Stop Guessing Your AI Costs. Download the 2026 AI Pricing Report.

A comprehensive study analyzing how 296 software buyers across industries evaluate, experience, and budget for AI pricing.

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the Budget Problem

The Hidden Cost of AI Implementation.

9 out of 10 buyers have blown past their initial budgets. Learn why Al features generate unexpected internal demand and adoption velocity that standard SaaS models fail to account for.

89%

of AI buyers exceed initial budget

We asked 263 organizations if their AI spending went over budget.

Yes, significantly

45%

Yes, moderately

44%

Too early to tell

295

₊

Enterprise software buyers surveyed across ARR segments

have exceeded what they initially budgeted for AI

rank predictable total cost as a top-3 priority

rank cost unpredictability among their top concerns about AI pricing

find credit and token pricing harder to evaluate for AI than for SaaS

name IT as the primary owner of AI cost risk

want soft caps with alerts and approval workflows

rank lowest entry price last – the lowest-ranked criterion in the study

The Evaluation Problem

Predictability Over  Entry Price.

Buyers will actively pay a higher premium for a stable, predictable cost structure over a low entry fee. See how seat-based models stack up against consumption, tokens, and outcome-based pricing models.

Seat-based

+29

Net evaluation score

Easiest to evaluate

Hardest to evaluate

43%

14%

Navigating the Reality of Enterprise AI Adoption.

AI's unpredictable costs and confusing credit models are wrecking traditional software budgets. Based on insights from 296 enterprise buyers, this study explains why most SaaS evaluation models just don't work for AI.