Updated: July 2026 | 6 min read

Executive Summary

SaaS pricing in 2026 is tracked by two primary research streams: OpenView’s usage-based pricing study, which surveys SaaS companies on pricing model adoption, and Paddle’s ProfitWell SaaS Market Report, which tracks a B2B MRR index built from more than 34,000 companies on ProfitWell Metrics. This article reproduces only figures that are directly traceable to those named reports. Where a precise number cannot be linked to a source, the trend is described qualitatively. Index values are reported as index points, not as dollar amounts.

Quick Overview

  • OpenView found that three out of five SaaS companies now use some form of usage-based or hybrid pricing (source: OpenView – Usage-Based Pricing).
  • OpenView found that 15% of SaaS companies have rolled out a largely usage-based or pay-as-you-go model, while 46% take a hybrid approach (source: same).
  • The Paddle ProfitWell B2B SaaS Index tracks cumulative MRR from more than 34,000 companies on ProfitWell Metrics (source: Paddle – SaaS Market Report Q2 2025).
  • The Paddle B2B MRR Index reached an all-time high of 4265 by the end of June 2025 (source: same).
  • Paddle reported a Q2 2025 overall compound annual growth rate of 5.1% for the B2B index, up from 1.4% in Q1 2025 (source: same).
  • Paddle reported that B2B growth rates stabilized around 10% CAGR in late April 2025 and held for 10 consecutive weeks (source: same).

Usage-Based and Hybrid Pricing Adoption

OpenView’s usage-based pricing research found that three out of five SaaS companies now use some form of usage-based pricing (UBP), either fully adopting it or actively testing it (source: OpenView UBP). Within that, 15% of SaaS companies have rolled out a largely usage-based or pay-as-you-go model, while 46% take a hybrid approach that combines UBP with traditional subscriptions. OpenView attributes the shift to the rise of automation, AI and API-driven products, where value is delivered per operation rather than per seat. OpenView notes that UBP businesses tend to achieve superior CAC payback and net dollar retention, though these figures are not broken out as specific percentages in the public report. We do not report a single “market share” percentage for UBP because the definition of adoption (testing versus full rollout) varies across surveys.

The Paddle ProfitWell B2B SaaS Index tracks cumulative monthly recurring revenue from more than 34,000 companies on ProfitWell Metrics (source: Paddle SaaS Market Report Q2 2025). The index reached an all-time high of 4265 by the end of June 2025. Q2 2025 posted an overall compound annual growth rate of 5.1%, up from 1.4% in Q1 2025, and growth rates stabilized around 10% CAGR in late April 2025, holding for 10 consecutive weeks. Paddle reported that growth suffered a sharp one-week drop to negative 41% CAGR at the beginning of April 2025, before recovering, and that the New Sales Index for Q2 was 5.4% higher than the prior quarter. These are index values and growth rates, not dollar revenue totals. The index does not adjust for inflation and reflects the ProfitWell Metrics sample, which is weighted toward smaller and mid-market SaaS companies.

Pricing Model Selection

OpenView frames pricing model selection as a choice between seat-based, usage-based and hybrid models, each with different implications for customer acquisition cost payback and net dollar retention (source: OpenView UBP). The OpenView SaaS Pricing Resource Guide provides a taxonomy of pricing models and benchmark context (source: OpenView Pricing Resource Guide). Paddle also publishes a SaaS Pricing Models and Strategies guide that defines each model and its trade-offs (source: Paddle Pricing Models). We do not reproduce specific ARPU or price-elasticity figures because they vary too widely by segment to be cited as industry-wide numbers without a single authoritative source.

Key Takeaways

  • OpenView: 3 in 5 SaaS companies use usage-based or hybrid pricing (source: OpenView UBP).
  • OpenView: 15% fully usage-based; 46% hybrid (source: same).
  • Paddle ProfitWell B2B MRR Index: 34,000+ companies tracked (source: Paddle Q2 2025).
  • Paddle: B2B MRR Index hit 4265 (all-time high) at end of June 2025 (source: same).
  • Paddle: Q2 2025 CAGR 5.1% (up from Q1’s 1.4%); growth stabilized near 10% for 10 weeks; New Sales Index +5.4% QoQ (source: same).

Pricing Interpretation

Pricing model data should be read as survey and index evidence, not as a universal rule for every SaaS company. A company selling seats, API calls, payment volume, or workflow capacity may define usage differently. The safest article language keeps each number tied to its source and avoids converting pricing adoption into revenue performance.

Methodology and Limitations

  • OpenView UBP figures are from a survey of SaaS companies; “adoption” includes both full rollout and active testing.
  • Paddle ProfitWell index values are index points (base 2019), not dollar revenue; the sample is weighted toward smaller and mid-market SaaS.
  • No ARPU, price-elasticity or “monetization uplift” percentage is reproduced without a named, dated source.
  • Forward-looking projections are labelled as such; no forecast is presented as settled fact.

Sources

  1. OpenView: Usage-Based Pricing (2026).
  2. Paddle: SaaS Market Report Q2 2025 (2025).
  3. Paddle: SaaS Pricing Models and Strategies (2026).
  4. OpenView: SaaS Pricing Resource Guide (2026).