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Proposals · head to head

17hats vs Lago

17hats logo

17hats

Proposals

Small business client workflow with quotes, contracts, invoices and automated follow up sequences

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lago logo

Lago

Accounting

Open-source billing infrastructure for usage-based models

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lago has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 17hats the interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.; Lago free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap
  • They diverge on capability: 17hats covers Workflow automation, Lago covers Real-time usage metering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 17hats and Lago actually diverge.

Attributes where 17hats and Lago differ
Attribute17hatsLago
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteFreemium with optional paid tiers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC
CategoryProposalsAccounting

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 17hats

  • Workflow automation
  • Quotes and contracts
  • Invoicing and payments
  • Lead capture forms
  • Questionnaires
  • Bookkeeping basics
  • Calendar and time tracking

Only in Lago

  • Real-time usage metering
  • Multiple pricing models
  • Automated invoicing
  • Prepaid credits
  • Entitlements
  • Multi-currency support
  • Payment orchestration
  • Revenue analytics

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

17hats

  • A photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a yearnot Lago
  • Automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly tasknot Lago
  • Capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entrynot Lago
  • A sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than threenot Lago

Lago

  • Building usage-based billing for high-volume APIs and infrastructurenot 17hats
  • Implementing metered billing for AI and tokenized servicesnot 17hats
  • Creating subscription and hybrid pricing modelsnot 17hats
  • Managing multi-currency billing for global companiesnot 17hats
  • Maintaining billing infrastructure without vendor lock-innot 17hats

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

17hats

  • The interface is visibly older than newer competitors, which matters because the client facing documents are part of how a small business presents itself.
  • The workflow builder takes real time to learn and configure, so the automation benefit arrives weeks after purchase rather than on the first day.
  • A consultancy where no two engagements are alike gets little from the workflow engine, which is most of what the price pays for.
  • It is built around a single operator, so a business adding staff or subcontractors runs into structural limits rather than a higher tier.
  • Payments run through third party gateways, so card processing fees apply in addition to the subscription and should be included when comparing cost per booking.

Lago

  • Free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap
  • No specific pricing published for Pro annual plan or Scale plan
  • Self-hosted and on-premise deployments require engineering resources
  • Community support only on free tier
  • Scale plan requires annual contracts and sales engagement

Pricing, plan by plan

17hats

On request
  • 17hats$undefined/year
    • Quotes, contracts and electronic signature
    • Invoicing and online payment
    • Workflow automation sequences

Lago

Free
  • Build (Free)Free
    • 10,000 managed entities per month
    • 5M usage events per month
    • 1K events per second rate limit
  • Pro$399/month
    • 10,000 entities included (graduated pricing to 100K)
    • 25M usage events included (to 500M with graduated rates)
    • 10K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
  • Scale$null/custom
    • Custom entity and event volumes
    • 50K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
    • RBAC and SSO (SAML)

Which should you pick?

Choose 17hats if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want quotes and contracts.
17hats review

Choose Lago if

  • You need real-time usage metering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC.
  • You also want multiple pricing models.
Lago review

Questions people ask

Is 17hats or Lago better?
Neither clearly leads. 17hats starts at On request and Lago at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 17hats or Lago?
Lago has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for 17hats and Free for Lago.
Does 17hats or Lago run on more platforms?
17hats runs on Web, iOS, Android. Lago runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC.
Can I use Lago for free?
Yes. Lago has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 17hats starts at On request.
What is 17hats best used for?
17hats is most often used for a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year, automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task, capturing enquiries through a public form that starts a quote and contract workflow without manual entry, a sole trader who wants client records, contracts and basic bookkeeping in one place rather than three. Of those, a photographer or event professional running the same booking sequence dozens of times a year and automating deposit invoices and reminders so that chasing payment stops being a weekly task are not what Lago is typically brought in for.
What can 17hats do that Lago cannot?
17hats covers Workflow automation, Quotes and contracts, Invoicing and payments, Lead capture forms. Lago covers Real-time usage metering, Multiple pricing models, Automated invoicing, Prepaid credits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

17hats: What is the main reason to choose it?

The workflow engine. If your bookings follow the same sequence every time, that sequence can be automated once and reused.

Lago: Can I use Lago open-source for free?

Yes, Lago is open-source under the AGPLv3 license and can be self-hosted. The cloud-based Build plan is also free with limits of 10,000 entities and 5M events per month.

Source
17hats: Is it worth it for bespoke consulting work?

Rarely. Without repeatable engagements the automation, which is the main value, has nothing to automate.

Lago: What payment providers does Lago integrate with?

Lago integrates with Stripe and Adyen for payment processing. It is not a payment processor itself but orchestrates payments through these providers.

Source
17hats: Does it handle bookkeeping?

At sole trader level. It is not a replacement for accounting software once complexity grows.

Lago: Does Lago support multiple currencies?

Yes, Lago supports multi-currency billing with automatic currency conversion for global businesses.

Source
17hats: Can I add team members?

It is designed for a single operator, and multi person use is awkward rather than supported properly.

17hats: How long before it saves time?

Not immediately. Budget for a configuration period before the workflow automation starts paying back.

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