Software program consumers flip to G2 for 2 key causes: to entry unbiased peer suggestions from over 3 million evaluations and to grasp the precise price of software program options they’re evaluating.
But, an inside audit of G2’s market exhibits that solely 4% of G2 product profiles explicitly checklist costs and that’s nonetheless over 9,300 profiles as of March 2025. Moreover, greater than 2,300 G2 product profiles embody non-numerical USD pricing, with CTAs like “contact us.”
Think about if all distributors shared pricing data. Patrons may lastly escape the limitless “contact gross sales” loop, scale back deserted tabs, and make quicker selections with out unclear price expectations slowing them down.
In keeping with G2’s 2025 Purchaser Habits Report, 57% of consumers anticipate their organizations to extend software program spending over the following yr. That’s a big majority, they usually want clear, upfront pricing to confidently justify these investments.
Why worth transparency drives belief and conversions in B2B SaaS
Pricing acts as a gatekeeper for shortlisting merchandise, a belief sign for consumers, and a catalyst or blocker for inside approvals. When software program prices are seen and clear, consumers can rapidly decide match, loop in finance groups, and construct credible enterprise circumstances. With out pricing, evaluations stall, belief erodes, and distributors danger being excluded from consideration.
- Builds purchaser confidence. Patrons start their journey with constraints: finances ceilings, inside approvals, and procurement necessities. If a product would not present pricing, it might by no means be severely evaluated. Transparency helps consumers transfer ahead with out hesitation.
- Helps with mobilizing inside assist. In the present day’s shopping for committees are cross-functional by default. Finance groups anticipate upfront numbers to validate the finances, mannequin ROI, and approve spend. Even high-intent consumers can’t mobilize inside assist with out clear pricing. Value transparency accelerates stakeholder alignment, reduces inside friction, and helps construct sturdy enterprise circumstances early.
- Hidden prices delay offers. Purchaser confidence breaks down after they encounter pricing too late or when the primary quote contradicts their expectations. Lack of pricing readability provides back-and-forth, prolongs determination cycles, and forces further approval loops.
- Clear pricing builds belief and momentum. Patrons equate transparency with credibility. When distributors clearly talk pricing, consumers really feel revered. That sense of belief retains them on the web page, strikes them via the funnel, and lowers friction throughout the journey.
Sadly, pricing stays one of the vital opaque components of the B2B SaaS shopping for journey.
Why software program pricing transparency continues to be so uncommon in B2B
In contrast to shopper merchandise and even most SMB software program, B2B SaaS hardly ever comes with a visual price ticket. In reality, many distributors do not explicitly share pricing on their web sites. Whereas this frustrates consumers, it usually displays inside logic on the seller facet.
1. B2B software program pricing fashions are advanced by design
Software program costs rely on a number of variables: variety of seats, utilization quantity, function entry, integrations, assist tiers, and even infrastructure utilization like information storage or AI token consumption.
For instance, generative AI instruments usually invoice by token or API name, making it tough to publish a predictable month-to-month fee with out limitless footnotes. Distributors usually use this technique to offer value-based pricing, or to allow them to simply adapt to altering infrastructure prices.
ERP software program pricing can also be notoriously opaque.
A purchaser would possibly see an reasonably priced worth vary for an ERP answer solely to later uncover six-figure implementation prices. Some ERP platforms don’t publish pricing in any respect, requiring gross sales calls to get a baseline quote. This lack of transparency makes early-stage budgeting almost unimaginable and places consumers at a drawback from day one.
2. Sticker shock can derail a deal earlier than gross sales groups can clarify ROI
Software program may be costly, particularly while you add in onboarding, coaching, integration, and inside change administration. Distributors fear that publishing a full estimated price with out context could scare off potential consumers who don’t but perceive the product’s worth. That is very true for instruments with excessive upfront prices however long-term ROI.
Take HR software program pricing: whereas Gusto affords clear flat pricing at $59/month plus $8 per worker, different platforms within the house could tack on implementation charges that may attain 20% of the annual contract, a element not seen till deeper within the gross sales course of.
3. Aggressive considerations maintain pricing behind the scenes
Many distributors view their pricing as a strategic asset. In the event that they submit it on-line, they worry giving rivals a bonus or triggering pricing stress from clients who uncover cheaper alternate options.
The pricing grid itself can change into a part of the sport in extremely aggressive classes like advertising automation or crew collaboration. Not exhibiting your hand is a type of protection.
For instance, in chatbot pricing, platforms like Tidio (Lyro AI) publish clear month-to-month charges ($68/month), making it simpler for SMBs to guage. In the meantime, different platforms concentrating on enterprise customers reveal nothing upfront. The intent is obvious: management the worth dialog earlier than exhibiting the associated fee.
This strategic withholding of pricing isn’t restricted to aggressive head-to-heads. It additionally performs out behind the scenes. Distributors that promote via resellers or implementation companions usually keep away from publishing costs to forestall undercutting their channel or exposing inconsistent affords throughout areas.
