Building serverless usage notification with AWS

In this article, we will guide you on how to set up usage threshold alerts based on consumption for customers with pay-as-you-go plans. By integrating AWS's serverless tools with Stripe, you can create a streamlined and easy-to-manage notification system with minimal coding.

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Stripe
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Hidetaka Okamoto
•8 min read•intermediate•
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Overview

This article provides a comprehensive guide on setting up usage threshold alerts for customers with pay-as-you-go plans using AWS's serverless tools and Stripe's Billing Alert API. It outlines the steps to create a notification system that minimizes coding while ensuring customers are informed about their usage.

What You'll Learn

1

How to set up usage threshold alerts using Stripe's Billing Alert API

2

How to integrate Stripe with Amazon EventBridge for event handling

3

How to use AWS SNS to send email notifications based on usage events

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • Basic understanding of AWS services and Stripe API
  • Access to AWS account and Stripe account

Key Questions Answered

How can I set up usage alerts for customers using Stripe?
To set up usage alerts for customers, you need to create a dedicated database table to monitor usage or utilize Stripe's Billing Alert API. This API allows you to configure alerts based on customer usage thresholds, simplifying the process of notifying customers when they approach their limits.
What is the process for integrating Stripe with Amazon EventBridge?
Integrating Stripe with Amazon EventBridge involves setting up an event destination in Stripe for the billing.alert.triggered event and associating it with an EventBridge partner event source in your AWS account. This allows you to handle events triggered by Stripe without needing to implement a separate Webhook API.
How do I send email notifications using AWS SNS when usage exceeds a threshold?
To send email notifications using AWS SNS, create an SNS topic and subscribe an email address to it. Then, set up an EventBridge rule to handle the billing.alert.triggered event from Stripe and specify the SNS topic as the target. This will ensure that notifications are sent when usage exceeds the defined threshold.

Technologies & Tools

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Cloud Services
AWS
Used for serverless event handling and notification through EventBridge and SNS.
Payment Processing
Stripe
Used for managing customer billing and usage alerts.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Utilize Stripe's Billing Alert API to streamline the process of notifying customers about their usage.
This approach reduces the complexity of managing a separate database for usage tracking, allowing for quicker implementation and easier maintenance.
2
Integrate Amazon EventBridge with Stripe to handle events without writing additional code.
This integration simplifies the event handling process, allowing developers to focus on building features rather than managing Webhook security and verification.
3
Leverage AWS SNS for sending notifications, which can be easily configured to alert users via email.
Using SNS allows for flexible notification options and can be integrated with other AWS services for more complex workflows.

Common Pitfalls

1
Failing to properly configure the event destination in Stripe can lead to missed notifications.
Ensure that you are in the correct environment (sandbox or production) and that the EventBridge integration is enabled to avoid this issue.
2
Not verifying the email subscription for SNS can result in notifications not being received.
Always check that the email address subscribed to the SNS topic has confirmed the subscription to ensure successful delivery of alerts.

Related Concepts

Serverless Architecture
Event-driven Programming
Usage-based Billing Models