> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://flowglad.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pricing Models

> Explore different pricing model patterns and implementations with Flowglad

## Overview

Flowglad supports flexible pricing models to fit various business needs. This guide explores different pricing patterns with complete example implementations. Each pattern includes a fully functional example project you can reference or fork.

## Example Implementations

### Generation-based Subscription

A hybrid pricing model combining subscriptions, one-time payments, and usage-based billing - perfect for AI-powered applications with variable compute costs.

[Next.js](/guides/nextjs/generation-based-subscription) | [Tanstack Start](/guides/tanstack-start/generation-based-subscription) | [React + Vite](/guides/react-vite/generation-based-subscription)

**Features:**

* Recurring subscription plans
* One-time credit topups
* Usage-based quotas per plan for resource consumption (e.g., image generation)
* Subscription management

**Use Cases:**

* AI image generation services
* API platforms with consumption-based pricing
* Compute platform with subscription and additional paid usage

### Tiered Usage-Gated Subscription

Tiered subscription plans with usage limits and feature access varying by tier - similar to ChatGPT's pricing model with different quotas and capabilities per plan level.

[Next.js](/guides/nextjs/tiered-usage-gated-subscription)

**Features:**

* Multiple subscription tiers (e.g., Free, Plus, Pro, Business)
* Feature access controlled by subscription tier
* Usage credit grants that renew monthly
* Multiple usage meters with tier-specific limits

**Use Cases:**

* Freemium SaaS products
* AI chat applications with tiered usage
* Collaboration tools with seat-based pricing

### Usage Limit Subscription

Hybrid subscription model with included usage credits that renew each billing period, plus optional overage billing.

[Next.js](/guides/nextjs/usage-limit-subscription)

**Features:**

* Base subscription with included usage credits
* Monthly credit renewal on billing cycle
* Optional on-demand credit purchases
* Multiple plans with different usage allowances
* Real-time usage tracking and balance monitoring

**Use Cases:**

* API platforms (like Cursor, Anthropic, OpenAI)
* Analytics platforms with query limits

## Choosing a Pricing Model

### Generation-based / Hybrid Model

Choose this when:

* Costs vary significantly per user action
* You want to offer both subscription and pay-as-you-go options
* Resource consumption is unpredictable
* You need to monetize specific high-cost features

### Tiered Usage-Gated Model

Choose this when:

* You want a clear upgrade path from free to paid
* Different user segments need different feature sets
* Usage patterns are relatively predictable
* You want to gate premium features behind higher tiers

### Usage Limit Model

Choose this when:

* Most users fit within predictable usage ranges
* You want to provide certainty with base subscription pricing
* Power users should pay more for extra usage
* You need flexibility for occasional spikes in usage

## Pricing Configuration

Pricing models can be defined in the Flowglad [dashboard](https://app.flowglad.com/pricing-models).

These models can be stored in a `pricing.yaml` file in your codebase. This file specifies:

* Subscription plans and their prices
* Usage meters and their billing rates
* Feature gates and access rules
* Credit grants and renewal policies

This file can be imported/exported from Flowglad as a source of truth that can be checked into version control.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="View a Next.js Example" icon="https://mintcdn.com/flowglad/3nFx-hKFSZZP8--F/images/nextjs.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=3nFx-hKFSZZP8--F&q=85&s=1287ccbd826170ec7aab88a678be2eb3" href="/guides/nextjs/generation-based-subscription" width="24" height="24" data-path="images/nextjs.svg">
    See a generation based subscription example in Next.js
  </Card>

  <Card title="View Example Projects" icon="github" href="https://github.com/flowglad/examples">
    Browse the complete example implementations
  </Card>

  <Card title="Usage Metering" icon="chart-line" href="/features/usage#usage-based-billing">
    Learn about tracking and billing usage
  </Card>
</CardGroup>