WorkApril 26, 2026via The Information
Atlassian and HubSpot Join Shift From AI Flat Fees
Why it matters
Enterprise software's foundational business model—per-user subscriptions—is collapsing under AI consumption. Companies are forced to choose between value-based pricing (AI usage meters) and margin erosion, signaling a structural shift in how software vendors monetize.
Key signals
- 79 of 500 tracked software companies shifted to AI usage-based fees by end of 2025
- More than double the number from 2024
- Companies affected: HubSpot, Adobe, Salesforce, Atlassian
- Shift driven by AI threatening traditional seat-based pricing model
- Data source: Kyle Poyar (former OpenView partner)
The hook
79 of 500 enterprise software companies just killed their seat-based pricing. AI usage fees are now the default.
Dozens of enterprise software firms have shifted away from charging customers flat, per-user subscription fees as AI threatens their seat-based pricing model.
By the end of 2025, 79 of the 500 software companies tracked by former OpenView partner Kyle Poyar, including HubSpot, Adobe and Salesforce, …