Pricing & Packaging Changes — How B2B Software Companies Move

Pricing and packaging changes are among the most visible and consequential levers a B2B software company can pull. For product leaders and product managers, these moves are not just about revenue—they are strategic signals that reveal how a company views its market position, its customer segments, and the value of its product. In the current landscape, we are seeing an unprecedented wave of pricing innovation, from usage-based models to outcome-based pricing, as companies race to align cost with perceived value. This briefing, drawn from a dataset of 54 companies, dissects the most significant patterns in pricing and packaging changes, offering insights into why these shifts are happening and what they mean for product strategy.

Pattern 1: The shift to usage-based and consumption-based pricing. Companies like AlphaSense, Backstory, and lemlist are moving away from traditional per-seat licensing toward models that charge based on actual usage—whether that's API calls, data credits, or AI interactions. AlphaSense's strategic pivot toward consumption-based pricing signals a recognition that AI-era products deliver value in bursts, not in constant per-user activity. Backstory explicitly targets per-seat licensing inefficiencies, suggesting that for certain workflows, usage-based pricing better aligns cost with value delivered. This pattern is driven by customer demand for flexibility and the desire to avoid paying for unused capacity. For product leaders, this means designing products with metering in mind and being transparent about consumption to avoid bill shock.

Pattern 2: Tiered pricing with public transparency. A wave of companies—including Factors.ai, OpenForge, Demandbase, and Playroll—are publishing detailed tiered pricing structures, often with entry-level prices as low as $149 per month. This transparency is a double-edged sword: it lowers the barrier to entry and builds trust, but it also invites competitive comparison and can commoditize the product. The move toward public pricing is particularly notable in categories like EOR and contractor management, where Playroll and INS Global are listing entry-level prices, signaling a shift from quote-based sales to self-serve models. For product managers, this trend underscores the importance of clearly differentiating each tier's value proposition to justify the price ladder.

Pattern 3: Price increases and the backlash risk. Several companies have implemented significant price increases, often with visible user friction. Apollo.io's reported 33% increase and Instantly's 27% hike on its Growth plan have sparked user complaints, highlighting the delicate balance between monetization and customer satisfaction. Bitdefender's 133% renewal increase for Premium VPN is an extreme example that risks severe churn. These moves suggest that companies are testing pricing power, but they must be prepared to justify increases with added value or risk losing customers. For product leaders, this pattern emphasizes the need to communicate value clearly and perhaps grandfather existing customers to soften the blow.

Pattern 4: Bundling and unbundling as a strategic tool. Companies are both bundling and unbundling features to create more tailored packages. AthenaHQ launched a free 'Essential' tier while unbundling API access from its Starter plan, making it easier for developers to adopt the platform. Conversely, CrowdStrike's Falcon Flex allows enterprise customers to swap modules annually, offering flexibility within a bundled portfolio. Semrush is integrating AI search features into core tiers, while also discontinuing its free tier—a move that pushes users toward paid plans. This pattern reflects a broader trend of modular packaging that lets customers pay for what they need, but it also complicates the product line and requires careful positioning to avoid confusion.

What this means for product leaders and product managers: The pricing and packaging changes observed across these 54 companies signal a market in flux, where traditional models are being challenged by AI and usage-based economics. Product leaders must think of pricing as a product feature, not an afterthought. They need to design pricing models that are flexible enough to accommodate different customer segments, transparent enough to build trust, and value-based enough to justify premium prices. The key is to align pricing with the actual value delivered, whether that's through usage, outcomes, or tiered features, and to communicate changes clearly to avoid backlash.