The Problem
Why teams leave Zuora
Revenue-based pricing model ($50K-$200K+/year)
Complex implementation requiring consultants
Limited flexibility for non-standard billing models
Integration complexity with accounting systems
Steep learning curve for Zuora's data model
What We Build Instead
Your custom finance & erp tool
Subscription billing platform for your pricing models
Usage-based, tiered, and hybrid billing
Revenue recognition and ASC 606 compliance
Customer portal for subscription management
Invoicing and payment processing
Billing analytics and MRR dashboards
The Math
Zuora vs. custom build
Based on 15 seats at $150/seat/month, with ~10% annual SaaS price increases.
Keep paying Zuora
Build with 86 SaaS
3-year savings with 15 seats
$9,350
10% less than Zuora
Pricing Breakdown
Zuora tier pricing vs. one-time custom build
Compare what you pay per seat across Zuora's tiers against a single investment in software you own forever.
| Tier | Monthly/Seat | Annual/Seat | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $100/mo | $85/mo | Subscription billing, Basic revenue recognition, Payment processing, Standard support |
| Scale | $200/mo | $170/mo | Usage-based billing, Multi-entity, Advanced analytics, API access |
| Enterprise | $400/mo | $340/mo | Revenue automation, CPQ integration, Custom workflows, Dedicated support, SLA |
| Custom Build by 86 SaaS | $40,000–$70,000 one-time | $0/seat | Unlimited users, full ownership, no recurring fees |
Migration Timeline
From Zuora to ownership — week by week
A structured migration plan to move off Zuora in 10-16 weeks with zero downtime.
Discovery & Audit
2 weeksAudit subscription models, billing rules, revenue recognition policies, and integrations
Architecture & Design
2-3 weeksDesign billing engine, pricing models, and revenue recognition workflows
Core Development
4-8 weeksBuild subscription management, invoicing, payment processing, and ASC 606 compliance
Data Migration & Testing
2-3 weeksMigrate subscriber data, billing history, and validate revenue calculations
Deployment & Training
1 weekDeploy billing platform and train finance and operations teams
Total build time
10-16 weeks
Feature Comparison
What you keep, what you skip, and why
A transparent comparison of Zuora features vs. your custom-built alternative.
| Feature | Zuora | Custom Build | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription Management | |||
| Usage-based Billing | |||
| Revenue Recognition (ASC 606) | |||
| Invoicing & Payments | |||
| Dunning Management | |||
| Multi-currency | |||
| Proration & Amendments | |||
| Revenue Analytics | |||
| CPQ Integration | Use direct CRM-to-billing flow — simpler than CPQ | ||
| Flat-rate Pricing | No revenue-based pricing — fixed monthly cost |
Your custom build focuses on the features your team actually uses — typically 15-20% of what Zuora offers — built exactly for your workflow.
How It Works
From Zuora to ownership in 10-16 weeks
Free Audit
We analyze your Zuora usage and identify exactly which features your team actually uses.
Scope & Build
We build your custom finance & erp tool with only the features you need. 10-16 weeks.
Deploy & Migrate
We deploy to your infrastructure, migrate your data from Zuora, and train your team.
You Own It
Full source code, documentation, and optional maintenance retainer. No vendor lock-in. Ever.