Do you publish your usage-based pricing rates openly on the site or require customers to talk to sales for high-volume pricing, and how transparent should we be with complex usage fees?

Below is a summary answer informed by our saas pricing book, Price to Scale:

• You should be transparent with your usage‐based pricing, providing clear, predictable rates for most customers. In our book, we stress that customers need to understand how their usage translates into costs. Having straightforward metrics published on your site (or via an online calculator) helps build trust and makes it easier for customers to forecast their expenses.

• For high-volume or complex usage scenarios, however, it’s common practice to invite those customers into a conversation with your sales team. Our book explains that while baseline pricing should be public, when it comes to large accounts, there are often nuances like discounts for volume or variable cost structures that benefit from a personalized discussion.

• In cases involving complex usage fees, strive to be as transparent as possible about how fees are computed—even if that means outlining the key components or guiding customers to a support resource. This transparency limits surprises and ensures customers know what to expect, even if the final pricing may be subject to negotiation.

In summary, our pricing strategy book, Price to Scale, recommends publishing clear, standard usage-based rates for general customers while engaging directly with high-volume clients to address more intricate or custom pricing needs. This balanced approach creates clarity and trust while allowing the necessary flexibility for exceptional cases.