Fig. 01 · Glossary
Seat-Based Pricing
Also known as Per-Seat Pricing, Per-User Pricing
Definition
Seat-based (per-seat) pricing charges by provisioned user, whether or not the seat is used. Its compounding mechanics - headcount growth times annual uplift times low utilization - are the engine of most SaaS budget shock. It is also the pricing model most exposed to the internal-build reversal: 'no per-seat fee' is one of the most common reasons teams cite for replacing a subscription with owned software.
Seats are the unit of negotiation. A seat audit before renewal - who is assigned, who logged in, which tiers they actually need - is the single highest-yield hour in software cost work.
Human Renaissance glossary · operator-grade definitions · Research methodology
