Churnkey vs Gravy Solutions: Automation vs Human Agents

Two fundamentally different approaches to reducing churn. Churnkey uses software; Gravy uses people. Which is right for your SaaS?

Quick Verdict

Churnkey is better for voluntary churn at scale with automated cancel flows. Gravy is better for high-touch, high-value account recovery where human empathy matters. Neither is ideal for automated payment recovery with modern AI — for that, consider Rezoki with AI voice calls and email at a fraction of Gravy's cost.

Overview

Churnkey

Software-based retention platform using cancel-flow optimization and automated dunning. Scales infinitely with no human bottleneck.

Pricing: $0 base + percentage of saved/recovered revenue

Best for: Tech-forward SaaS teams that prefer automated, scalable solutions

Gravy Solutions

Managed recovery service using human agents for phone, email, and SMS outreach. Premium pricing but genuine human interaction.

Pricing: 15-25% of recovered revenue, 6-month contract

Best for: Companies with high-value accounts where human touch justifies the premium price

Detailed Feature Comparison

FeatureChurnkeyGravy Solutions
Cancel Flow OptimizationCore featureNot available
Voice OutreachNot availableHuman calls
Email DunningAutomatedAgent-written
Response SpeedInstant (automated)4-24 hours
Monthly Cost ($50K recovered)~$2,000-$4,000~$7,500-$12,500
Contract TermsNo long-term contracts6-month minimum
ScalabilityUnlimitedConstrained by team
Churn AnalyticsComprehensiveMonthly reports
SMS OutreachNot availableAvailable
Self-Service SetupQuick setup1-2 week onboarding

Pros & Cons

Churnkey

Pros

  • Cancel-flow optimization (best-in-class)
  • $0 base fee, performance-based
  • Instant response, no human delay
  • Scales without hiring
  • Churn analytics and benchmarks

Cons

  • No human touch for complex situations
  • Email-only dunning (no voice)
  • Stripe-only
  • Template-based recovery emails

Gravy Solutions

Pros

  • Real human agents make phone calls
  • Handles complex, emotional situations
  • Full-service (phone + email + SMS)
  • $500M+ recovered for clients
  • Personal touch builds goodwill

Cons

  • 15-25% of recovered revenue (expensive)
  • 6-month minimum contract
  • Business-hours only (delayed response)
  • Limited scalability
  • Black-box operations

Pricing Comparison

Churnkey

$0 base + percentage of saved/recovered revenue

Gravy Solutions

15-25% of recovered revenue, 6-month contract

Who Should Choose What?

Choose Churnkey if:

Tech-forward SaaS teams that prefer automated, scalable solutions

Choose Gravy Solutions if:

Companies with high-value accounts where human touch justifies the premium price

Which recovers more total revenue?+
It depends on your churn mix. Churnkey may save more by preventing cancellations. Gravy may recover more failed payments through human calls. For maximum recovery, pair cancel-flow software with AI-powered recovery (like Rezoki).
Can I afford both?+
Churnkey's $0 base makes it affordable to pair with other tools. Gravy's 15-25% fee and 6-month contract is a larger commitment. Consider Churnkey for cancel flows + Rezoki for AI-powered recovery as a more cost-effective combination.
Which is better for B2B SaaS?+
For high-ACV B2B SaaS ($5K+ annual contracts), Gravy's human touch may be appropriate. For lower-ACV B2B and B2C SaaS, Churnkey's automation is more cost-effective.
Are there alternatives that combine the best of both?+
Rezoki combines AI voice calls (similar personal touch to Gravy but automated) with email sequences (like Churnkey's dunning) at a fraction of the combined cost. It bridges the gap between automation and outreach.
Do either handle both voluntary and involuntary churn?+
Churnkey addresses both (cancel flows + dunning), though dunning is secondary. Gravy focuses on involuntary churn (payment recovery). For comprehensive coverage, consider Churnkey (cancel flows) + Rezoki (AI-powered payment recovery).

Looking for the Best Recovery Tool?

Rezoki is the only revenue recovery platform with AI voice calls, AI email sequences, and ML-powered retries. Set up in 5 minutes with one Stripe webhook.

Stop Losing Revenue to Failed Payments

Rezoki recovers failed payments automatically with AI-powered emails and voice calls. Set up in 5 minutes.