After years of subscription saturation, businesses are questioning the value of paying monthly fees for software that may or may not deliver results.
The future belongs to a new model:
Outcome-based SaaS that aligns vendor success directly with customer results.
Companies are increasingly demanding proof before payment, creating the perfect environment for an outcome-first model.
The Problem
CEOs and procurement teams are tired of paying $10K/month for software platforms that don't demonstrably move business metrics.
Traditional SaaS operates on hope.
Hope that features will be used, hope that they'll drive results, and hope that renewal conversations will focus on potential rather than proven ROI.
This misalignment creates frustration, churn, and distrust.
The Opportunity
Create SaaS products where pricing directly aligns with measurable customer outcomes.
By charging only when your software delivers actual results, you create perfect incentive alignment, reduce sales friction, and build lasting customer relationships based on proven value rather than promises.
Market Landscape
Pain Point: Companies are sick of SaaS subscription fatigue. They don't trust tools that don't guarantee results.
Market Size: The global SaaS industry is worth $266 billion, but the shift toward outcome-based pricing is expected to double adoption rates.
White Space: No major SaaS players have fully committed to a pay-per-result model, leaving an opening for startups to disrupt lead generation, hiring, and analytics software.
Revenue Potential: Charge per successful result ($5-$500 per lead, hire, or closed deal) with a 3x cap on traditional SaaS pricing to ensure predictability for customers.
How to Build This
Identify a problem where results can be clearly measured (e.g., lead gen, recruiting, sales automation). Use attribution modeling through tools like HockeyStack to directly connect software usage to business outcomes.
Create a free tool that provides 80% of the solution's value. Use platform builders like Retool or Bubble to develop an MVP.
Charge only when customers see actual results
Monetize by taking a cut of revenue or outcomes (e.g., 10% per closed deal). Cap monthly costs at 3x traditional SaaS alternatives to provide predictability while maintaining upside for you.
Free CRM + $99 per sales-qualified lead is a pricing model and a statement of confidence. When you align your revenue directly with customer outcomes, you're forced to build what works, not what sells well in demos.