Switch from ProfitWell Retain to SaveMRR
ProfitWell Retain was the go-to payment recovery tool. until Paddle acquired ProfitWell in 2022 and folded Retain into Paddle's Merchant of Record platform. If you're on Stripe, you can't easily use Retain as a standalone tool anymore. You'd have to migrate your entire billing infrastructure to Paddle. SaveMRR works directly with Stripe: paste your API key, get 6 retention engines for $19/mo. See the full SaveMRR vs ProfitWell comparison.
Why ProfitWell Retain Customers Switch
ProfitWell Retain built a strong reputation for smart payment retries and dunning optimization. ProfitWell Metrics was a beloved free analytics tool. But since the Paddle acquisition, Retain has become part of Paddle's bundled Merchant of Record offering. For Stripe-based SaaS founders, this creates a hard choice: migrate your entire billing to Paddle (and pay 5% + 8¢ per transaction), or find a retention tool that works with Stripe directly. Understanding what involuntary churn really costs makes the decision clearer.
| Plan | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle (includes Retain) | 5% + 8¢/transaction | Merchant of Record fee. Retain is bundled, not sold separately. |
| ProfitWell Retain (legacy) | % of recovered revenue | Performance-based pricing. No longer available for new signups. |
| Paddle Enterprise | Custom | Negotiated MoR rates. Volume discounts on transaction fees. |
| SaveMRR Starter | $19/mo | 6 engines. Flat fee. No % cut. |
| SaveMRR Growth | $49/mo | Unlimited Stripe accounts + advanced analytics. |
Top frustrations we hear
"I shouldn't have to leave Stripe to get payment recovery"
Since Paddle acquired ProfitWell, Retain is effectively bundled with Paddle's Merchant of Record platform. If you're on Stripe, using Retain means migrating your entire billing infrastructure. customer records, subscription logic, tax handling, everything. to Paddle. SaveMRR connects to Stripe in minutes with an API key. Learn how to recover failed payments in Stripe without switching platforms.
"I shouldn't have to pay 5% of every transaction for retention"
Paddle charges 5% + 8¢ per transaction as their Merchant of Record fee. If you're processing $30K/mo in payments, that's $1,500+/mo going to Paddle, and Retain is just one small feature bundled in. Use our churn rate calculator to see what you're really paying per save. SaveMRR charges a flat $19/mo regardless of your transaction volume.
"I shouldn't have to settle for just dunning when I'm paying platform fees"
Even bundled with Paddle, Retain primarily covers payment recovery and smart retries. No cancel flow interception, no churn prediction, no win-back campaigns. Check the state of Stripe SaaS churn. you're paying a 5% platform fee and still missing 5 of the 6 retention engines that SaveMRR provides for $19/mo flat.
What You Get With SaveMRR That ProfitWell Retain Doesn't
| Feature | SaveMRR | ProfitWell Retain |
|---|---|---|
| Failed payment recovery (dunning) | ||
| Smart payment retry optimization | ||
| Cancel flow / save offers | ||
| Churn prediction (Churn Radar) | ||
| Win-back email campaigns | ||
| Card expiry pre-dunning alerts | ||
| Works with Stripe (no migration) | ||
| Flat fee pricing (no % of revenue) | ||
| fast setup (no platform migration) | ||
| Free Revenue Scan |
How to Migrate in 3 Steps
Sign up for SaveMRR
No credit card required. Takes 30 seconds.
Paste your Stripe restricted API key
SaveMRR needs read access to subscriptions, invoices, and customers. No write access. No OAuth. Takes 60 seconds.
SaveMRR backfills 30 days automatically
Your Revenue Scan runs instantly. You'll see every dollar you lost to churn, failed payments, and missed saves in the last 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use ProfitWell Retain without Paddle?
Existing legacy ProfitWell customers may still have access to Retain as a standalone product, but ProfitWell is no longer onboarding new customers outside the Paddle ecosystem. If you're starting fresh, Retain requires being on Paddle's Merchant of Record platform. SaveMRR works with any Stripe account. No platform migration needed.
Is Paddle Retain's dunning better than SaveMRR's?
ProfitWell Retain was historically one of the best dunning products. their smart retry algorithms were well-optimized. SaveMRR's Payment Guardian covers the same fundamentals (retry logic, dunning emails, card update prompts). The real difference is everything else: SaveMRR includes cancel flows, churn prediction, win-back campaigns, card expiry alerts, and revenue analytics. Retain only covers payment recovery.
How much would I save switching from Paddle to Stripe + SaveMRR?
Paddle charges 5% + 8¢ per transaction. On $30K/mo revenue, that's roughly $1,508/mo in Paddle fees. Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢. roughly $900/mo. Add SaveMRR at $19/mo and you're paying $919/mo total vs $1,508/mo with Paddle. That's a $589/mo savings, plus you get 6 retention engines instead of just dunning.
What happened to ProfitWell Metrics (the free analytics)?
ProfitWell Metrics was folded into Paddle's platform after the 2022 acquisition. It's no longer available as a free standalone tool for Stripe-based SaaS. If you're looking for SaaS metrics, you'll need an alternative like Baremetrics, ChartMogul, or Stripe's built-in reporting. SaveMRR provides retention-focused analytics, not a full metrics suite.
Can I migrate from Paddle back to Stripe?
Yes, but it's a significant project. You'll need to recreate your products, pricing, and customer subscriptions in Stripe, handle the migration of active subscribers, and update your billing integration. This isn't a SaveMRR concern specifically. it's a billing infrastructure decision. Once you're on Stripe, SaveMRR connects in minutes.
Related reads
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