Usage‑Based Pricing & AI SaaS: Why Flat‑Rate Is Dead

AI-driven SaaS is moving away from fixed seat pricing—usage‑based, token-or query billing dominates for 2025 :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

Why traditional SaaS pricing fails now

- AI compute costs skyrocket with flat-rate plans

- Tiered seats no longer reflect customer’s true value

Usage‑based models in practice

- Charge per token, query, or compute hour

- Some companies offer hybrid: seat + usage credit bundles

Validate pricing via Launcherpad

- Use A/B pricing experiments in pre-launch funnels

- Survey users on what they’d pay for X queries/month

- Launch simulations via Launcherpad’s pricing module

Growth and retention impact

Aligns cost and customer success, but adds volatility—clear metrics help manage that.

Practical notes

- Start with rough estimates in validation—don’t wait for production-level metering

- Use Launcherpad dashboards to track trial-to-paid conversion under different models

Bottom line

2025’s SaaS pricing is all about usage. Validate early, price smart, and let Launcherpad help test hybrid models faster.