Should our earliest adopters or beta customers always retain the special low price they started with (as a reward for their support), or is it fair to eventually ask them to pay more in line with newer customers?

Based on the insights from our saas pricing book, Price to Scale, the answer isn’t a binary yes-or-no. Instead, it calls for a nuanced, segmented approach:

• Early adopters and beta customers have rewards for supporting your product early on, and their special pricing is one way to recognize that value. However, as your product and market evolve, it may be appropriate—and even necessary—to recalibrate pricing.

• Rather than simply raising the price for these customers to match new customers, our book recommends segmenting your customer base. This means assessing how they use your product, the specific benefits they receive, and their overall value to your business.

• To transition beta or early-adopter customers to new pricing tiers, consider offering creative alternatives. For example, you might present them with an upgrade option that provides additional functionality or benefits, or offer a discount contingent on a longer-term commitment. This not only justifies the price alignment but also maintains a sense of fairness and transparency.

• Ultimately, it’s important to communicate openly about any changes while ensuring that these early supporters continue to see value. The key is to adjust pricing with clear rationale and by providing tailored, thoughtful options that reflect both market changes and their past support.

In summary, Price to Scale suggests balancing the reward for early support with a need to evolve pricing over time. Instead of a blunt price increase, blend market realities with segmented, customer-specific strategies to keep everyone aligned and satisfied.