What Is SaaS Mode in GoHighLevel Complete Guide
Managing multiple clients is complex and time-consuming. When you set up accounts manually for each client, repetitive configuration work piles up fast. Your team could be selling instead of configuring.
SaaS Mode solves this problem cleanly. You package selected GoHighLevel functionality into your own branded software. Your clients never see GHL underneath. No infrastructure to build from scratch. No dev team required.
But SaaS Mode has two versions available. V1 and V2 work differently. Their billing models are completely different too. This guide breaks down each one. It shows how they differ. It shows which one makes sense for your agency.
What Is SaaS Mode in GoHighLevel?
SaaS Mode is a feature inside GoHighLevel. It lets agencies act like software companies.
Instead of selling GoHighLevel directly to clients, you create your own product. You rebill clients at your own price. GoHighLevel handles the backend. You own the front end.
The basic structure:
What is SaaS Mode?
SaaS Mode enables agencies to package GoHighLevel functionality into branded plans. Each client receives their own account with customized feature access.
Clients see your branding instead of the default GoHighLevel interface. This creates a software business model where you control pricing, features, and billing.
What Agencies Can Sell?
SaaS Mode supports packaging of multiple feature sets:
Agencies define what features each plan tier includes and set their own pricing and billing intervals.
Read this: Best practices for managing local agency funnels with GoHighLevel
How It Differs from Standard GHL Client Management
Standard agency accounts operate differently. Clients access sub-accounts with default GoHighLevel branding and interface. Agencies manage these accounts but clients see the platform clearly.
SaaS Mode provides a branded client experience. Clients access your branded interface instead of the standard GoHighLevel platform. Clients pay you directly for subscriptions. The business and user interface relationship is different.
How Does GoHighLevel SaaS Mode Work?
SaaS Mode involves several key steps. The whole process automates once you set it up.
Create a SaaS Plan
Set Pricing and Features
Connect Billing
Create and Provision Client Accounts
Apply Snapshots
Manage Subscriptions
GoHighLevel SaaS Mode vs Regular Agency Account
These two approaches look similar, but they work very differently.
SaaS Plans
Regular agency accounts give clients direct access to subaccounts. They see everything. They see the GHL branding.
SaaS Mode creates branded plans. Each plan is a product you sell. Clients never enter GoHighLevel directly. They access a white-label interface instead.
Automated Client Onboarding
Regular accounts require manual work for each new client. You set up the account. You configure features. You send them access. Manual steps take time.
SaaS Mode automates everything. Client signs up. System creates account. Snapshot applies automatically. Client gets access instantly.
Feature Control
Regular accounts let clients access anything you set in their subaccount. They can explore and change things.
SaaS Mode locks features to your plan. Clients can only access what you allow. A basic plan client cannot see premium features. They simply are not available.
Read this: How to Build a High-Converting GoHighLevel Franchise Workflow Setup for Multi-Location Brands
Billing and Rebilling
Regular accounts do not handle rebilling well. You must manually invoice clients yourself.
SaaS Mode handles all rebilling automatically. Clients pay you directly. You pay GoHighLevel automatically. Everything syncs perfectly.
Snapshots
Regular accounts support snapshots, but applying them is manual. Each new client requires manual setup.
SaaS Mode applies the same snapshot to every new client automatically. Consistency is guaranteed.
GoHighLevel SaaS Configurator
The SaaS Configurator is the tool inside GoHighLevel. This is where you build and manage your SaaS business.
You do not need any other tools. Everything lives inside GoHighLevel itself.
Creating SaaS Plans
The Configurator is where you create plans. You give each plan a name. You decide who can buy it. You set the price.
Think of plans like tiers. A basic plan might have email and SMS. A pro plan might add landing pages. An enterprise plan gets everything.
Setting Pricing
Pricing options include monthly billing. Pricing also includes annual billing. You can offer both options if you want.
Some agencies charge per user. Others charge per contact. Some charge flat rates. You choose the model.
