Comparison guide·Evaluation shortlists·Updated Jul 18, 2026
Recharge vs Stampli: subscription storefront or invoice-centered AP?
Recharge runs Shopify subscription plans, recurring orders, bundles, customer portals, loyalty, cancellation flows, and retention. Stampli runs supplier invoice capture, coding, matching, collaboration, approvals, vendor management, payments, reconciliation, and ERP-aligned AP.
What's insideMoney flowOnboardingCompliancePayout opsIntegrationsReportingTime to launchPricing
Recharge
getrecharge.com
vs
Stampli
www.stampli.com
The verdict
Start with the job you are actually buying for
These products sit in different categories. Compare the record each one starts from, the team that operates it, the handoffs it creates, and the output finance needs.
Recharge
getrecharge.comPrimary focus
- · Shopify-first DTC brands selling recurring physical goods, boxes, memberships, bundles, and replenishment subscriptions
- · E-commerce teams that need subscriber portals, cancellation flows, loyalty, analytics, and retention tools inside Shopify
- · Merchants connecting subscription operations to Shopify checkout, orders, fulfillment, inventory, and customer accounts
vs
Stampli
www.stampli.comPrimary focus
- · AP teams that want invoice-centered collaboration, approval routing, and audit history without reworking the ERP
- · Finance teams with complex approver chains, POs, vendor records, and multi-entity invoice processing
- · Organizations that want Stampli Direct Pay with ACH, check, virtual card, and international payments tied to ERP validation
Executive TL;DR
Recharge serves commerce teams responsible for what subscribers buy and how recurring orders change.
Stampli serves AP teams responsible for what suppliers billed and how each invoice reaches approval, payment, and ERP close.
The products meet only in the wider finance stack: one records customer revenue activity, the other records supplier expense activity.
Storefront record or invoice record
Customer intent and supplier approval should stay in their native systems
A subscriber changing a bundle and an approver correcting an invoice need different collaboration, status, and accounting models.
Recharge follows the customer choice
Product, plan, frequency, prepaid option, discount, bundle, portal action, cancellation path, loyalty state, and Shopify order describe the recurring purchase.
Stampli follows the supplier document
Invoice capture, coding, matching, purchase-order context, approver discussion, vendor record, payment, history, and ERP reconciliation describe the payable.
Close uses opposite accounting context
Recharge feeds subscription-commerce reporting alongside Shopify and merchant systems. Stampli preserves invoice, approval, payment, and ERP records for AP close.
Procurement snapshot
The differences that actually show up in evaluation
Axis
Money flow & contracting
Shopify customer → subscription plan → recurring order/payment…
Supplier invoice → coding / matching → approval…
Integrations
Shopify ecosystem integrations, customer portal, storefront/theme work, analytics,…
Pre-built ERP and accounting integrations are central to…
Time to launch
Scope the launch around Shopify and theme setup,…
Scope the launch around the ERP connector, invoice…
Pricing model
Published Starter and Plus plans combine monthly platform…
Confirm packaging against invoice volume, module scope, ERP…
Short phrases summarize the full cells below. Scroll the full table for detail, source links, and proof-request nuance.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Six practical questions to take into demos and procurement. Use the same workflow and inputs with both vendors, then compare what your team would actually have to operate.
| Capability | | |
|---|---|---|
What it is Primary product category and core job it solves. | Subscription commerce platform for Shopify brands: recurring orders, bundles, customer portal, loyalty, cancellation flows, analytics, and retention. | AP automation platform for invoice capture, coding, matching, collaboration, approvals, vendor management, payments, reconciliation, and ERP integrations. |
Best for Team size, program type, and workflow shape where each product fits. | Shopify-first DTC brands running subscription boxes, consumables, replenishment, memberships, bundles, and customer-portal driven retention. | AP teams that need invoice-centered collaboration and approval control while keeping the ERP as system of record. |
Money flow & contracting Who invoices, who collects, and how funds travel from source to recipient. | Shopify customer → subscription plan → recurring order/payment → fulfillment and customer portal changes. Buyer-side commerce only; no payee payout or MoR B2B invoicing workflow. | Supplier invoice → coding / matching → approval discussion → payment execution → ERP reconciliation. Client collection and external payout release are distinct categories. |
Integrations APIs, webhooks, imports, exports, and the systems each product needs around it. | Shopify ecosystem integrations, customer portal, storefront/theme work, analytics, loyalty, and fulfillment-adjacent app flows. Fit drops outside subscription commerce. | Pre-built ERP and accounting integrations are central to the product. Integration is optimized for AP objects and ERP reconciliation, not client-funded payee-source ingestion. |
Reporting & reconciliation Export packages, ledger records, and audit trails your finance team closes the books with. | Subscription commerce reporting, subscriber analytics, and Shopify order records. RevRec, tax, accounting close, and payout proof live in the surrounding stack. | Invoice conversation, approval history, payment evidence, and ERP sync support AP close. Payout-program reconciliation needs different source and recipient artifacts. |
Pricing model Fee structure overview. Vendor terms change often, so confirm pricing during your evaluation. | Published Starter and Plus plans combine monthly platform fees with per-transaction fees, with Custom for larger programs. Validate transaction volume, portal and bundle features, Shopify plan, and app stack costs. | Confirm packaging against invoice volume, module scope, ERP environment, user count, implementation services, and payment-method fees. |
What it is
Primary product category and core job it solves.
