full Admin Control Panel
Your team gets a clean, Laravel-based admin dashboard where you can:- View all active subscriptions
- Filter by status (active, paused, failed)
- Modify next billing date
- Trigger manual charges or refunds
- Change billing frequency
- View retry logs, success rates, and customer activity
- Run reports across subscription cohorts
This level of visibility helps optimize performance and predict consistent cash flow with confidence.
- Smart Retry Logic
Failed payments are automatically retried based on your preferences:- Retry after 24 hours
- Retry again after 48
- Final retry at 72 hours
- Then, pause the subscription and alert the customer + support team
- Webhook Automation
We process all event logic in real-time:- Charge success triggers order creation
- Failure triggers retry + email
- Cancellation triggers admin log + email
- Renewals trigger receipts and shipping logic
- Order Sync with BigCommerce or Shopify
Every successful charge results in an order being created automatically inside your ecommerce platform. This keeps fulfillment, tracking, and analytics fully intact and lets you accept payments globally with ease. - Optional Integrations
Need to plug this into your CRM, ERP, or ESP?- Klaviyo
- ActiveCampaign
- ShipStation
- HubSpot
- Custom webhook endpoints
We can build those bridges directly into your cash flow.
Customer Experience: From Click to Renewal (Without Breaking Flow)
Let’s walk through the journey from a customer’s perspective:
- They land on your product page and see a Subscribe & Save option
- They choose “Every 30 Days” and proceed to checkout
- They complete purchase like any other order (no redirects or app handoffs)
- Our backend securely creates a subscription profile and stores it via Authorize.net or Stripe
- The customer receives an email confirmation and access to their branded subscription portal
- Every 30 days, their card is charged, and a new order is generated—collecting payments automatically with flexible billing options built in.
- If their payment fails, they’re notified and retried automatically with smart payment reminders at every stage.
No support tickets. No third-party portals. No unexpected charges. It just works—and it works inside your store.
Billing Failures Are Revenue Opportunities—If You Handle Them Right
Most churn in subscription ecommerce doesn’t come from cancellations. It comes from failed payments.
Our subscription management software recovers more revenue because we don’t treat failures like dead ends—we treat them like triggers in a dynamic, customizable billing process. Whether it’s a missed payment or a gateway hiccup, our system ensures automated billing keeps your revenue flowing and your existing customers engaged.
Here’s how:
- Retry #1: 24 hours after failed charge
- Retry #2: 48 hours later
- Retry #3: 72 hours later
- If still failed: Subscription is paused, customer gets a final alert, and admin is notified
You can edit this logic as needed: skip delays, pause after 2 failures, or retry for 5 days straight. It’s your billing system—designed to adapt to how you run your automated invoicing and billing workflows.
Real-Time Alerts:
- Payment failure email to customer
- Retry success confirmation
- Admin alerts for accounts paused after multiple failures
- “We saved your subscription” emails to win back loyalty
Most brands using this logic recover 20–35% of failed revenue that would’ve otherwise been lost.
Use Cases by Industry
This system isn’t one-size-fits-all. It adapts to subscription businesses across different verticals, pricing models, and customer expectations.
Health & Wellness
- Auto-refill for supplements, skincare, protein, or wellness kits
- Tiered memberships (silver/gold/platinum)
- Trial-to-subscription conversion logic
Pet & Consumables
- Recurring food, litter, toy, or treat shipments
- Shipping tied to calendar cycles or customer behavior
- Breed/size-based segmentation for smarter subscriptions
Fashion & Apparel
- VIP memberships for exclusive access
- Style subscription boxes with pause/resume logic
- First-access logic for new collections
B2B Subscriptions
- Usage-based billing
- Role-specific user access
- Scheduled invoice logic + admin override
Digital Products & SaaS
- Monthly access to tools, dashboards, or communities
- Dynamic renewal pricing
- Automated access revocation on cancel or failed payment
This system is not boxed into “Sell coffee every 30 days.” It’s built to support what your brand actually needs.
—
Case Study: Founders Fuel
How a DTC Brand Saved $12K in Year One and Took Back Control
Founders Fuel is a fast-growing direct-to-consumer wellness brand with a loyal customer base and strong repeat purchase behavior. Their products are designed for daily use, which made recurring subscriptions a natural fit.
The problem? Their subscription stack was draining their margins.
