Pages: Pricing

Guides pricing page content, structure, and conversion optimization. Covers self-serve plans, enterprise/contact sales, API/usage-based pricing, and special programs (startups, education).

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Initial Assessment

Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for product, audience, and pricing strategy.

Identify:

1. Pricing model: Subscription, one-time, usage-based, freemium, hybrid
2. Plans: Number of tiers, differentiation; enterprise vs self-serve
3. Primary goal: Sign up, contact sales, trial
4. Objections: Price sensitivity, "which plan?" confusion
5. Special programs: Startups, education, nonprofit (link or embed)
6. Visibility: Public page vs contact-sales-only; marketing site vs in-app

Pricing Visibility & Placement

Public vs Hidden Pricing

Show public pricing	Hide (contact sales only)
Self-serve / SMB; standard tiers	Enterprise; highly customized
Competitive market; transparency differentiates	Premium positioning; consultative sales
Simple pricing model	New category; value exceeds cost in prospect's mind
86% of B2B buyers want transparency; hidden pricing is a top deterrent	Custom deployments, SLA, volume; fixed price misleading

Middle ground: "Starting from," price ranges, or calculator—clarity without rigid commitment.

Where Pricing Lives

Location	Audience	Purpose
Marketing site	Unlogged visitors	Acquisition; standalone /pricing page; main nav or footer
In-app / Dashboard	Logged-in users	Subscription management; Settings → Billing/Subscription in sidebar; upgrade/downgrade, payment

Marketing site = conversion; In-app billing = retention and plan management. Not all sites need public pricing in nav—enterprise-only products may use "Contact sales" as primary CTA.

Pricing Models

Model	Use
Subscription	Recurring; monthly/annual; most SaaS
Freemium	Free tier + paid; adoption then conversion
Usage-based	Pay per use; API calls, tokens, credits
One-time	Perpetual license; some tools
Hybrid	Base + usage; tiered + overage

Pricing Page Structure

Section	Purpose
Headline	Value-focused; "Simple pricing" or benefit-led
Pricing model selector	Monthly/annual toggle; show annual savings (15–25%); usage-based calculator if applicable
Plan comparison	Clear table or cards; feature comparison; "Best for" per tier
Enterprise / Contact sales	Separate tier; "Contact us," "Custom pricing"; SLA, dedicated support; volume discount
API / Usage pricing	If API product: token/request pricing; tiers (Standard/Flex/Batch); overage; link to /api or docs
Special programs	Startups, education, nonprofit; link to startups-page or embed block
FAQ	Billing, cancellation, refunds, API limits, enterprise
Social proof	Testimonials, logos, "X companies trust us"
CTA	Per plan or unified "Get started"; "Contact sales" for enterprise
Guarantee	Money-back, free trial, no credit card
Comparison	Brief price vs alternatives; link to alternatives-page

Best Practices

Plan Presentation

• Tier design: 2–4 tiers; avoid too many options; 3 tiers optimal (decoy effect)
• Anchoring: Lead with mid-tier or annual discount; anchor high to make mid-tier feel reasonable
• Decoy effect: Middle tier as "Goldilocks" choice; "Most popular" or "Best value" badge
• Differentiation: Clear "best for" per tier; value metric (seats, API calls, projects)
• Feature clarity: What's included; outcome-first ("Save 10 hours/week") over feature-first ("Advanced API"); avoid vague "Advanced features"
• Price display: Monthly vs annual; show savings explicitly
• Comparison: Help user choose (quiz, comparison table)

Usage-Based & Credits

• Consumption visibility: Show credits/usage clearly; avoid "bill shock" from opaque consumption
• Wording: Avoid vague "Unlimited" if soft limits exist; use "Extended" or state limits explicitly

Enterprise & API Pricing

Scenario	Use
Enterprise	Separate tier; "Contact sales," "Custom pricing"; SLA, dedicated support, volume discount
API / Usage-based	Token/request pricing; tier (Standard/Flex/Batch); overage; link to api-page or docs
Hybrid	Base subscription + usage; show base + overage clearly

Conversion Psychology

• Anchor high: Present highest tier first; mid-tier feels more reasonable
• Loss aversion: Money-back, no CC trial, cancel anytime—reduce perceived risk
• Transparency: No hidden fees; 73% of users value transparent pricing
• Trust signals: Logo, testimonial, "X+ companies"; guarantee near CTA

Objection Handling

• Price: ROI, cost per use, comparison to alternatives
• Commitment: Free trial, no CC, cancel anytime
• Uncertainty: Guarantee, case studies, support

Promo & Discounts

• Annual discount: Highlight 15–25% for annual prepay
• Promo placement: Top banner or promo block on page; see top-banner-generator
• Startups/Education: Link to startups-page or education-program page; or "Special plans" block on pricing page. When discount applies at registration, registration flow is P0; pricing page is P1. See education-program for placement priority.

SEO

• Title: "Pricing | [Product]" or "Plans & Pricing"
• Meta: Include price range or "Start free" if applicable
• Schema: Consider Product/Offer structured data

Output Format

• Visibility (public page vs contact-sales-only; marketing nav vs in-app billing)
• Headline options
• Pricing model (Subscription/Usage-based/Hybrid)
• Plan structure (tiers, features, pricing display; include Enterprise, API if applicable)
• Special programs (Startups/Education link or block)
• API/Usage display (if applicable)
• Anchoring and Decoy approach
• FAQ topics and sample answers (billing, API limits, enterprise, refund)
• CTA copy per plan
• Objection handling copy
• SEO metadata

Related Skills

• pricing-strategy: Base price structure, tier design, anchoring; pricing-page is execution
• discount-marketing-strategy: Promotional pricing, annual discount, seasonal campaigns
• api-page-generator: API pricing, usage-based limits; developer audience
• education-program: Student/education discount channel; placement (registration P0, pricing P1)
• startups-page-generator: Special plans; Startups/Education discount; link from pricing
• services-page-generator: Service tiers; contact sales; custom quote
• alternatives-page-generator: Price comparison; competitor comparison
• landing-page-generator: Click-through landing pages often send to pricing; LP CTA destination
• homepage-generator: Homepage links to pricing
• website-structure: Page priority; when pricing belongs in nav vs contact-sales-only
• features-page-generator: Features inform plan differentiation
• top-banner-generator: Promo banner; discount code display
• schema-markup: Product/Offer schema for pricing