- Recharge
- Subscription commerce platform for Shopify brands: recurring orders, bundles, customer portal, loyalty, cancellation flows, analytics, and retention.
- Stampli
- AP automation platform for invoice capture, coding, matching, collaboration, approvals, vendor management, payments, reconciliation, and ERP integrations.
Best for
Team size, program type, and workflow shape where each product fits.
- Recharge
- Shopify-first DTC brands running subscription boxes, consumables, replenishment, memberships, bundles, and customer-portal driven retention.
- Stampli
- AP teams that need invoice-centered collaboration and approval control while keeping the ERP as system of record.
Money flow & contracting
Who invoices, who collects, and how funds travel from source to recipient.
- Recharge
- Shopify customer → subscription plan → recurring order/payment → fulfillment and customer portal changes. Buyer-side commerce only; no payee payout or MoR B2B invoicing workflow.
- Stampli
- Supplier invoice → coding / matching → approval discussion → payment execution → ERP reconciliation. Client collection and external payout release are distinct categories.
Integrations
APIs, webhooks, imports, exports, and the systems each product needs around it.
- Recharge
- Shopify ecosystem integrations, customer portal, storefront/theme work, analytics, loyalty, and fulfillment-adjacent app flows. Fit drops outside subscription commerce.
- Stampli
- Pre-built ERP and accounting integrations are central to the product. Integration is optimized for AP objects and ERP reconciliation, not client-funded payee-source ingestion.
Reporting & reconciliation
Export packages, ledger records, and audit trails your finance team closes the books with.
- Recharge
- Subscription commerce reporting, subscriber analytics, and Shopify order records. RevRec, tax, accounting close, and payout proof live in the surrounding stack.
- Stampli
- Invoice conversation, approval history, payment evidence, and ERP sync support AP close. Payout-program reconciliation needs different source and recipient artifacts.
Pricing model
Fee structure overview. Vendor terms change often, so confirm pricing during your evaluation.
- Recharge
- Published Starter and Plus plans combine monthly platform fees with per-transaction fees, with Custom for larger programs. Validate transaction volume, portal and bundle features, Shopify plan, and app stack costs.
- Stampli
- Confirm packaging against invoice volume, module scope, ERP environment, user count, implementation services, and payment-method fees.
Use this as a structured starting point, then verify current product scope with Recharge and Stampli against your own workflow.
Take this into your procurement call
Five questions that surface the meaningful fit differences between vendors.
- 1Name the business job, starting record, and team that will own the workflow.
- 2Ask Recharge to demonstrate one normal run and one exception using your inputs.
- 3Ask Stampli to run the same scenario so the comparison stays fair.
- 4Compare onboarding, handoffs, exception ownership, support, and the final finance export.
- 5Confirm current pricing, coverage, integrations, and contract scope directly with each vendor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Stampli manage subscriber plans and recurring orders?+
No. Stampli is AP automation for invoices and vendors, not a Shopify product, bundle, customer portal, loyalty, or subscription-order system.
Can Recharge automate supplier invoice approval?+
No. Recharge does not capture and code supplier invoices, manage approver collaboration, match purchase orders, execute AP payments, or reconcile those records to an ERP.
What determines Stampli fit?+
Stampli fits when the ERP remains the system of record and AP needs invoice capture, coding, matching, discussion, approval, payment, vendor management, and reconciliation around it.
How should a Shopify merchant divide ownership?+
Commerce teams can own subscription and order operations in Recharge while AP owns supplier invoices in Stampli. Accounting should preserve distinct customer-order and vendor-invoice records.
If you are switching over
- 01Map the records, identifiers, balances, statuses, and exports your current process depends on before choosing a migration path.
- 02Give Recharge and Stampli the same representative workflow, including an incomplete record and a failed or changed transaction.
- 03Assign an owner to every handoff and exception so gaps do not disappear between product demos.
- 04Run a parallel close before retiring the existing process, then compare the operational and finance outputs side by side.
Sources and references
7 references: click to expand
Recharge and Stampli are trademarks of their respective owners. This independent comparison is not endorsed by either vendor.
Connect the Recharge vs Stampli decision to the rest of your money flow
If your shortlist also needs client collection, controlled payout release, and finance-ready reconciliation, see where Gruv fits around the vendors you are evaluating.