Payments matter as much as billing: How to drive subscription revenue in SaaS

For SaaS businesses, whether that's cloud accounting software, a CRM platform, or cybersecurity tools, payments are far more than transaction processing; they're a genuine lever for growth. Choosing the right payments provider can open up new revenue streams, strengthen customer retention, and support expansion into new markets.

A strong billing system gives you flexible pricing and smooth subscription management; a high-performing payments provider does the equivalent for checkout, cutting friction, reducing involuntary churn, and helping you reach new markets faster. Get billing and payments working in step, and you get a frictionless experience that supports acquisition, retention, and revenue growth over the long term. In the UK alone, Adyen's own research has found that over 45% of shoppers have abandoned a purchase because of payment-related issues, a clear sign of how much is riding on getting this right.

This article covers the payment trends currently shaping SaaS, what's at stake if your business falls behind, the capabilities that separate a strong payments provider from an average one, and how tighter billing and payment integration translates into better revenue outcomes.

A seamless payment experience is essential for maximising revenue and customer retention. Inefficient payment systems can create friction: lowering conversion rates, increasing involuntary churn, and making global expansion more challenging. Ensuring a high-performing payment process helps subscription businesses retain customers at every stage.

41% of point of sale transactions drop at checkout 

Customers expect a seamless and flexible payment experience; whether they’re individual buyers or enterprise procurement teams. Our research shows that there’s a 41% drop at checkout due to a lack of payment options. For SaaS businesses, this means that failing to offer preferred payment methods — whether it’s credit cards for self-serve signups or bank transfers for larger B2B contracts — can lead to lost revenue.  With customer acquisition costs on the rise, every failed checkout represents a missed long-term revenue opportunity. Businesses that fail to optimise checkout risk losing high-intent customers to competitors with more seamless payment experiences.

24% of SaaS churn is involuntary 

Failed payments don’t just cause temporary disruptions, they lead to significant revenue loss. In 2024, 24% of churn was attributed to involuntary churn, primarily caused by failed payments.

Each instance of involuntary churn represents a lost customer and potentially, a lifetime of revenue. Insufficient funds, expired credit cards, and card declines are among the top drivers. By proactively addressing these issues, businesses can reduce involuntary churn, protect recurring revenue, and avoid the costly cycle of re-acquiring new customers to replace those lost to payment failures.

Adding insult to injury, payment failures that don't trigger involuntary churn can still lead to voluntary churn; 53% of subscribers say they would likely unsubscribe if a billing or payment issue disrupted their service. Ensuring seamless, localised billing and payment solutions is not just crucial for global expansion, but for retaining customers in the long run.

63% of digital businesses are eyeing global expansion 

As the demand for digital services skyrockets worldwide, expansion into new markets presents a major growth opportunity. 63% of digital businesses are eyeing expansion into new markets. However, businesses that fail to localise their payment options risk losing significant revenue and market share, with 74% of consumers more likely to complete a purchase when their preferred payment method is available.

Failing to localise not only results in lost sales but also puts businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Beyond payment preferences, expansion comes with regulatory challenges and nearly 25% of digital businesses cite compliance as a major barrier. What's more, three quarters of businesses are missing out on key cost-saving opportunities by not using local acquirers, further eroding profitability. 

A high performing payments provider isn’t just about processing payments; it’s about finding a partner who can grow with you and optimise every stage of the revenue cycle.

The right provider streamlines the checkout process for maximised conversions, ensures reliable recurring payments, and enables seamless expansion into new markets. 

Here are a few essential capabilities that your business should prioritise when selecting a payments provider to compliment your billing software.

Increase conversion: Don’t let payments be the reason customers walk away

Smart authentication for higher authorisation rates

Ensuring transactions are legitimate without adding unnecessary friction is critical for both fraud control and conversion. High-performing payment providers use smart authentication methods—such as FIDO standards and other security protocols—to automatically select the best approach. This reduces checkout friction for trusted customers while maintaining strong fraud protection, leading to higher authorisation rates and fewer abandoned purchases.

Offer local payment methods and let customers pay how they want

Customers are also more likely to complete a purchase when they can pay in a way that feels familiar and convenient. Offering a wide range of local payment options improves trust, reduces barriers at checkout, and enhances the overall experience. By integrating region-specific methods, businesses can increase conversions while ensuring compliance with global regulations like PSD2’s Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).

Reduce churn: Stop losing customers to failed payments

Intelligent payment recovery

Failed payments are one of the biggest contributors to involuntary churn, but not all declines are final. Look for a provider that automatically retries failed transactions at optimal times to increase the likelihood of approval. By recovering payments that would otherwise be lost, businesses can maintain steady recurring revenue and improve customer retention.

Seamless card details management

Outdated or expired payment details can lead to transaction failures, frustrating customers and increasing churn. A provider that securely stores and automatically updates payment credentials ensures a seamless experience, reducing failed payments and keeping subscription renewals on track.

Expand globally: Unlock new markets with the right payment strategy

Expanding to new markets requires more than just accepting payments; it demands a payments provider with the right infrastructure and expertise to drive success. To maximise revenue and minimise friction, businesses need a partner that offers:

Global expertise 

A payments provider with global expertise can offer valuable insights and guidance on how to successfully enter new markets. From navigating local payment trends to ensuring compliance with regional regulations.

Local acquiring 

Local acquiring is essential for reducing costly cross-border fees and increasing payment approval rates. By leveraging local acquiring licences, SaaS businesses can process payments efficiently in each market.

Flexible settlements

A partner that provides flexible settlements ensures transparency when it comes to forex fees and offers the ability to settle transactions in local currencies. This flexibility helps SaaS businesses maintain better financial control, streamline their global operations and avoid hidden costs.

For enterprise software subscription businesses, the importance of a seamless payment and billing integration can’t be overstated. Your billing platform is the backbone of your revenue engine, and choosing a payment provider that integrates deeply and efficiently with it is critical for long-term success. When billing and payments are strongly integrated, it not only unlocks operational efficiencies, but it unlocks more revenue potential via stronger payments performance and sets the foundation for scalable growth. 

One of the biggest advantages of a strong billing and payment integration is enhanced payment performance. When the two systems are tightly connected, subscription businesses can fully leverage advanced payment features, like smart payment routing, local acquiring, and network tokenisation, directly impacting customer acquisition and retention. This reduces friction in the checkout process and also ensures higher authorisation rates and fewer failed transactions. More technically, deep integration can unlock cost-saving opportunities through enhanced scheme data, optimising interchange fees and lowering overall operational expenses.

Equally important is the ability to scale without adding unnecessary complexity. As your business expands into new markets, launches new product lines, or experiments with different pricing models, your tech stack needs to evolve smoothly. A payment provider with built-in support for global compliance, flexible billing models, and regional payment preferences ensures your business remains agile without overburdening your developers with custom workarounds. 

"With global regulations, revenue recognition challenges, and required retention strategies, businesses need to invest in the right partner to enable deeper penetration into existing markets, allow global expansion, and reduce churn."

Imran A Hajimusa

GM Payments & Fintech Services, Chargebee

Adyen partners and integrates closely with a wide range of leading billing providers to deliver unmatched billing and payment solutions. This close integration minimises the time and effort needed to get your payment system up and running, delivering exceptional performance from day one. As your business expands, Adyen's platform is designed to support a wide range of billing models and easily adapt to regional regulations, empowering your global expansion. This scalability ensures that your payment infrastructure remains a strategic asset, enabling smooth growth without limitations.