Arcalotl vs Upgrade.chat
Upgrade.chat processes payments. Arcalotl processes payments, and then fights to keep that revenue.
Both handle Discord subscriptions and role management. Only Arcalotl recovers failed payments, intercepts cancellations, and optimizes terms automatically.
What's different
Upgrade.chat is one of the most established Discord payment bots. It supports Stripe, PayPal, and multiple payment methods, handles role assignments, and offers both subscriptions and one-time purchases. It gets the basics right.
What it doesn't do is protect your revenue after the initial sale. When a member's card expires, Upgrade.chat removes their role. No DM, no retry prompt, no card update link. When a member cancels, it processes the cancellation immediately. No reason collection, no counter-offer, no save attempt. Every lost subscriber is a permanent loss.
Arcalotl adds the retention layer that Upgrade.chat is missing. Automated dunning sequences that DM members with payment update links. Cancel intercepts that present dynamic offers based on why they're leaving. Term optimization that upgrades engaged monthly subscribers to annual. These features typically recover 15-30% of revenue that would otherwise be lost.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Arcalotl | Upgrade.chat |
|---|---|---|
Discord role management | Yes | Yes |
Stripe payments | Yes | Yes |
PayPal payments | No | Yes |
Subscriptions | Yes | Yes |
One-time purchases Coming soon for Arcalotl | No | Yes |
Native slash commands | Yes | Partial |
Direct payouts (Stripe Connect) | Yes | Partial |
Failed payment recovery (dunning) Multi-step DM sequences with card update flows | Yes | No |
Cancellation save offers Dynamic offers based on cancel reason and tenure | Yes | No |
Term optimization (annual upsell) | Yes | No |
Revenue analytics & MRR tracking | Yes | Partial |
Multi-platform (Discord + Stoat) | Yes | No |
No monthly fee Upgrade.chat has a free tier but with higher transaction fees | Yes | Partial |
Pricing comparison
Where Arcalotl goes further
Revenue recovery that Upgrade.chat doesn't offer
When a payment fails, Arcalotl sends a multi-step DM sequence with a one-click card update link. If DMs are closed, it creates a temporary channel. Upgrade.chat simply removes the role. The member may not even know what happened.
Cancel saves that turn losses into retention
Upgrade.chat processes cancellations immediately. Arcalotl collects the cancellation reason and presents a tailored offer: a discount, a pause, or a downgrade. Servers using cancel saves typically retain 30-40% of members who attempt to cancel.
Stripe Connect with direct payouts
With Arcalotl's Stripe Connect Direct Charges model, money goes directly to your Stripe account. You own the customer relationship and all payment data.
Multi-platform from day one
Arcalotl works on Discord and Stoat today, with RootApp coming soon. Upgrade.chat is Discord-only. If your community spans multiple platforms, Arcalotl manages subscriptions across all of them from one dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Can I accept PayPal with Arcalotl?
Not currently. Arcalotl uses Stripe exclusively for payment processing. If PayPal is critical for your community, Upgrade.chat has an advantage here. Most Discord communities find Stripe sufficient as it supports all major card types, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Does Arcalotl support one-time purchases?
One-time purchases with permanent role grants are on the roadmap. Currently, Arcalotl focuses on recurring subscriptions. Upgrade.chat supports one-time purchases today.
Can I use both Arcalotl and Upgrade.chat?
Yes, they run as separate bots. You could use Upgrade.chat for one-time purchases and PayPal, and Arcalotl for subscriptions with revenue recovery. They won't conflict.
Is the dunning really worth the 5% recovery fee?
The 5% fee only applies to revenue that would otherwise be lost entirely. If Arcalotl recovers $100 that a failed payment would have cost you, you pay $5 and keep $95. Without dunning, you keep $0.
Same payment processing. Revenue recovery on top.
Zero monthly fees. Revenue recovery from day one.
Add to your server - free