They were using Recharge on Shopify, and here’s what it was costing them:
- $499/month platform fee
- 1.25% of all recurring transactions
- Developer costs for minor API customizations
- Poor retry handling, resulting in customer churn
- Constant support tickets when subscribers wanted control
They came to us for a better way—and we built it.
What We Delivered:
- Custom subscription engine on BigCommerce
- Authorize.net ARB integration for PCI-compliant billing
- Laravel Blade-powered admin dashboard
- Real-time retry automation
- Embedded branded customer portal
- Shopify-to-BigCommerce subscription migration
The Results:
- System paid for itself in 3 months
- Over $12,000 saved in year one (no % fees)
- Recovered 18% of failed payments through retry automation
- Subscriptions became a scalable revenue channel—not a support burden
- Zero reliance on a SaaS vendor
Today, Founders Fuel owns their billing engine. No more platform tax. No more limitations. Just recurring revenue that runs clean.
—
SaaS vs. Custom: What It Really Looks Like
Let’s put it side by side:
| Feature | Optimum7 System (Custom-Built) | Recharge / Recurly / Bold |
| Pricing Model | One-time setup, low ongoing | Monthly + 1–3% of revenue |
| Gateway Support | Authorize.net, Stripe, Braintree | Stripe only (usually) |
| Checkout UX | Native Shopify/BigCommerce | App redirect / iframe |
| Retry Logic | Fully customizable | Fixed retry schedule |
| Admin Control | Full Laravel dashboard | Limited unless you pay more |
| Customer Portal | Branded, embedded | SaaS-branded |
| Platform Lock-In | None | Yes |
| Long-Term Cost @ $1M ARR | <$5K/year after setup | $15K–$30K+/year |
| Integration Extensibility | Fully customizable | App-dependent APIs |
Bottom Line: SaaS apps are great for starting. But at scale, they cost you far more than they save. Our system is designed for brands that have outgrown rented software.
—
Who This Is For
This custom subscription system is ideal for ecommerce businesses that:
- Are doing $250K–$10M+ in subscription revenue
- Want control over billing, retry logic, cancellations, and customer experience
- Use Shopify or BigCommerce as their storefront
- Need payment flexibility (Authorize.net, Stripe, or custom gateways)
- Have strong retention but are losing margin to third-party apps
- Want to future-proof their infrastructure
Not ideal for:
- Brands with <$100K in annual subscription revenue
- Teams that want plug-and-play SaaS with no customization
- Founders who don’t want to touch backend logic or own their infrastructure
If you’re in the growth phase, scaling your subscription model, and serious about protecting margin—this is for you.
—
FAQS – Auto Recurring Subscription System
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
What is the Auto Recurring Subscription System?
It’s a custom-built subscription billing engine designed for ecommerce brands using Shopify or BigCommerce. It replaces third-party apps like Recharge or Bold by integrating directly into your checkout, payment gateway, and backend—giving you full control over billing, retries, cancellations, and customer experience.
How is this different from apps like Recharge, Recurly, or Bold?
Ours is not an app—it’s an infrastructure solution you own. No monthly SaaS fees, no 1–3% transaction tax, and no lock-in. You get full backend logic, retry automation, branded portals, and checkout-native flows that SaaS apps can’t provide.
Is this an app I install?
No. This is custom software developed specifically for your brand and installed within your Shopify or BigCommerce store using APIs, webhooks, and a Laravel-based backend.
Can I fully customize subscription rules?
Yes. Billing cycles, retry intervals, subscription tiers, discounts, free trials, pauses, and upgrades are all configurable to your specific logic.
Is this system secure and PCI-compliant?
Yes. Payment data is tokenized via Authorize.net or Stripe, and we follow PCI-DSS best practices for storage, processing, and webhooks.
SHOPIFY / BIGCOMMERCE INTEGRATION
Does it work on both Shopify and BigCommerce?
Yes. We’ve built and deployed this solution on both platforms. The backend logic is platform-agnostic; the frontend integration adjusts per platform’s API.
Will this break our existing checkout flow?
No. The subscription logic is embedded directly into your existing product and checkout experience. Customers never leave your site, and the UX remains seamless.
What happens if we change platforms later?
Because this is your logic—not tied to any SaaS provider—you can take the system with you. The backend can be migrated and reconnected to a new frontend with minimal adjustments.