Configuring Features
Feature configuration lets you pick what each plan includes. A basic plan might have one email inbox. A pro plan might have ten. Enterprise plans have unlimited.
You control every feature limit. You decide every permission. Complete control is yours.
Adding Snapshots
Snapshots apply automatically when new clients sign up. You pick which snapshot each plan uses.
All basic tier clients get the same snapshot. All pro tier clients get their snapshot. Setup is instant for everyone.
Setting Trials and Billing
Trials give new clients free time to try the system. You decide the trial length. Seven days? Fourteen days? Thirty days? You choose.
Billing sets the payment method. It sets the payment schedule. It handles retries if payment fails.
SaaS V1 vs SaaS V2
GoHighLevel offers two SaaS Mode architectures with different billing systems and payment flows.
What Is SaaS V1?
SaaS V1 uses Stripe as the billing system of record. Subscriptions, products, and pricing records live in Stripe.
V1 works for agencies using Stripe exclusively. Many established agencies continue with V1 today.
What Is SaaS V2?
SaaS V2 uses an Agency Sub-Account as the billing system of record. Subscriptions and products exist in GoHighLevel instead of Stripe.
V2 supports multiple payment providers through that Agency Sub-Account structure.
SaaS Mode V1 vs V2
Choose V1 or V2 based on your payment setup and billing needs. V1 suits agencies already using Stripe. V2 suits agencies requiring multiple payment providers or preferring GoHighLevel-managed subscriptions.
Neither is universally correct. Choose based on your specific needs.
| V1 | V2 | |
| Billing Records | Stored in Stripe | Stored in GoHighLevel |
| Billing Entity | Your Stripe account | Agency Sub-Account |
| Payment Processing | Flows through Stripe | Multiple providers supported |
| Integration | Direct Stripe integration required | Decoupled from payment provider |
| Payment Webhooks | Managed in Stripe | Managed in Sub-Account |
| Best For | Agencies already using Stripe | Multiple payment providers or GHL-managed billing |
GoHighLevel SaaS Mode Pricing and Costs
Multiple costs factor into SaaS Mode economics before launch.
HighLevel Plan Requirements
SaaS Mode requires an Agency Pro plan ($497 monthly) or higher. The free and lite tiers do not support SaaS Mode.
Plan cost is your baseline expense. This must factor into your pricing model.
SaaS Subscription Pricing
Set plan pricing based on your market and target clients. Agencies typically charge between fifty and five hundred dollars monthly depending on features included.
Pricing strategy should reflect your positioning, feature set, and competitive landscape.
Usage Based Costs
GoHighLevel charges for usage beyond included plan features. SMS messages, phone calls, and AI features generate usage costs.
These costs vary based on service type, region, provider, and current HighLevel pricing. Monitor usage costs per client to understand profitability.
SMS, Phone, and AI Costs
Usage costs depend on the specific service and current pricing. Consult HighLevel’s current pricing documentation for exact rates. SMS, phone, and AI all have usage-based pricing models.
Client usage patterns determine total usage costs. Heavy users generate higher costs than light users.
Example Cost Calculation
Consider one client on your basic SaaS plan as an illustration:
This example shows gross subscription revenue of one hundred ninety nine dollars against platform cost of four hundred ninety seven dollars. At scale with multiple clients, the platform cost spreads across your subscriber base. This is an illustrative calculation only and does not account for payment processing fees, support labor, or other business expenses.
How to Set Up SaaS Mode in GoHighLevel
SaaS Mode setup follows a specific sequence in the Configurator.
Step 1: Choose SaaS Architecture
Select between V1 or V2 architecture. V1 uses Stripe as the billing system. V2 uses an Agency Sub-Account. This choice determines your entire billing workflow.
Step 2: Configure Billing System
Step 3: Create a Plan Category
Organize your plans into categories. This helps clients understand your offerings.
Step 4: Set Up Payment Method
Configure how clients pay for subscriptions. Payment method selection depends on your chosen V1 or V2 architecture.
Step 5: Create SaaS Plans
Build your first plan. Define name, pricing, and billing interval.
