How to Charge for AI Features in SaaS: 5 Pricing Models
You charge for AI features in a SaaS in one of five ways: include them in a flat plan, sell a higher AI tier, sell prepaid credits, meter usage, or price per seat. Pocketsflow supports all five: plans and credits work on every Pocketsflow account, and usage metering and per-seat pricing are part of the Pocketsflow Pro plan.
Why AI features need their own pricing
AI features cost money every time someone uses them. A classic SaaS feature costs about the same for a light user and a heavy one. An AI feature does not: each prompt, image or transcript has a model cost. The pricing question for AI is who carries that cost, and when the customer pays for it.
The five ways to charge for AI features, compared
| Model | How the customer pays | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat plan | Same price, AI included | Light, predictable AI use |
| AI add-on tier | A higher plan unlocks AI | AI that only some users want |
| Prepaid credits | Buys a balance, spends it | Uneven, job-by-job use |
| Usage metering | Billed for use after the period | Teams on a monthly plan |
| Per seat | Price times users | AI used by every team member |
A flat plan with AI included
A flat plan is the simplest way to charge for AI: one monthly price, AI features included. On Pocketsflow you create a subscription with a price, a period and an optional trial, and grant access from the signed subscription webhooks. Set a fair-use limit in your app, such as a number of generations a month, so one heavy user cannot eat your margin. A flat plan fits when the AI is a small part of the product and its cost per user is low.
An AI add-on tier
An AI add-on tier keeps the base plan cheap and puts AI in a higher plan, such as "Pro with AI". On Pocketsflow you publish one subscription per tier and period, and your app unlocks AI for the tier the webhook names. This model fits when only some customers want AI, and it keeps the price story simple: one plan, one price. The risk is the same as a flat plan: inside the tier, heavy and light users pay the same.
Prepaid AI credits
Prepaid credits charge for AI before it runs. On Pocketsflow, Credits is a product type: the pack price becomes the buyer's balance, your backend spends it with POST /credits/deduct after each job, and buyers can opt in to an automatic top-off when the balance hits zero. Credits need no paid Pocketsflow plan. They fit apps where one job costs much more than another, like video renders next to short text answers. The setup is in how to sell AI credits.
Usage metering on a subscription
Usage metering bills AI after it is used. On Pocketsflow you add up to five meters to a subscription, such as ai_generations, include an allowance in the price, and your app reports usage with POST /subscriptions/{id}/usage. At period end Pocketsflow charges the usage above the allowance in one payment. Usage metering is part of the Pocketsflow Pro plan, $119 a month as of November 2026. Meters, tiers and the math are in the usage-based billing guide.
Per-seat pricing for team AI tools
Per-seat pricing charges the plan price times the number of users. On Pocketsflow, buyers pick their seats at checkout, and seats added later are prorated at the end of the period. Seats fit AI tools where every team member uses the AI about the same amount, like a writing assistant for a support team. Per-seat pricing is part of the same Pocketsflow Pro feature as usage metering, and a subscription can carry seats and meters together.
Never charge one payment per AI action on Pocketsflow
Every Pocketsflow payment carries the fee, 4.7% + $0.30 as of November 2026, and the fixed part hits each payment. Charging a card for every single AI action multiplies that fixed part. Credits and usage metering both group many actions into one payment.
| Point | One payment per action | One monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| 10 actions | $3.50 | $0.77 |
| 25 actions | $8.75 | $1.48 |
| 50 actions | $17.50 | $2.65 |
| 100 actions | $35 | $5 |
Source: Pocketsflow pricing (4.7% + $0.30 per payment), November 2026. Fees on actions priced at $1.00 each.
At 50 actions of $1.00, charging each one separately costs $17.50 in fees. One monthly payment of $50.00 costs $2.65. That is why AI apps sell a $20 pack or bill monthly, never a dollar at a time.
How to choose an AI pricing model on Pocketsflow
- Estimate your model cost per action and per user. If it is small and even, start with a flat plan or an AI tier.
- If a few users run most of the jobs, add prepaid credits or a usage meter so heavy users pay for what they run.
- Pick credits when buyers come and go, and metering when they stay on a monthly plan and expect one bill.
- Add seats when the buyer is a team and every member uses the AI.
- Combine models: a plan with an AI allowance plus credits or a meter above it is common. A free trial helps buyers try the AI first, as covered in free trial vs freemium.
When Pocketsflow is not the right fit
Pocketsflow bills buyers for software, courses and digital products as the merchant of record, with tax handled. If you sell AI mostly through contracts negotiated by a sales team, a billing tool built for sales-led deals may fit better. If you need usage metering but your AI revenue is still small, the $119 monthly Pro plan can cost more than it brings in: start with credits, which need no plan, and add metering later. For self-serve AI apps, start with the Pocketsflow SaaS page, the credits page or pricing.