Pricing pages are often the most neglected part of a SaaS website, yet they are also one of the most critical. They serve as the tipping point where a potential customer decides whether to make a purchase, start a trial, or walk away. A poorly structured pricing page can create confusion, hesitation, or frustration. By leveraging the Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) framework, SaaS companies can transform their pricing pages into strategic tools that directly align with customer motivations and drive conversions.
Understanding Jobs-to-Be-Done
The Jobs-to-Be-Done framework is a customer-centric approach that shifts the focus from personas or product features to the tasks customers are trying to accomplish. Instead of asking “Who is the customer?” JTBD asks, “What job is the customer hiring this product to do?” This perspective helps SaaS companies design solutions—including pricing—that align closely with user intent and pain points.
Traditional SaaS pricing pages often segment users by company size, feature tier, or volume metrics. While this works to an extent, it can lead to confusion if users don’t immediately know where they fit. JTBD flips the script by organizing the pricing page around the outcomes users want to achieve, making it easier and faster for them to find the plan that meets their specific needs.
Why Traditional Pricing Pages Fall Short
Conventional pricing pages make several assumptions about how users evaluate a product:
- They assume users know which features matter most to them.
- They expect visitors to self-select based on ambiguous labels like “Pro” or “Enterprise.”
- They focus too much on internal logic (e.g., revenue targets) rather than user value.
As a result, users may feel overwhelmed with too many options or underwhelmed by generic language. JTBD helps remove these roadblocks by starting where the user starts: their objective.
How to Use JTBD to Reframe Your Pricing Page
Here are actionable steps to revamp your SaaS pricing page using the JTBD methodology:
1. Identify Key Jobs Through Customer Research
To employ JTBD effectively, start by talking to your users. You want to discover what goal they had when they decided to try or purchase your product. Conduct interviews that ask questions such as:
- “What problem were you facing when you started looking for a solution?”
- “What outcome were you hoping to achieve?”
- “Why did you choose our product over alternatives?”
Group recurring answers into common jobs. For example, if you run a project management tool, your jobs might look like:
- “Coordinate remote teams in different time zones”
- “Ensure project deadlines are met on time”
- “Create reports for upper management quickly”
2. Structure Plans Around Outcomes, Not Just Features
Once you’ve identified key jobs, structure your pricing tiers around the outcomes your customers seek, not just the features you provide. Each plan should answer the implicit question: “Which of my jobs will this plan help me accomplish?”
Instead of listing technical specs, highlight value propositions that tie directly to your users’ jobs. For example:
- Starter Plan: For solo entrepreneurs who need to keep track of deadlines and stay organized.
- Professional Plan: For teams that need to collaborate across time zones and deliver projects efficiently.
- Enterprise Plan: For organizations that require compliance, reporting tools, and advanced permissions.
3. Use Language Your Customers Understand
Abandon jargon-heavy technical terms that alienate new users. Your goal is to reduce the cognitive load on the pricing page and make it incredibly clear which plan is right for each job. Instead of saying “API access” or “advanced analytics,” frame them as benefits:
- “Easily integrate with your existing tools (API access)”
- “See what’s working through performance dashboards (advanced analytics)”
This change not only improves comprehension but directly links product capabilities to the desired outcomes users care about.
4. Create Plan Selector Tools Based on Jobs
Another powerful JTBD-based enhancement is to implement a plan recommender based on the visitor’s intended outcome. Ask users a simple question, such as:
“What would you like to accomplish with our product?”
Based on their selection (e.g., “Manage multiple client projects” or “Generate team performance reports”), the page can recommend a specific pricing tier tailored to that job.
5. Highlight Case Studies and Testimonials by Job
Build social proof directly tied to each plan and job. If your “Professional Plan” is for “remote team collaboration,” include a testimonial from a customer who hired your product for that exact outcome. This concretizes the plan’s value and shows real-world credibility from similar customers.
It’s not just about showing logos of companies that use your product—it’s about contextual validation that speaks to the user’s specific motivation.
Benefits of a JTBD-Informed Pricing Page
Revamping your pricing page using the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework yields several tangible benefits:
- Increased Clarity: Users understand how each plan fits their goals.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Reduces ambiguity and friction in the decision-making process.
- Reduced Churn: When users choose the right plan, they’re more likely to achieve success with the product.
- Better Customer Segmentation: Enables more meaningful upsell and retention strategies aligned with user goals.
Conclusion
Most SaaS companies design their pricing pages from an internal business perspective—tiering features in ways that optimize for revenue or operational simplicity. But the most effective pricing pages are designed from the user’s perspective. When SaaS companies shift from asking “What features should we include?” to “What job is our user trying to get done?”, they move from confusion to clarity, from friction to flow.
That’s why embracing the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework is not just a tactical improvement—it’s a strategic imperative for any SaaS company serious about growth and long-term customer loyalty.
FAQ: SaaS Pricing Pages and JTBD
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What is Jobs-to-Be-Done, and how is it different from user personas?
JTBD focuses on the outcome a user is trying to achieve, rather than demographic characteristics. It helps you understand context-driven decisions customers make. -
Do I need to reorganize my pricing tiers completely?
Not necessarily. You can often keep the same plans structurally but rename and reposition them around the jobs users are hiring your product for. -
How do I uncover what jobs my users want to get done?
Conduct user interviews, analyze customer support tickets, and review churn data to identify the common goals and pain points users experience. -
Can JTBD work for B2B and B2C SaaS products?
Absolutely. Whether you’re targeting enterprises or individual consumers, every user has a job they want to get done with your product. -
Should the job be mentioned in the pricing page headline?
It’s a great idea. Leading with the job or the user’s goal helps them instantly understand relevance and where they fit.