What occurs when consumers can’t see software program pricing
Lack of clear software program pricing introduces friction all through the shopping for journey. It slows down analysis, will increase gross sales cycle lengths, and undermines purchaser belief. What would possibly appear to be a sensible gross sales tactic on the seller facet usually turns into a blocker for consumers making an attempt to make quick, knowledgeable selections.
Right here’s how a scarcity of pricing transparency creates real-world purchaser friction:
- Limitless analysis loops and abandonment: Patrons who encounter “contact gross sales” CTAs are sometimes pressured to leap between vendor web sites, third-party evaluations, and even Reddit threads simply to estimate price.
- Longer, costlier gross sales cycles: Unclear pricing results in extra inside approvals, finances clarifications, and stakeholder alignment conferences.
- Lack of first-mover benefit: When pricing isn’t seen, distributors usually miss out on early shortlist inclusion.
- A belief penalty for the seller: Distributors who cover pricing usually tend to face elevated scrutiny, longer proof-of-value phases, and extra reference checks.
That is precisely the hole G2 is closing by sharing pricing on its product pages. By letting consumers unlock actual pricing ranges in alternate for a verified e-mail, G2 makes it simpler for consumers to check software program, construct belief, and transfer ahead quicker.
Curious to see precise software program prices? G2 rolls out a pilot to point out pricing on product pages
Starting this yr, G2 is doing what evaluate websites hardly ever try: share an estimated worth vary backed by reside contract information. This expertise will reside on in nearly 9,000 paid and free product profiles on G2.
Here is an instance of what that appears like.
G2 Advertising and marketing Options product web page on G2
So, right here’s what you’ll get to see:
- Time to implement: How lengthy it takes for a buyer to arrange, configure, and begin utilizing the software program after shopping for it.
- Return on funding: When consumers begin to see measurable enterprise worth post-purchase.
- Common low cost: The share of low cost a purchaser can anticipate from the seller.
- Perceived price: It isn’t the precise price. As an alternative, it exhibits how costly a product feels to the customer based mostly on its worth, worth, and comparability to alternate options.
- How a lot a product prices: The worth vary of a software program product.
To see the pricing vary, guests merely have to pop in a verified work e-mail.
Word: On the time of writing, pricing information is reside on a number of hundred product profiles as a part of an preliminary rollout. We’re persevering with to check and refine the expertise and plan to develop this visibility throughout many extra profiles within the coming months.
How will the clear pricing on G2 profit consumers?
The brand new pricing part on G2’s product pages will give consumers a finances anchor with out forcing a discovery name. It is going to assist software program shopping for committees:
- Discard out-of-range choices early: Spot sticker shock early, shrink the lengthy checklist of potential distributors, and de-risk stakeholder conferences.
- Conduct finances checks: Patrons can see a bracket grounded in precise invoices as an alternative of guessing whether or not a software is $5K or $50K.
- Reinforce inside enterprise circumstances: A worth vary together with G2 evaluations is ammo for CFO approval decks.
- Centralize all analysis in a single place: With all the data consumers want (evaluations, product options, alternate options, professionals and cons) now in a single place, G2 turns into a single supply of reality. This eliminates the necessity to search throughout vendor blogs, boards, and on-line communities.
Obtained questions? G2 is right here to assist.
Discover solutions to questions you will have.
Q1. How does the brand new pricing part on G2 product pages assist with software program price transparency?
The brand new pricing part exhibits estimated software program pricing on product pages, serving to consumers see actual price ranges with no need a gross sales name.
Q2. Why do I have to confirm my work e-mail to view software program pricing on G2?
To guard delicate pricing information and enhance accuracy, G2 requires a fast e-mail verification earlier than exhibiting estimated software program prices.
Q3. Which software program merchandise present pricing estimates on G2?
G2 shows worth ranges on about 9,000 B2B software program profiles which have private pricing and sufficient verified contract information.
This autumn. What occurs to my e-mail after I unlock pricing on G2?
Your e-mail could also be shared with the software program vendor as a verified lead, serving to them observe up with tailor-made pricing or reply any questions you will have.
Q5. Will G2’s clear product pricing vary assist distributors?
Sure, clear worth brackets let consumers see whether or not a software matches their finances, to allow them to shortlist your product and attain out with confidence.
Q6. Is the pricing information out there for all software program options on G2?
Not but. Pricing information is accessible on a few hundred product profiles on G2. We’re refining the expertise and anticipate to roll out this visibility to many further profiles over the following few months.
As a result of nobody needs to ‘request a quote’
Getting pricing readability is lastly frictionless.
Search for the brand new “get worth estimate” button on G2 product pages. One e-mail, one click on, and also you’ll have a reputable ballpark determine to take into your subsequent finances assembly.
For distributors, that is your probability to fulfill consumers the place they’re. Changing obscure “request a quote” buttons with actual pricing ranges reduces bounce charges, captures high-intent leads, and shortens gross sales cycles. With G2, transparency turns into a conversion software.
Learn the way G2’s Purchaser Intent may also help you discover clients primed to buy.