The Independent Alternative to ProfitWell
ProfitWell was a great product when it was free and independent. Then Paddle acquired it. Now it's Paddle Retain, tied to Paddle's payment platform. If you're on Stripe and want churn detection without platform lock-in, ChurnWire is built for you.
14-day free trial · No credit card required
What Happened to ProfitWell
ProfitWell built a beloved product. Free subscription analytics. Accurate MRR tracking. A clean interface that didn't try to be everything. Thousands of SaaS companies depended on it. Then in 2022, Paddle acquired ProfitWell, and things started to shift.
ProfitWell's free metrics product still exists, but the company's focus has moved to Paddle Retain — a churn reduction tool that works best (and is primarily marketed) within the Paddle ecosystem. If you're a Stripe customer, the writing on the wall is clear: ProfitWell's long-term roadmap is Paddle-first.
This isn't unusual after an acquisition. The acquirer wants to drive users toward their core platform. But if you've built your billing on Stripe and have no plans to switch to Paddle, you need a churn detection tool that's committed to Stripe as a first-class integration — not an afterthought.
Why ChurnWire Is Different
Independent and Stripe-First
ChurnWire is an independent company. We're not owned by a payment processor. We don't have an incentive to push you toward any particular billing platform. We built ChurnWire for Stripe because that's where most SaaS companies run their subscriptions — and we're fully committed to making it the best churn detection tool for Stripe users.
No Platform Lock-In
ProfitWell's deepest integration is now with Paddle. ChurnWire's deepest integration is with Stripe. We're not trying to migrate you to a different payment processor. We're trying to help you keep the customers you already have, on the billing platform you already use.
Proactive, Not Passive
ProfitWell Retain focuses on passive churn recovery — cancellation flows, failed payment retries, and payment method updates. These are valuable, but they only kick in after a customer has already decided to leave or a payment has already failed. ChurnWire identifies at-risk customers before they reach that point.
Transparent Pricing
ProfitWell Retain charges a percentage of recovered revenue. The more churn you have, the more you pay. ChurnWire is $49/mo flat — unlimited subscribers, unlimited risk scores, unlimited alerts. Your price doesn't change as your business grows.
ChurnWire vs ProfitWell / Paddle Retain
| ChurnWire | ProfitWell / Paddle Retain | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | $49/mo flat | % of recovered revenue |
| Independence | Independent company | Owned by Paddle |
| Stripe Integration | First-class, Stripe Connect | Supported (Paddle-first) |
| Churn Risk Scoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Daily Churn Alerts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cancellation Flows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Failed Payment Recovery | Alerts only | Automated retries |
| Free SaaS Metrics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Setup Time | 60 seconds | 15-30 minutes |
Switching from ProfitWell Is Simple
If you're currently using ProfitWell's free metrics, you can keep using them alongside ChurnWire. The two tools don't conflict — both connect to Stripe via read-only access. Use ProfitWell for your MRR dashboard if you like it, and use ChurnWire for proactive churn detection.
If you're using Paddle Retain for cancellation flows and payment recovery, ChurnWire complements that workflow. Retain is reactive — it intervenes when a customer clicks "Cancel" or a payment fails. ChurnWire is proactive — it tells you which customers are heading toward cancellation so you can reach out before they get there. The two approaches work better together than either one alone.
And if you're worried about the long-term direction of ProfitWell under Paddle ownership, ChurnWire gives you an independent alternative that's fully committed to the Stripe ecosystem. No risk of your churn detection tool becoming a Trojan horse for a different payment platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ProfitWell shutting down? +
ProfitWell's free metrics product is still operational as of now. However, since the Paddle acquisition, the product roadmap has shifted toward Paddle Retain and the broader Paddle ecosystem. There's no public announcement about sunsetting the free metrics, but the strategic direction is clear.
Does ChurnWire replace ProfitWell's free metrics? +
No. ChurnWire doesn't provide MRR dashboards, LTV calculations, or cohort analysis. It focuses exclusively on churn risk scoring and proactive alerts. If you need SaaS metrics, you'll want a separate tool for that. ChurnWire solves the "who is about to churn and what should I do about it" problem.
Can I use ChurnWire with Paddle? +
ChurnWire currently supports Stripe only. Paddle integration is on our roadmap. If you're on Paddle, ProfitWell Retain is likely a better fit for now. ChurnWire is the right choice if you're on Stripe and plan to stay on Stripe.
How does ChurnWire's pricing compare to Paddle Retain? +
Paddle Retain charges a percentage of recovered revenue, which means your costs scale with your churn. ChurnWire is a flat $49/mo regardless of your subscriber count, MRR, or churn rate. For most SaaS businesses, ChurnWire is significantly cheaper and more predictable.
Independent Churn Detection for Stripe
$49/mo. 14-day free trial. No platform lock-in. No percentage-of-revenue pricing. Just churn risk scores and daily alerts for your Stripe subscriptions.