According to G2’s 2026 AI Agents Insight Report, just 9% of B2B software buyers consider per-seat pricing fair for AI agent services, while a majority prefer usage-based models amid growing agent adoption and rising budgets.
- Only 9% of buyers find per-seat pricing fair for AI agent software.
- 57% prefer usage-based pricing to control costs and align with actual use.
- 74% of customers plan to compare vendors at contract renewal in 2027.
What happened
The 2026 AI Agents Insight Report by G2 surveyed 1,019 B2B decision-makers worldwide and uncovered a decisive shift in how buyers view pricing models for AI agents. While 86% of respondents confirmed purchasing AI agent software or services in the last year, only a small fraction consider the prevailing per-seat pricing fair or effective. Instead, usage-based pricing gained favor as it better reflects the continuous, autonomous nature of AI agents unlike traditional per-user fees.
Additionally, many organizations are investing heavily in AI agent technology, with budgets exceeding $1 million annually in roughly half of companies surveyed. The rising importance of ecosystem connectivity and agent capabilities underscores that buyers expect AI tools to integrate deeply with existing platforms. At the same time, concerns about oversight costs and unpredictable operating expenses highlight the need for transparent, controlled billing methods.
Why it matters
This shift away from per-seat pricing marks a fundamental change in how SaaS vendors must structure offers around AI capabilities. Agents operate continuously and their consumption patterns differ drastically from human users, making legacy seat-based licenses misaligned with actual usage and value delivered. Vendors that cling to old pricing risk losing customers, especially as three-quarters of buyers intend to run competitive pilots when contracts renew in 2027.
The cost control challenges reported by nearly half of buyers indicate a market demand for metered plans that include usage dashboards, spending caps, and granular controls. Oversight and rework also significantly impact productivity gains achieved with agents, suggesting buyers will scrutinize total cost of ownership, inclusive of supervision efforts. The trend towards custom-building agents on platforms rather than relying on ready-made solutions amplifies the need for broad connectivity and flexible pricing.
What to watch next
SaaS companies offering AI agents should prioritize introducing or expanding usage-based pricing models paired with clear usage monitoring tools. Launching metered plans without safeguards against runaway costs may result in procurement pushback. Providers will also need to enhance their ecosystems and APIs to accommodate buyers increasingly creating bespoke agents that integrate with multiple platforms.
As agent budgets grow and larger line items become common, vendors able to demonstrate cost savings or net headcount impact will gain advantage when CFOs demand ROI proof. Meanwhile, renewal cycles in 2027 will be critical testing grounds to see which pricing approaches and product capabilities win in a competitive environment where buyers are both price sensitive and expect sophisticated agent functionality.