specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: SamCart
providerId: samcart
created: '2026-07-05'
modified: '2026-07-05'
reconciled: false
tags:
- E-commerce
- Checkout
- Subscriptions
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of SamCart spend. SamCart is billed as a fixed monthly (or
  discounted annual) SaaS subscription to a plan tier - Core, Pro, or Enterprise
  - rather than as a usage-metered API. The Public API does not carry its own
  per-call fee; it is a feature of a paid SamCart account. From a cost-management
  standpoint the recurring plan fee is the dominant, predictable line item;
  payment-processing fees on transactions flow through the connected payment
  processor (for example Stripe or PayPal) rather than through SamCart's own
  invoice on current plans.
notes: >-
  Plan prices are grounded in SamCart's published pricing but should be verified
  at https://www.samcart.com/pricing. API access is provisioned by SamCart
  Support and may require a higher tier; treat that as a plan-selection decision,
  not a separate metered cost.
sources:
- https://www.samcart.com/pricing
- https://developer.samcart.com/
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: SamCart
serviceCategory: E-Commerce and Checkout
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: SamCart
  ServiceCategory: E-Commerce and Checkout
  ProviderName: SamCart
  PublisherName: SamCart
  InvoiceIssuerName: SamCart
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Subscription
meters:
- name: plan_subscription
  description: Recurring monthly or annual fee for the selected SamCart plan tier.
  unit: subscription
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
- name: transactions
  description: Orders and charges processed through SamCart checkout; drive processor fees, not SamCart usage fees on current plans.
  unit: transactions
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - product
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Track the recurring plan fee and monitor order/charge volume via the API to understand the commerce activity behind the flat subscription.
- name: Allocation
  description: Map the SamCart subscription to the product line or brand it supports; attribute processor fees per product using order and charge data.
- name: Optimization
  description: Right-size the plan tier to the features actually used, and prefer annual billing (~25% discount) for stable, long-running stores.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign an owner for the SamCart subscription and review plan tier against feature and API needs periodically.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com