Subscription Vs. Pay-Per-Use For Your SaaS Companies

SaaS pricing may be complicated for many digital entrepreneurs as a function of the number
and complexity of the products and services. The first thing you need to know about the prices
is to make it fair, and second, you want a payment that attracts the most significant user
numbers.

Pay-per-use: When and Why?
The pricing model of the pay-for-use certainly has its place. Most customers enjoy pay-per-use
flexibility even if the software is not used multiple times a month. A product with an extremely
low lifespan should be offered to customers in a way in which customers can pay for services
when needed. Alternatively, if your specific services involve material costs, PPU is a smart
choice. Pay-per-use revenue models exist and will benefit numerous businesses for years to come. One
such example of a typical utility billing model is utility charges, which the consumers pay for the
consumption of goods and services. It is distinct from buying once yearly. One-time buying
allows the consumer to claim ownership of the product. Similarly, PPU provides a metered use
for an exclusive service of an entity that provides an aforementioned service at a lower fee for a
limited period.

How does pay-per-use work?
Under Pay Per Usage, the ownership and responsibility of products or services are mainly in the
hands of companies, and the customer is liable in the event they do not use their products.
Many people prefer this method because it allows them to simply purchase what they need.
Sometimes, the customer gets more support, as their manufacturer desires to make a lasting
product. Pay-for – Use has no new significance. The utility industry has used it for years as it
helps monitor usage. The IoT makes tracking product usage easier, more understandable, and
more accurate.

How Pay-Per-Use differs from Subscription?
Pay-per-use models differ from subscriptions, but in developed firms, you can see the two work.
For example, I could pay an Amazon subscription fee for my prime account, but I have to pay
per gigabyte of processing time or load balance. Pay-per-use models do not have fixed monthly
fees, and you pay as you use, while subscription models usually have fixed rates or a minimum
commitment. Pay-as-you-go, as part of the subscription model, combines prepaid subscriptions
to get people to try before purchasing.

Subscription vs. Pay-Per-Use model
The subscription model is designed as a recurring business model, where the subscriber remits
a fixed subscription fee for the subscription to the service for an underlying period, usually for
the duration of the subscription. The payment model for a product or service does not include
usage or consumer-level payments as a feature for the product. It is centered on monetary
charges for consumers. They are paid for what the user has used.

Benefits of subscription billing
The model of one-time purchases has been replaced by selling these services as recurring
products or services. Subscribing a product or service against a flat-charge relative to the
one-time purchase indefinitely and using it as long as needed is an attractive option for
customers concerned with their budgets or who have fluctuating shopping habits. Unlike
subscriptions, subscriptions guarantee that the revenues are stable, predictable, and
predictable.

Benefits of Pay-Per-Use Billing
PPU is also known as the use-based consumption model. PPU allows customers to make one
purchase for a fixed price with a commitment to use. Usage or Consumption Based Revenue
Models are prevalent among SaaS Startups and SMEs. Before the acquisition, software
companies were prone to high prices due to substantial one-off purchases, and the e-book
industry suffered from massive piracy. Cloud software services now increase acquisitions and
retain customer base through a Pay-Per-Service model.

When it works well
Payment by Use is a suitable method if it’s easy to meter and distribute services. Paid-per-View
has enabled the transition of the standard broadcast technology into multiple cable networks. In
the enterprise software industry, the transition to cloud technology creates the conditions that
provide “pay-by-you-drink” changes from a previously established business model, including
upfront licensing, installation, and maintenance costs. SaaS is usually used in pay-per-use,
subscription, or combination.

An example of pay-per-use in practice
Among the companies that successfully implemented payment-per-use is Homie in the
Netherlands. Homie allows users to order washers, dryers, or dishwashers on the Internet, get
them installed free, and only pay for each appliance. The customer may choose a “light” or
“high” contract depending on his washing habit or switch between these two twice annually.
Monthly fees include any additional maintenance and repairs. Homie’s aim is to create
dependable and efficient laundry machines. By offering consumers insight into how much
electricity they use, they are looking towards increasing the use of clean water.

Challenges to the Pay-Per-Use Model
Unpredictable usage and income Because consumers will pay to use a service when the
company is aware they need the service, their profits are not predictable. The
payment-as-you-go model was initially offered as a lower expense to clients; the payment
amounts could be predictable if needed. The subscriber will pay a premium if the capacity is not
available. Customers complain of being burned by paying-per-use models despite their lack of
flexibility if the demands are high.

Trends in Pay-Per-Use
Amazon Capex-Opex Effect: Amazon Web Services revolutionized web-based business startup
costs using pay-per-use technology. What was once an enormous capital investment in
operation and turning into an operating cost. The payment as scale. Expect another significant
expense of monetary resources to be impacted. Futurists say the rise of connected devices
such as the Internet and smart cities could lead to more user-friendly and more accessible
products. SaaS combines.

FAQ

Is SaaS pay-per-use?
Many SaaS providers provide free or subscription options. However, converting pay-per-use into
subscriptions will help increase revenue. Here supply and demand come into play.
Is pay Per Use the same as pay-as-you-go?
Payments per user are not paid-as-you-go. We provide a service for each customer for each
use. The critical difference is paying by cash transfers throughout the time or becoming
permanently locked for customers.

What is pay-per-use in cloud computing?
Pay-as-you-use (also known as Pay-for-Use) is a payment model in Cloud Computing requiring
resource utilization. Its practice resembles utility bills (e.g. electricity bills) where only actual
consumption is chargeable.

What are examples of pay-as-you-go?
Typically, pay-as-you-go models require users to pay according to their consumption amount.
For example, Cloud Storage Service Providers may charge by storage usage, and phone
services will charge by minutes spent.

Conclusion
When billing your customers, there are pros and cons to both subscription and pay-per-use
models. Ultimately, you will need to decide which model makes the most sense for your
company based on various factors, including your target market, pricing strategy, and product
offerings. If you are still undecided, consider experimenting with both models to see which
drives the most sales for your business. Working with a dedicated eCommerce partner could
make this decision more straightforward, as you would be offered the tools to test different
pricing strategies for your business and choose the right one.