Three modern AI pricing models, each with tradeoffs.
Seat-based
Predictable for the customer, scary for you. A $40/user/mo customer can easily cost you $80/mo in tokens. Mitigations: hard usage caps, fair-use clauses.
Usage-based
Aligned with cost — what your customer pays scales with what you pay. Customers hate the unpredictability. Modern best practice: monthly minimum + per-unit overage.
Outcome-based
Charge per resolved ticket, per booked meeting, per generated lead. Highest ceiling, hardest to engineer measurement for.