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Subbly vs PayWhirl
PayWhirl is a billing plugin that needs a website on another platform, so it's one piece of the puzzle. Subbly is the whole store on one AI-native platform: your agent builds the website, checkout, billing and portal around your brand.
3 days free, then $1/wk for 4 weeksNo card needed14 days freeCancel anytime
20,000+ merchantson Subbly over 11+ years
Startups and brands like these, launched or switched here.
and 1,000s moreThe short answer
Choose Subbly if…
you want one platform for your whole store, a store designed around your brand, and one-off products next to your subscriptions.
Start for freeChoose PayWhirl if…
you already have a site you're happy with and only need recurring billing added to it.
You don’t need to be big to be great
Agency output at software prices. Your agent does the design and build work you would otherwise hire for, so a great store is where you start, not what you save up for.
Look like you have a designer
A store designed around your brand and vision, not a template.
Move like you have a developer
Any change, checkout included, is one message away.
Run like you have an ops team
Billing, portal and automations on one platform, with nothing to babysit.
In an expert’s hands, it’s a superpower
You don’t need an agency to build something great, but agencies and freelancers get even more from it. The agent does the build hours, so they take on more clients with the team they have, and the benefits grow with every store.
Subbly and PayWhirl at a glance
How each platform is built, which changes slowly, rather than a feature list, which changes every quarter.
| Area | | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The whole store: site, checkout, billing, portal | Recurring billing as a widget, or a Shopify or BigCommerce app |
| Website | Designed by your agent | Your own site, elsewhere |
| Pricing | Subbly plans | Any website: $0 + 3%, $49 + 2%, $149 + 1%, $249 + 0.5% a month; Shopify app: $0 + 3%, $9 + 2%, $29 + 1.5%, $149 + 0.75% |
| Changing the flow | Describe it to your agent | PayWhirl settings and widget code |
| Payment gateways | Stripe, Braintree, PayPal, Authorize.Net | Stripe, Square, Braintree, Authorize.Net |
PayWhirl facts checked on 26 September 2026. Sources: PayWhirl pricing. Prices are in US dollars and change; check them before you choose.
“Subbly allowed us to finally give our members the flexibility and choice they desire — this is so crucial to our members, and it’s been great to be able to personalize the checkout and account management experience to allow customers to express preferences, make choices and adjust these on a regular basis.”
Tom TryonCo-Founder, VinoMojo4.8/5 from 220+ reviews, 4.9/5 for support. Read more on Capterra
Why brands move from PayWhirl to Subbly
The differences that matter once your store is live.
A store, not a payment widget
A billing widget on a separate site means your customer moves between two experiences. On Subbly your agent designs the store, checkout and customer portal as one design around your brand, so the subscription feels like part of the store.
Read the manifestoChange it in one message
A new plan, a prepaid option, a gift flow, a landing page for a launch. Describe it and your agent builds it, across the site and the billing at once.
Everything in one place
A site on one platform and billing on another means two logins, two setups and two places to look when a renewal fails. On Subbly the site, checkout, billing, portal, upsells and automations live in one place, on a platform with over 11 years behind it.
Your subscribers come with you
Your customers, data and payment tokens are yours. Migrate in free, leave whenever.
Built into every Subbly store
What other platforms add with apps or extra tools, Subbly has in the platform. No apps to install or keep in sync.
Recurring billing
Weekly, monthly or custom schedules, prepaid plans and commitment terms.
Build-a-box and bundles
Customers choose what goes in each box, priced by tier, items and frequency.
Gifting
Gift subscriptions and gift messages, designed into your checkout.
Customer portal
Subscribers skip, swap, pause or update their details themselves.
- And so much more: see all 100+ features
Is Subbly right for you?
Answer six questions in 1-2 minutes and get an instant answer.
No email requiredBuilt for all of ecommerce
Subbly started with subscriptions, the hardest kind of commerce to get right. The same platform runs one-off stores, and stores that sell both.
- One-off productsSingle products and bundles, in a store designed around your brand.
- SubscriptionsRecurring billing, build-a-box, gifting and a customer portal, built in.
- Both, in one checkoutCustomers buy once or subscribe from the same product page.
Founders and operators love Subbly.
From Capterra reviews and the notes merchants send us.
“The AI website builder confused me at first, but one free demo changed everything and I dove in head first. There was a learning curve, and the help docs and chat support carried me through it.”
“I did not expect building my website to be this easy and I never would have dreamed that I could have this nice of a website without paying designers a lot of money.”
“The builder has taken my website to a place I thought wasn't achievable without employing someone to build it for me. Within a matter of hours I had something that was so much more functional.”
“Setting up recurring subscriptions, tiered protocol pricing, and custom add-ons usually takes hours of developer work, but the AI handled the structure effortlessly.”
Moving from PayWhirl
We migrate your subscribers for free.
Your agent builds the store around your brand, using your current site as a reference.
Launch Club is live every weekday.
What we move for you
- Products
- Customers
- Subscribers
- Payment tokens
- 4.9/5
- support rating from 220+ merchants on Capterra
- 24/7
- support, by chat and email
- 9,000+
- subscription founders in the community
Frequently asked questions
Is Subbly a good PayWhirl alternative?
Yes, if you want everything in one place instead of billing added to a site you run elsewhere. Your agent designs the site, checkout, billing and customer portal together, and one-off products sit next to subscriptions. PayWhirl is the better fit if you're happy with your current site and only need recurring billing added to it.
How much does PayWhirl cost?
On any website, plans run from $0 a month plus 3% per transaction to $249 a month plus 0.5%. The Shopify app runs from $0 plus 3% to $149 plus 0.75%.
Does PayWhirl work with Shopify?
Yes. PayWhirl runs as a Shopify app, a BigCommerce app or a widget on any website, and bills through Stripe, Square, Braintree or Authorize.Net.
Do I need a separate website with PayWhirl?
PayWhirl is built to add recurring billing to a website you run elsewhere, on Shopify, BigCommerce or your own site. On Subbly your agent builds the website, checkout and customer portal together, on one platform.
Is Subbly only for subscriptions?
No. Sell one-off products, subscriptions, or both, in one store and one checkout. Subscriptions are where Subbly started, so build-a-box, gifting, memberships and a customer portal are there when you want them.
How do I move from PayWhirl to Subbly?
Our migration team moves your products, customers and subscribers for you, for free. Your agent designs the new store around your brand, using your current site as a reference if you like, and Launch Club is live every weekday while you settle in. Switch to Subbly
Will my subscribers have to re-enter their cards?
Not if their cards are stored in Stripe or PayPal, or your current platform can transfer them to your Stripe account: we import them and billing carries on. If your platform keeps the cards, our Subscription Switch emails each subscriber a secure link to add their card in one step, with no login or checkout, and has brought back up to 84% of subscribers within 11 days.
How much does Subbly's agent cost?
Credits, included on every plan, with top-ups when you need more. You pay for the work your agent does at software prices, not agency rates, so making your store great is no longer the expensive part.
Can my agency or developer work on Subbly?
Yes. You don't need one to build a great store, but in an expert's hands Subbly is a superpower: the agent does the build hours, so they spend theirs on design, strategy and you. See the Agency Program
Ready for the whole store?
Free migration, and a store your agent designs around your brand.
3 days free, then $1/wk for 4 weeksNo card needed14 days freeCancel anytime
