SaaS mode

In practice

SaaS mode is the part of HighLevel that lets an agency sell access to the software under its own plan names and prices. HighLevel’s pricing page describes it as turning HighLevel into your own sellable software product [1]. A customer buys your plan, HighLevel creates a sub-account for them, and your margin is the difference between what the customer pays you and what you pay HighLevel.

How SaaS mode works in HighLevel

You create plans in the SaaS Configurator, where you set a name, price, features and an optional snapshot [2]. SaaS version 1 requires a Stripe account connected under Agency View, Settings, Stripe. Version 2 instead uses an agency sub-account, chosen as the billing system of record, with a supported payment provider configured under Payments, Integrations [2]. The SaaS FAQ lists Stripe for version 1, and Stripe, NMI, Authorize.net and Square for version 2 [3].

After a successful checkout, HighLevel confirms payment, creates or links the sub-account, applies the snapshot if one is attached, sets up customer access and marks the subscription active or trialing [2]. If you want to review new accounts first, the FAQ points to a Configurator security setting, Pause new sub-accounts [3].

Plans and rebilling

HighLevel’s pricing page lists SaaS Mode in the FAQ for the $497 plan, which the plan card calls Founder and the FAQ calls Pro [1]. The help-center SaaS FAQ states no general plan requirement, so confirm the current plan on the pricing page before you buy [3]. HighLevel’s activation article says phone rebilling works on the $297 Unlimited plan only for sub-accounts using LC Phone, and at cost; rebilling at markup is only available on the Founder plan, where the default is 1.05x to cover Stripe charges [4]. See rebilling.

Why it matters for agencies

SaaS mode changes what you sell. Instead of billing a client for a service, you sell a subscription and support the customer as a software vendor. It suits an agency with a repeatable offer for one type of business and the capacity to answer onboarding and support questions. It does not suit an agency that manages a handful of client accounts and bills for its work. Read our SaaS mode guide for setup order and limits, and use the Agency Profit calculator with your own numbers. You can see HighLevel’s current plans or start a HighLevel trialaffiliate (opens HighLevel in a new tab) before deciding.

Limits worth knowing

The Configurator and FAQ pages list several constraints. SaaS version 2 does not support proration for tier changes, interval changes or both together [2]. The two pages differ on interval changes: the Configurator says a supported upgrade or downgrade can switch between monthly and annual [2], while the FAQ says interval changes are not currently supported on existing subscriptions [3]. Check both before you design a plan ladder. Plans in one category should share a currency, so use separate categories for different currencies [2]. Stripe cannot be disconnected while active SaaS billing depends on it [3]. A sub-account can use only one SaaS version at a time [3]. Read the current pages before you launch, because these details change.

Who SaaS mode does not suit

If you only bill clients for services, you do not need SaaS mode. If you do not want to support software users, or are not ready to learn a large platform, plan for that cost. Our SaaS mode pricing guide walks through the plan economics.

Common mistakes

• Treating SaaS mode as passive income. You become the customer’s software vendor, including support.
• Selling through a funnel without checking the product is tagged as an Agency Plan; the FAQ’s first check when no sub-account appears is that tag [3].
• Trying to change currency after sale links or active subscriptions exist, which the FAQ says you cannot do [3].
• Testing with test-mode purchases and expecting a sub-account; the FAQ says they do not create one [3].
• Pricing below the cost of usage, because usage is charged on top of the plan.

FAQ

Do I need Stripe for SaaS mode? Version 1 needs Stripe. Version 2 supports Stripe, NMI, Authorize.net and Square [3].

Do customers get a sub-account automatically? Yes, after a successful checkout of a SaaS plan [2].

What happens when SaaS is disabled for a sub-account? Per the SaaS FAQ, the wallet is permanently deleted, the agency receives the wallet balance by email, and the agency must handle any refund itself [3].