Consumption-based pricing

Topic

A pricing model being adopted by some software companies where customers are charged based on usage (e.g., per API call) rather than per seat. It is viewed as a potentially unsustainable model for customers in an AI world with massive data volumes, as costs can become unpredictable and exorbitant.


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7/19/2025, 8:28:54 AM

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7/22/2025, 5:14:33 AM

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7/19/2025, 8:36:15 AM

Summary

Consumption-based pricing is a business model where customers are charged based on their actual usage of a product or service, rather than fixed subscription fees. Also known as usage-based pricing or pay-per-use, this model is emerging as a significant disruptor in the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry, contributing to a slowdown in traditional SaaS growth. While not a new concept, its adoption in SaaS offers flexibility and budget control for customers, allowing them to pay only for what they use, and aligns monetization with consumption for businesses. Implementing it requires careful planning for billing and tracking, but it is seen as a win-win for both parties, contrasting with traditional fixed-price subscription models.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Definition

    A business model where customers pay based on their actual usage of a product or service.

  • Types of Models

    Subscription + pay-as-you-go, tiered with overage, pay-as-you-grow, pay-as-you-save, hybrid models.

  • Alternative Names

    Usage-based pricing, pay-per-use, consumption model

  • Common Usage Metrics

    API calls, bandwidth, storage, minutes used, gigabytes of data, kilowatt hours of energy, outputs from a chatbot

  • Benefits for Customers

    Flexibility, control over budgets, easier to equate value to price, lower upfront risk, better alignment with value received.

  • Benefits for Businesses

    Aligns monetization with how users consume, allows tailoring offerings, encourages patient growth of account usage, potential for increased revenue as usage grows.

  • Industries Where Common

    Ride-sharing, telecommunications, energy, Software as a Service (SaaS).

  • Operational Complexities

    Careful planning required for billing and tracking, factoring in minimum usage commitments, account limitations, and hybrid structures; predicting usage for revenue forecasting.

Timeline
  • Consumption-based pricing emerges as a new model challenging the traditional SaaS industry, contributing to its slowdown. (Source: Related Documents)

    2023-XX-XX

Personal consumption expenditures price index

The PCE price index (PCEPI), also referred to as the PCE deflator, PCE price deflator, or the Implicit Price Deflator for Personal Consumption Expenditures (IPD for PCE) by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and as the Chain-type Price Index for Personal Consumption Expenditures (CTPIPCE) by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), is a United States-wide indicator of the average increase in prices for all domestic personal consumption. It is benchmarked to a base of 2012 = 100. Using a variety of data including U.S. Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index prices, it is derived from the largest component of the GDP in the BEA's National Income and Product Accounts, personal consumption expenditures. The personal consumption expenditure (PCE) measure is the component statistic for consumption in gross domestic product (GDP) collected by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). It consists of the actual and imputed expenditures of households and includes data pertaining to durable and non-durable goods and services. Essentially, it is a measure of goods and services targeted towards individuals and consumed by individuals. The less volatile measure of the PCE price index is the core PCE (CPCE) price index, which excludes the more volatile and seasonal food and energy prices (e.g., oil, natural gas, and electricity). In comparison to the headline United States Consumer Price Index (CPI), which uses one set of expenditure weights for several years, this index uses a Fisher Price Index, which uses expenditure data from only the current period and the preceding period. Also, the PCEPI uses a chained index which compares one quarter's price to the previous quarter's instead of using a fixed base. This price index method assumes that the consumer has made allowances for changes in relative prices. That is to say, they have substituted from goods whose prices are rising to goods whose prices are stable or falling. PCE has been tracked since January 1959. Through July 2018, inflation measured by PCE has averaged 3.3%, while it has averaged 3.8% using CPI. This may be due to the failure of CPI to take into account the substitution effect. Alternatively, an unpublished report on this difference by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that most of it is from different ways of calculating hospital expenses and airfares. PCE data is published monthly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) as part of the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA).

