Building an AI feature that burns through credits every time someone uses it.
Flat monthly pricing feels like I’m getting burned by power users, but metered billing seems too complicated for users to understand.
What’s the middle ground here?
Bundle credits into packages - like 100 credits for $20, 500 for $80. Users pay upfront, so you get cash flow and they know exactly what they’re spending. Throw in a small monthly base fee if you want recurring revenue, maybe $5 plus credits. Power users end up paying more through credit purchases, but everyone sees the cost before using anything. No surprise bills.
Had this same issue with our image processing app. Started with flat pricing and got destroyed by users processing 500+ images daily.
Switched to usage tiers. First 50 uses free monthly, then $0.10 per use. Easy math for users, protects your margins.
Show the per-use cost upfront in your UI. No surprises. Heavy users will pay when they see value.
This video covers different usage models well:
Revenue jumped 40% in three months. Light users felt safe trying it, power users didn’t mind paying for actual usage.
Charge per use with a cap or tiered pricing.
Try monthly credits that rollover for a few months. Keeps it simple but protects you from heavy users.