Can it integrate with our fulfillment or ERP system?
Yes. We can connect to tools like ShipStation, NetSuite, Linnworks, or any RESTful API that supports order data exchange.
Does it support multilingual or international stores?
Yes. All frontend interfaces (customer portal, emails, product logic) can be localized. Payment gateways must also support international billing.
PAYMENT GATEWAY + BILLING
What gateways does it support?
We support Authorize.net ARB and Stripe Subscriptions natively. We can also integrate Braintree or NMI upon request.
Does this support tokenized payments?
Yes. All subscriptions are stored using tokenized card data in your gateway, and renewal charges use secure, PCI-compliant tokens.
Can I offer multiple billing cycles (monthly, quarterly, annually)?
Yes. You can define any interval per product or tier—daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or custom logic based on calendar days.
Can I accept one-time purchases and subscriptions in the same cart?
Yes. Mixed-cart logic is supported. Customers can buy both regular and subscription items in one checkout session.
How are renewals handled?
Each subscription has a billing schedule. On renewal, the system charges the saved card, creates an order, and sends confirmation emails.
RETRY + ERROR MANAGEMENT
What happens if a payment fails?
The system automatically retries failed payments based on your rules (e.g., every 24–48 hours). After a final attempt, the subscription is paused and customer is notified.
Can I configure how many times a payment is retried?
Yes. You can define how many attempts, the interval between attempts, and what happens after the final failure (pause, alert, cancellation, etc.).
Can I notify my support team when retries fail?
Yes. Admin alerts (email, Slack, or webhook) can be triggered when a subscription enters “At Risk” or “Paused” status due to payment failure.
Will the system notify customers about billing issues?
Yes. Emails can be triggered for failed charges, retry attempts, paused subscriptions, or requests for updated payment methods.
Can we manually override a failed payment?
Yes. Your admin dashboard allows manual charge attempts, next billing date adjustments, or one-time invoicing.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Do customers get a portal to manage their subscriptions?
Yes. Customers can view, cancel, pause, or edit their subscriptions through a branded portal—hosted within your domain.
Can customers update their credit cards?
Yes. Credit card updates are securely tokenized through your gateway (Stripe or Authorize.net) and saved for future charges.
Can we brand the customer portal with our look and feel?
Yes. The entire UI is built in Laravel Blade and is fully customizable to match your fonts, colors, and messaging.
Do customers get email notifications?
Yes. Renewal confirmations, failed payments, updates, cancellations, and receipts are all included—customizable via templates.
Can customers upgrade or downgrade their plan?
Yes. We can implement plan migration logic, prorated billing, and tier-specific access depending on your offer structure.
REPORTING + ADMIN CONTROL
Is there an admin dashboard?
Yes. You’ll have a full backend dashboard where you can view, manage, and override any subscription, payment, or customer status.
What data is visible to us as admins?
You can see subscriber list, status, churn rate, revenue projections, payment history, failed retry logs, and manual control options.
Can we export all data?
Yes. All records are exportable via CSV, API, or integrated directly with your reporting tools (Google Sheets, Looker, etc.).
Do you support analytics dashboards?
Basic reporting is built-in. Advanced dashboards can be connected using tools like Metabase or embedded into your admin panel.
What happens after setup? Is there ongoing support?
Yes. We offer a lightweight ongoing support agreement to maintain your system, monitor gateway changes, and assist with custom logic updates.
This Isn’t Just a Billing Tool—It’s an Equity Move
Recurring revenue is one of the most valuable aspects of your business.
And yet most founders lease the engine that powers it—and hand off 2% of their top-line revenue for the privilege.
If you’re scaling, there’s a better way. You can own your system. You can control every dollar. And you can grow subscriptions without margin erosion.
This isn’t just better software.
Its infrastructure is designed to multiply LTV, increase retention, streamline business operations, support dynamic pricing strategies, and ensure accurate revenue recognition.
Ready to Own Your Subscription Engine?
Book a Strategy Call
Let’s reverse-engineer your perfect recurring system—from checkout logic to billing retries to fulfillment sync.
Request a Demo
We’ll show you the admin panel, customer portal, and actual flow inside a live store.
Download the Subscription System Blueprint
Includes system diagram, feature set, case study, and SaaS comparison table.
Built for brands that are done renting—and ready to own.