Step 6: Configure Features and Permissions
Set which features each plan includes. Define user limits, contact limits, and specific feature access.
Step 7: Add Snapshots
Assign pre-built configurations to plans. Snapshots apply automatically to new client accounts.
Step 8: Configure Onboarding
Add welcome pages, instructions, or training materials for new clients.
Step 9: Set Trials and Credits
Decide trial length and any included free usage to offer new clients.
Step 10: Add Add-ons
Create optional feature purchases beyond the base plan.
Step 11: Publish Plans
Make plans available for purchase once all configuration is complete.
How to Create GoHighLevel SaaS Plans
Pricing and Billing Interval
Feature Permissions
User Limits
Snapshots
Trials and Credits
Add-ons
Common GoHighLevel SaaS Mode Problems
Most issues stem from configuration gaps or migration complexity.
SaaS Plan Not Appearing
Plan visibility issues usually indicate incomplete setup. Check that the plan is actually published. Verify branding configuration is complete. Confirm payment gateway connection is active.
Incompletely configured plans remain hidden from clients.
Payment or Billing Issues
Failed payments or subscription renewal issues typically trace to payment processor setup. Review your payment gateway credentials. Verify webhook configuration is correct for your chosen architecture. Confirm the payment method is receiving transactions.
Architecture choice (V1 vs V2) affects payment troubleshooting steps.
Client Cannot Add Payment Method
Payment method failures often relate to customer mapping between your system and Stripe. Check that customer records exist in the correct system. Verify payment details are correctly stored.
Missing Features in Client Accounts
Feature access problems usually indicate feature permissions were not configured correctly on the plan. Review feature permission settings for that plan tier. Verify the feature is actually enabled for that plan.
Duplicate Sub-Accounts
Duplicate accounts sometimes occur during signup or checkout workflows. Check for issues in the checkout flow. Verify the subscription workflow is correctly configured.
Billing Interval Change Issues
V1 and V2 handle billing interval changes differently. V1 follows Stripe’s workflows. V2 has specific restrictions around changing monthly to annual or vice versa.
Consult your architecture documentation before attempting interval changes on existing subscriptions.
V1 to V2 Migration Issues
Migration between architectures is complex. Migrate incrementally rather than all at once. Migrate one plan at a time. Test each plan migration before moving additional clients over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is SaaS Mode in GoHighLevel?
SaaS Mode lets agencies package selected GoHighLevel functionality into branded recurring product plans. Clients pay the agency for plan subscriptions. The agency pays HighLevel separately. The agency controls pricing and feature access per plan.
Is SaaS Mode Included in GoHighLevel?
SaaS Mode is available on the Agency Pro plan ($497 monthly) and higher. The free and lite tiers do not support SaaS Mode.
Can I Create Multiple SaaS Plans in GoHighLevel?
Yes, multiple plans can be created with different pricing and feature configurations. Each plan can target different client segments or use cases.
Can I Use GoHighLevel SaaS Mode to Rebill Clients for Usage?
Usage-based billing depends on configuration. HighLevel charges for certain services like SMS, phone, and AI usage. These charges can be included in SaaS client billing depending on your plan and architecture configuration.
Usage billing rates vary by service type, region, and current HighLevel pricing. Consult current pricing documentation for specific rates.
Conclusion
SaaS Mode requires choosing between V1 and V2 before setup. Your architecture affects payment flow, billing, and scalability. Start with a simple first plan. Expand after validating it.
Account for HighLevel costs, usage charges, payment processing fees, and support costs before setting client pricing. Snapshots should reflect your target customer workflows. Use consistent snapshots per plan tier.
Test all plan features, billing, snapshots, and payment flows before launch. Test billing intervals, payment retries, and provisioning.
Monitor subscription health, billing success rates, and support patterns after launch. Adjust based on real usage data.
Migration to SaaS Mode adds complexity. Existing client relationships need careful transition planning.
Schedule a FREE 30 minute consultation to discuss your SaaS Mode strategy.
