How much work is building billing on Firebase + Stripe really?

More than most developers expect. Initial integration is a few days. Proper webhook handling, edge cases, testing adds more. Then ongoing maintenance: handling Stripe API updates, fixing sync issues, adding features. It's a side project that never quite ends.

What about the Firebase Stripe extension?

The official extension (Run Payments with Stripe) helps with checkout and basic sync. It's a good starting point but doesn't include entitlements, and you still need to understand how it works. It reduces work but doesn't eliminate it. Evaluate if it meets your needs.

I'm already using Firebase for my app. Should I switch to StackBE?

Not necessarily. If you need Firebase's real-time features, social auth, or other capabilities, keep Firebase for your app. You can use StackBE just for billing—customers authenticate via StackBE for billing actions, your app uses Firebase for everything else. Or build billing on Firebase if you prefer.

Is StackBE's magic link auth as good as Firebase Auth?

Firebase Auth is more feature-rich: social providers, phone auth, email/password, MFA. StackBE is magic links only. If you need those features, Firebase Auth is better. If passwordless email auth is fine for your use case, StackBE simplifies by focusing on one method.

What's the real cost comparison?

Firebase costs depend on usage: Firestore reads/writes, function invocations. A billing system with frequent checks can add up. StackBE is flat monthly. At scale with many entitlement checks, StackBE may be cheaper. At low volume, Firebase's free tier covers a lot. Model your expected usage.

StackBE vs Firebase + Stripe: Purpose-Built vs DIY Billing

Feature	Firebase + Stripe	StackBE
Authentication	Firebase (full-featured)	Magic links
Social Login	Firebase (yes)
Database	Firebase Firestore	Managed by StackBE
Real-time Updates	Firebase (yes)
Billing Integration	You build	Built-in
Entitlements	You build	Built-in
Webhook Handling	You build	Managed
Time to Billing	Days-weeks	Hours
Maintenance	Ongoing	Minimal
Platform Lock-in	Google/Firebase	Stripe only

The Firebase + Stripe Approach

Firebase is Google's backend-as-a-service platform. Paired with Stripe, it's a popular choice for indie developers building SaaS products.

Firebase provides:

Authentication (email, social, phone)

Firestore database (NoSQL)

Cloud Functions (serverless)

Hosting

Real-time capabilities

Stripe provides:

Payment processing

Subscription billing

Checkout pages

Customer portal

Together, they can power a SaaS—but you build the billing integration yourself.

What is StackBE?

StackBE is a purpose-built subscription backend. Authentication, billing, and entitlements are unified in a single API, specifically designed for SaaS monetization.

StackBE provides:

Magic link authentication

Subscription management via Stripe Connect

Entitlements tied to plans

Usage tracking

Customer portal

Analytics

DIY vs Purpose-Built

Firebase + Stripe: General-purpose tools you assemble into a billing system

StackBE: Billing system built specifically for SaaS

The Firebase + Stripe Implementation

To build subscription billing on Firebase + Stripe, you need:

1. Authentication Mapping

Firebase Auth creates user records

Stripe needs customer records

You create Stripe customers when users sign up

You store Stripe customer ID in Firestore

You handle the mapping logic

2. Webhook Handling

Create Cloud Functions for Stripe webhooks

Handle: checkout.session.completed, subscription.created, subscription.updated, subscription.deleted, invoice.payment_failed

Parse events, validate signatures

Update Firestore with subscription status

Handle retry logic, idempotency

3. Subscription State

Store subscription data in Firestore

Keep it synced with Stripe (via webhooks)

Handle edge cases: webhook delays, race conditions

Build queries for subscription status

4. Entitlements

Define which plans include which features

Build access control logic

Check subscription status + plan → feature access

Cache appropriately for performance

5. Customer Portal

Either use Stripe's customer portal

Or build your own with subscription management UI

This is a real project—not a weekend of work.

Key Differences

Development Time

Firebase + Stripe: Days to weeks building billing infrastructure. More if you want it robust (proper webhook handling, edge cases, testing).

StackBE: Hours. Integrate SDK, define plans, connect Stripe, ship.

Maintenance

Firebase + Stripe:

You maintain webhook handlers

You maintain subscription state sync

You maintain entitlement logic

Firebase and Stripe updates may affect your code

StackBE:

StackBE maintains the billing infrastructure

You maintain your product integration

Expertise Required

Firebase + Stripe:

Understanding Stripe's subscription model

Webhook security and handling patterns

Firestore data modeling for billing

Cloud Functions deployment and monitoring

StackBE:

Basic API integration

Understanding your own plans/features

Error Handling

Firebase + Stripe: You handle:

Failed webhooks

Duplicate webhooks

Out-of-order webhooks

Stripe API errors

Subscription state inconsistencies

StackBE: These are handled for you.

Pricing

Firebase + Stripe:

Firebase: Free tier, then pay per read/write/function invocation

Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

Costs depend on usage patterns. Cloud Functions + Firestore can add up.

StackBE:

Flat monthly fee + Stripe processing

Predictable billing, no usage surprises.

Feature Comparison

Firebase advantages:

Social authentication (Google, Facebook, etc.)

Real-time database

Full backend platform (not just billing)

Google ecosystem integration

StackBE advantages:

Purpose-built for SaaS billing

Entitlements included

No billing code to write

Simpler mental model

When to Choose Firebase + Stripe

The DIY approach is right when:

You're already deep in the Firebase ecosystem

You enjoy building infrastructure (some do!)

You have specific Firebase features you need (real-time, phone auth)

You want full control over every aspect

Learning is as important as shipping

When to Choose StackBE

StackBE is better when:

You want to ship faster

Billing isn't your differentiator

You'd rather buy than build infrastructure

Magic link auth is acceptable

Entitlements out-of-box is valuable

Maintenance burden matters

The Firebase Extensions Option

Firebase has a Stripe extension (Run Payments with Stripe) that simplifies some of this. It's worth considering if you're committed to Firebase. However:

It still requires configuration

Entitlements aren't included

It's an additional system to understand

The Build vs Buy Question

This comparison is really about build vs buy for billing infrastructure:

Build (Firebase + Stripe):

More control

More code to write

More to maintain

Learning opportunity

Buy (StackBE):

Less control

Less code to write

Less to maintain

Faster to ship

Neither is universally correct. It depends on your priorities.

The Bottom Line

Firebase + Stripe can absolutely work for SaaS billing. Many products are built this way. But it's more work than it initially appears, and the maintenance is ongoing.

StackBE exists because building billing infrastructure is repetitive work that distracts from building your actual product. If your product isn't "billing infrastructure," consider whether building it makes sense.

Ship your product. Let someone else maintain the billing code.

StackBE vs Firebase + Stripe

The Firebase + Stripe Approach

What is StackBE?

DIY vs Purpose-Built

The Firebase + Stripe Implementation

1. Authentication Mapping

2. Webhook Handling

3. Subscription State

4. Entitlements

5. Customer Portal

Key Differences

Development Time

Maintenance

Expertise Required

Error Handling

Pricing

Feature Comparison

When to Choose Firebase + Stripe

When to Choose StackBE

The Firebase Extensions Option

The Build vs Buy Question

The Bottom Line

Ready to simplify your SaaS billing?

Frequently Asked Questions

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