As Chief Revenue Officer at Dispatch, I’ve been watching with interest as a significant shift occurs in B2B SaaS pricing. The industry is buzzing about consumption-based pricing models, and for good reason. This approach is fundamentally disrupting how enterprise software is sold and challenging the traditional per-seat licensing model that has dominated B2B SaaS for decades.
The Traditional B2B SaaS Pricing Paradigm
Historically, B2B SaaS companies have relied heavily on per-seat or per-license pricing models. This made sense in a world where software was primarily used by internal employees, and user counts were relatively stable. Companies would purchase a set number of licenses, often annually, regardless of how much value each user derived from the software.
The Consumption-Based Pricing Revolution
Today, we’re seeing a dramatic shift. Modern enterprises are demanding pricing models that align more closely with the actual value they receive. Unlike traditional subscription models that charge a fixed rate per user or feature, consumption-based pricing adapts to each customer’s needs, allowing them to pay less when they use less and more as their usage increases.
This shift is particularly disruptive because it:
- Aligns cost directly with value received
- Reduces barriers to adoption
- Enables more flexible scaling
- Eliminates the waste of unused licenses
Dispatch’s Early Recognition of Value-Based Pricing
What’s particularly interesting about this trend is how it mirrors the innovative pricing approach we’ve been using at Dispatch for years. While the industry is just now embracing consumption-based models, Dispatch recognized early that traditional per-seat pricing didn’t make sense for enterprises managing independent service provider networks.
Instead of charging per user, we built our model around actual work volume – charging based on the number of jobs running through our platform. This approach shares key principles with the consumption-based pricing movement:
- Costs scale with actual business activity
- Customers only pay for what they use
- No penalty for network growth
- Elimination of unused license waste
Why This Matters for Enterprise Software
The parallels between current consumption-based pricing trends and Dispatch’s volume-based model highlight a broader truth: enterprise software pricing needs to reflect real business value. Whether it’s computing resources, API calls, or service jobs completed, businesses want to pay for outcomes rather than access.
What’s Next for B2B SaaS Pricing?
As more B2B SaaS companies move toward consumption-based pricing, we’re seeing validation of what we at Dispatch have long understood: pricing should align with customer value creation. The industry’s movement in this direction suggests that various forms of usage-based pricing will become increasingly prevalent across enterprise software.
This trend benefits both vendors and customers by:
- Creating stronger alignment between cost and value
- Enabling more predictable unit economics
- Supporting customer growth without artificial barriers
- Reducing administrative overhead
The Future of Consumption-Based Pricing in Enterprise Software
The shift toward consumption-based pricing isn’t going away—it’s the future of enterprise software. While many B2B SaaS companies are just beginning this journey, the success of early adopters proves that aligning pricing with actual value delivery creates better outcomes for both vendors and customers. As this model becomes the industry standard, companies that embrace it will be best positioned to grow alongside their customers.
Is your pricing model built to scale with your business? See how consumption-based pricing can help you align costs with value, reduce waste, and drive smarter growth.
