> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://alguna.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# B2B SaaS

> Per-seat, tiered, and hybrid pricing for software companies

Modern SaaS businesses are moving beyond simple per-seat pricing. Research shows 43% of SaaS companies now use hybrid models combining subscriptions with usage-based components.

***

## Common SaaS Pricing Models

| Model           | How It Works                    | Best For                                   | Examples                                      |
| --------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- |
| **Per-seat**    | Charge per user per month       | Collaboration tools, productivity software | Slack ($8.75/user), Figma ($15/editor)        |
| **Tiered**      | Feature bundles at price points | Products with clear upgrade paths          | HubSpot (Starter → Professional → Enterprise) |
| **Usage-based** | Pay for what you consume        | Infrastructure, APIs, variable workloads   | Twilio (per SMS), Mailchimp (per contact)     |
| **Hybrid**      | Base subscription + usage       | Enterprise software with AI features       | Microsoft Copilot (\$30/seat + credits)       |

***

## Recommended Alguna Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your product catalog">
    Navigate to **Products** → **Add Product**

    * Create your core product (e.g., "Pro Plan")
    * Add seat-based add-ons (e.g., "Additional Users")
    * Add usage-based add-ons if needed (e.g., "API Calls")
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build your plans">
    Navigate to **Plans** → **Create Plan**

    * **Starter**: Fixed monthly fee, limited features
    * **Professional**: Per-seat pricing with more features
    * **Enterprise**: Custom pricing (use as quote template)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure billing">
    Navigate to **Settings** → **Billing**

    * Set billing frequency (monthly or annual with discount)
    * Enable proration for mid-cycle upgrades
    * Configure auto-renewal settings
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up self-serve checkout">
    Enable customers to sign up for Starter and Professional plans without talking to sales. See [Self-Serve Quickstart](/quickstarts/self-serve).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create quote templates for Enterprise">
    Use Plans as starting templates for custom enterprise deals with volume discounts, multi-year terms, and custom SLAs. See [Sales-Led Quickstart](/quickstarts/sales-led).
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Billing Flow

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A[Customer Signs Up] --> B{Self-Serve or Sales?}
    B -->|Self-Serve| C[Checkout: Select Plan]
    B -->|Sales| D[Quote: Custom Terms]
    C --> E[Subscription Created]
    D --> F[Quote Signed]
    F --> E
    E --> G[Monthly Invoice]
    G --> H[Auto-Charge or Send Invoice]
    E --> I[Usage Tracked]
    I --> J[Overage on Next Invoice]
```

***

## Annual vs. Monthly Billing

| Billing Frequency               | Pros                                | Cons                                   |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Monthly**                     | Lower commitment, easier to start   | Higher churn, less predictable revenue |
| **Annual**                      | Better retention, cash upfront      | Harder to close, refund complexity     |
| **Annual with monthly payment** | Balance of commitment and cash flow | More complex billing                   |

<Tip>
  Offer 15-20% discount for annual prepayment. This improves retention and cash flow while giving customers a clear incentive.
</Tip>

***

## Key Features to Configure

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Plans" icon="rectangle-list" href="/pricing/plans">
    Create tiered plans with different features and pricing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Proration" icon="percent" href="/subscriptions/proration">
    Handle mid-cycle upgrades and downgrades fairly.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quotes" icon="file-contract" href="/quotes/create-quotes">
    Create custom quotes for enterprise deals.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customer Portal" icon="browser" href="/hosted/customer-portal">
    Enable self-service account management.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## API Reference

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Subscriptions API" icon="repeat" href="/api-reference/subscriptions/createSubscription">
    Create and manage subscriptions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans API" icon="rectangle-list" href="/api-reference/plans/listPlans">
    Retrieve plan details for checkout.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customers API" icon="users" href="/api-reference/customers/create">
    Create and manage customer accounts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhooks" icon="webhook" href="/api-reference/webhooks">
    Get notified of subscription events.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Related Quick Starts

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Self-Serve (PLG)" icon="cart-shopping" href="/quickstarts/self-serve">
    Credit card checkout and in-app upgrades.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sales-Led" icon="handshake" href="/quickstarts/sales-led">
    Custom quotes and enterprise contracts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hybrid Motion" icon="arrows-split-up-and-left" href="/quickstarts/hybrid-motion">
    Combine self-serve and sales motions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Card title="← Back to Quick Starts" icon="arrow-left" href="/quickstarts/overview">
  See all quick start guides
</Card>