Web Search Results
  • A Guide to Consumption-Based Pricing: Pros, Cons & Best Practices

    Consumption-based pricing allows organizations to track and bill for specific usage metrics, such as API calls, bandwidth, storage, or minutes used. While it offers flexibility for both businesses and customers, implementing this model involves careful planning – factoring in minimum usage commitments, account limitations, and hybrid pricing structures. As more industries embrace this model, companies must weigh its benefits against the operational complexities of billing and tracking [...] While not a comprehensive list, other consumption-based pricing models include subscription + pay-as-you-go, tiered with overage, pay-as-you-grow, and pay-as-you-save. Consumption-Based Pricing Benefits and Disadvantages ---------------------------------------------------- Although not as straightforward as other pricing models like flat rate, consumption-based pricing is a win-win for businesses and customers alike. [...] From a customer perspective, they can more easily equate value to price. Additionally, a consumption-based pricing model empowers them to only take advantage of the features and options needed but gives them more control over their budgets. ### Business Disadvantages

  • Usage-Based Pricing Model: Definition, Benefits, and Implementation

    Also known as consumption-based pricing models, a usage-based pricing model charges customers based on how much they use a product or service. Most people are already familiar with this kind of pricing in their everyday lives—when you pay for an Uber ride or your electric bill, the cost reflects your actual usage. While it’s not a new concept, it offers SaaS companies a compelling alternative to traditional subscription models, where pricing structures are fixed for specific periods regardless [...] This type of pricing structure aligns monetization with how users consume a product or service. What makes it both unique and complex is the variety of ways it can be scaled to meet specific needs. A variable usage-based pricing model allows SaaS companies to tailor their offerings to align with customer behaviors while maximizing revenue. Here are some key examples of usage-based billing models: [...] You’ll want to keep in mind, however, that it’s important to differentiate between usage-based pricing and usage-based billing. While pricing refers to determining the value of a product or service, billing involves charging a customer based on their consumption. For example, a company may use a hybrid model that combines traditional subscription pricing with usage-based billing to better align with customer needs. Types of usage-based pricing models

  • Usage-Based Pricing: The next evolution in software pricing

    Much of the purchasing power for enterprise SaaS has been transferred to the end user. These people sit within business or engineering teams and expect to realize value from your product before pulling out a credit card. Usage- or consumption-based billing in SaaS addresses this change in buying behaviors by allowing users to start for little to no cost and pay later as usage grows. [...] ##### Step 3: Learn, adapt, and win In each step of the transition process, you’ll be learning how to connect value to price. The final step will be developing the ability to predict usage. This is one of the best investments you can make going into a consumption-based pricing strategy. Not only does it help predict revenue for your business, but it’s valuable information to your customers as well. [...] With “commitments” no longer the primary goal, usage-based billing companies are more patient to grow account usage over time. Many usage-based sales teams let reps share in the upside when customers consume more than they initially committed by transitioning to a consumption-based sales compensation structure. ### Customer success: Be proactive and look for leading indicators of future success.

  • What is Usage Based Pricing? A Complete Guide - Salesforce

    When sales, finance, and legal are disconnected, the customer feels the pain. Learn how Revenue Cloud can help. ## What is usage-based pricing? Usage-based pricing, also called pay-per-use or a consumption model, means that a customer only pays for the products or services they use. While this model was invented for ride-sharing, telecommunications, and energy industries, usage-based pricing is now common in almost every vertical. [...] Learn new skills, connect in real time, and grow your career in the Salesblazer Community. # Four Pros and Three Cons of Usage-Based Pricing (and How to Know If It’s Right for You) Usage Based Pricing: A man indicates a fuel gauge with a gas pump showing a dollar sign, nearly at capacity. ## Learn how this consumption pricing model can benefit your business. ### Mike Aaron ## Share article [...] For example, the electric company charges customers for the amount of energy they use each month. However, the cost can fluctuate widely from month to month. A homeowner may pay a high bill in August when running the air conditioning nonstop, but a much lower bill in September when they turn off the AC and open the windows. Companies can select from different types of usage-based pricing. Here are two common models: (Back to top) ## Pros and cons of usage-based pricing

  • Ultimate Guide to Usage Based Pricing - Zuora

    What is usage-based pricing? ---------------------------- Usage-based pricing is a strategy where customers are charged and billed based on how much of a service or product they use. This could be anything from the number of API calls, gigabytes of data used, kilowatt hours of energy, or outputs from a chatbot. [...] Customers are increasingly demanding a clear return on investment (ROI) and lower upfront risk—they want a better picture of what they’re using and how much value they’ll derive from your product. And 80% of customers report that usage-based pricing provides better alignment with the value they receive. [...] Customers like flexibility when they are first trying a product, which makes simple pay-as-you-go pricing a good option for onboarding new customers. But as they adopt and grow more confident in your solution, they are going to want more predictability. Therefore, customers will expect the nature of how they pay for their consumption of your product to change as their relationship with you grows. As a result, your monetization capabilities will also need to be ready to change to meet customer