Usage-based and hybrid pricing
Charging by work done (actions, credits, minutes), or a platform fee plus usage, rather than per seat; the fastest-growing SaaS pricing shapes as AI adds a real cost to every action.
- Hybrid share (2025)
- 41% of SaaS companies, up from 27%
- Seat share (2025)
- 15%, down from 21%
Reported by Tremont's 2025 State of Monetization report. Outcome-based pricing, charging per result, was the primary model for about 3% of companies.
More concepts & methods
- machine learningscientific study of algorithms and statistical models that computer systems use to perform tasks without explicit instructions
- deep learningspecialized form of machine learning that uses artificial neural networks to identify patterns in data
- genetic algorithmcompetitive algorithm for searching a problem space
- Altitude, depth and rangeFelix Rieseberg’s framework for ambition with AI models: speed repeats work faster, altitude targets outcomes, depth uses expert instruments and range combines disciplines.
- Outcome-based promptingAsking an AI agent to pursue a specified change for a user or system, with evidence and boundaries, instead of merely producing a named deliverable.
- AI outside judgeAn acceptance check outside an agent’s self-assessment, such as a deterministic test, held-out evaluation, measurement or separately briefed reviewer.