Which Module to Choose for Subscription Management in Dolibarr?

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. The Importance of Subscription Management in Modern Business

3. Overview of Dolibarr's Core Capabilities for Recurring Billing

4. Default Features in Dolibarr for Subscriptions

5. Limitations of the Native Dolibarr Subscription Features

6. Criteria for Choosing a Subscription Management Module

7. Module #1: Dolibarr Subscriptions (Core Module)

8. Module #2: Recurring Invoices and Contracts

9. Module #3: MySubscription by NextGestion

10. Module #4: Advanced Subscriptions Pro (Dolistore)

11. Module #5: Third-Party SaaS Integrations

12. Comparative Analysis of Key Features

13. Handling Payment Gateways and Auto-Renewal

14. Integrating Subscription Modules with Other Core Modules

15. Managing Notifications and Alerts for Renewals

16. Reporting and KPI Tracking for Subscription-Based Businesses

17. Handling Cancellations, Refunds, and Upgrades

18. Automation Capabilities of Each Module

19. Community Feedback and Real-World Use Cases

20. Conclusion and Strategic Recommendation

1. Introduction

The subscription-based business model is no longer limited to magazines or telecom providers. In 2025, SaaS platforms, professional services, fitness studios, and even traditional businesses have adopted recurring billing models. As Dolibarr ERP & CRM continues to grow, the demand for effective subscription management tools has followed suit. This article explores the top modules and strategies to manage subscriptions within Dolibarr.

2. The Importance of Subscription Management in Modern Business

Recurring revenue models offer predictable income, enhance customer retention, and facilitate long-term client relationships. To maintain consistency and reduce administrative overhead, businesses need robust tools to handle:

• Recurring invoices

• Automatic renewals

• Failed payment handling

• Customer notifications

• Revenue recognition and analytics

3. Overview of Dolibarr's Core Capabilities for Recurring Billing

Dolibarr includes a basic recurring invoice feature that allows users to create templates that generate invoices at predefined intervals. This provides some level of subscription capability but lacks many critical features like automated payments or customer dashboards.

4. Default Features in Dolibarr for Subscriptions

• Invoice templates with recurrence

• Definition of start and end dates

• Manual triggering or cron-based automation

• Email notification settings (manual)

• Contract modules for basic service agreement tracking

5. Limitations of the Native Dolibarr Subscription Features

• No integrated payment gateway automation

• Limited UI for managing active subscriptions

• No customer portal for subscription management

• No upgrade/downgrade workflows

• Minimal analytics for MRR/ARR tracking

6. Criteria for Choosing a Subscription Management Module

When evaluating modules, consider:

• Automation of billing and reminders

• Payment gateway integration

• Support for pro-rated charges and mid-cycle changes

• Customization capabilities (triggers, hooks, etc.)

• Reporting and analytics depth

• Ongoing support and update frequency

7. Module #1: Dolibarr Subscriptions (Core Module)

This built-in tool allows:

• Recurring invoice creation based on a validated invoice

• Custom frequency settings (daily to yearly)

• Manual validation or auto-validation via cron

Best for: Simple subscription needs without payment automation.

8. Module #2: Recurring Invoices and Contracts

This module adds contract-level management features:

• Create contracts with recurring lines

• Define service duration

• Link contracts to invoice generation

• Attach documents and terms

Useful for service companies and legal teams needing contract traceability.

9. Module #3: MySubscription by NextGestion

Developed by NextGestion, MySubscription expands recurring billing features:

• Customer subscription dashboard

• Auto-renewal settings with notifications

• Usage tracking and limits per cycle

• Full cron-based automation

• Integrated with payment gateways like Stripe or Stancer

Ideal for SaaS companies and managed services providers.

10. Module #4: Advanced Subscriptions Pro (Dolistore)

This premium module offers:

• Multi-level plans and pricing tiers

• Customer login and self-service area

• Auto-generation of credit notes for cancellations

• Scheduled renewal notices

• Payment retries and dunning sequence automation

Well-suited for large-scale platforms and membership-based businesses.

11. Module #5: Third-Party SaaS Integrations

Dolibarr can integrate with external tools like:

• Chargebee

• Stripe Billing

• Zoho Subscriptions

These provide enterprise-grade subscription features and can be connected via API or middleware tools like Integromat.

12. Comparative Analysis of Key Features

13. Handling Payment Gateways and Auto-Renewal

The best modules offer:

• Integration with Stripe, Stancer, PayPal

• Retry logic for failed payments

• Auto-invoicing and real-time payment status updates

Modules like MySubscription provide embedded hooks to automate these tasks.

14. Integrating Subscription Modules with Other Core Modules

Subscription modules often link to:

• CRM (for customer lifecycle tracking)

• Projects (if services are project-bound)

• Invoices and Accounting

MySubscription and Subscriptions Pro include strong linking capabilities.

15. Managing Notifications and Alerts for Renewals

Essential notification workflows:

• Renewal reminder X days before expiry

• Invoice due reminders

• Service suspension warnings

Modules should allow customizable templates with placeholders.

16. Reporting and KPI Tracking for Subscription-Based Businesses

Track metrics like:

• MRR/ARR

• Churn rate

• Lifetime value (LTV)

• Subscription growth rate

Only advanced modules or external BI tools offer comprehensive analytics dashboards.

17. Handling Cancellations, Refunds, and Upgrades

A good module supports:

• Mid-cycle cancellations with credit generation

• Refund processing through the payment gateway

• Plan upgrade logic with billing alignment

MySubscription and SaaS integrations handle this smoothly.

18. Automation Capabilities of Each Module

Advanced automation includes:

• Invoice generation

• Payment processing

• Renewal notices

• Service suspension

Automation reduces administrative burden and enhances customer satisfaction.

19. Community Feedback and Real-World Use Cases

On Dolibarr forums and GitHub:

• Users praise MySubscription for its usability and integration

• Contracts module is valued for traceability but seen as limited

• SaaS integrations are favored by tech-savvy businesses with cross-system workflows

20. Conclusion and Strategic Recommendation

For businesses with basic recurring billing needs, Dolibarr's core tools (recurring invoices, contracts) may suffice. However, in 2025, customers expect automated renewals, payment gateways, and self-service capabilities.

For most SMEs and growing SaaS providers, MySubscription by NextGestion strikes the best balance between functionality, integration, and usability. For large enterprises, Advanced Subscriptions Pro or a third-party SaaS platform may offer the necessary scalability.

Always align the chosen module with your business model, client expectations, and internal capabilities. A well-implemented subscription module can transform your revenue stream from reactive to recurring and reliable.