Pricing section UI design guide

<span class="blog_big-paragraph">This article is a collection of tips and best practices for designing effective pricing pages. We'll cover some key principles, usability tips, and examples of effective pricing pages. I hope you'll find something helpful in this UI design tutorial to make your pricing page better.</span>

Pricing Purpose

The pricing section is the important part of any SaaS product, as it directly affects the company's revenue and customer acquisition. It's where potential users can see the cost of different plans and make an informed decision about which one suits their needs best.

Pros of having an effective pricing section:

• Encourages users to sign up for a plan that meets their needs
• Increases customer trust by providing transparent pricing
• Reduces the number of abandoned carts and improves conversion rates
• Helps in retaining existing customers by offering them a clear upgrade or downgrade path

Cons of unclear pricing section:

• Decreases customer trust and increases bounce rate
• Leads to higher cart abandonment rates and lower conversion rates
• Increases customer support queries related to pricing and plans
• Causes dissatisfaction among existing customers who may feel misled or deceived

Pricing Anatomy

The pricing section is made up of several UI elements that work together to create a clear and easy-to-understand layout. Here's a breakdown of each element:

1. Plan Title: The title of each plan should be clear and direct. It should reflect the value that the plan provides to the user.
   ✔️ Do's: Keep it short, use action-oriented language, highlight the benefits of each plan.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use long and complicated titles, use jargon or technical terms that the user may not understand.
   
   
2. Pricing Information: The cost of each plan should be displayed prominently. It should be easy to read and understand. You can use a larger font size or a different color to make it stand out.
   ✔️ Do's: Use a simple and clear format (e.g. "$10/month"), use a consistent format for all plans.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use ambiguous terms like "starting at" or "from," use a small font size or a color that blends in with the background.
   
   
3. Features List: This is where you list the features that are included in each plan. It should be easy to read and compare across plans.
   ✔️ Do's: Use bullet points, use icons to represent features, highlight the most important features.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use long paragraphs, use too many features, use complex font.
   
   
4. CTA Button: The call-to-action button should be prominent and easy to find. It should encourage users to sign up for a plan.
   ✔️ Do's: Use action-oriented language (e.g. "Sign Up Now"), use a contrasting color to make it stand out.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use generic language (e.g. "Click Here"), use a color that blends in with the background.
   
   
5. Badge: A badge is an optional element that can be used to highlight a specific plan or feature. It should be used sparingly and only for important information.
   ✔️ Do's: Use a badge to highlight a popular plan or a limited-time offer, use a clear and simple message.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use too many badges, use a badge for every plan or feature.
   
   
6. Toggle: A toggle is an optional element that allows users to switch between different pricing options, such as monthly and yearly plans. It should be easy to use and understand.
   ✔️ Do's: Use a clear label for each option, use a contrasting color to indicate the selected option.
   ❌ Don'ts: Use a toggle for every plan or feature, use complex language to describe the options.

Pricing Page Types

A well-crafted pricing page can be the difference between converting visitors into customers or driving them away. Keep in mind the various types that cater to different needs. When exploring these options, you can determine which one best suits your product.

Here are some examples:

2️⃣-Tier Plans: Basic and Premium option - is a straightforward approach that works well for products with a clear value proposition. This simplicity makes it easy for users to decide which plan is right for them, reducing decision fatigue and increasing the likelihood of conversion.

3️⃣-Tier Plans: Basic, Mid-tier, and Premium plans, provide users with more options to choose from. This tiered approach can help increase revenue by offering a middle ground for users who want more features than the basic plan but don't need the full premium experience.

4️⃣-Tier Plans: Basic, Mid-tier, High-tier, and Premium - users have even more options to consider. However, this may require additional explanations to help users understand the differences. To mitigate this, clearly describe each plan's features and benefits.

Comparable Table: Displaying all plans in a table format allows users to easily compare features and pricing. This approach is particularly effective when there are multiple plans with dozens of features, as it enables users to quickly scan for the best option for their needs.

With Slider: This type of pricing page allows users to calculate their final pricing based on growing numbers, such as API requests, bandwidth, or user base size. The slider is typically used to select a specific value, and the pricing updates dynamically based on the user's selection.

Pricing Usability Tips

Here are most common usability tips to help you create a clear and effective pricing section:

1. Use visual hierarchy: Organize your pricing page using a clear visual hierarchy, with the most important information standing out the most. Use size, color, and position to draw attention to key elements, such as plan names, prices, and CTAs.
2. Highlight the benefits of each plan: Instead of just listing the features, explain how each feature will benefit the user. This will help them make an informed decision about which plan to choose.
3. Use a clear and consistent format: Make sure that the pricing information and features list are easy to read and understand. Use a consistent format for all plans to avoid confusion.
4. Make it easy to compare: Help users to scan plans by providing a side-by-side comparison of features and pricing. This can help users quickly identify the best choice for their needs.
5. Make the CTA button stand out: The CTA button should be prominent and easy to find. Use action-oriented language and a contrasting color to make it stand out.
6. Display trust indicators: Security badges, customer testimonials, and industry certifications, to help build trust with potential customers. This can help alleviate concerns about security and reliability.
7. Offer a free trial or money-back guarantee: This can help reduce the risk for users and encourage them to sign up for a plan.

Pricing Use Cases

As a UX designer, understanding how users interact with pricing sections is crucial for creating a seamless and intuitive experience. Here are five user flows of how they interact with pricing sections in different SaaS niches:

Project Management Tool

Meet Sarah, a team lead looking for a project management tool that's easy to use and has all the necessary features. She visits the pricing page and sees three plans: basic, mid-tier, and premium. She spends 2-3 minutes comparing the features of each plan, paying close attention to the differences in pricing and features. Sarah ultimately decides to sign up for the mid-tier plan, which offers the best value for her team's needs.

Key takeaway: Users want to compare plans and features side-by-side to make an informed decision. Make sure your pricing page allows for easy comparison and highlights the key differences between plans.

CRM Software

John, a sales manager, is looking for a CRM software that can help him manage customer relationships and improve sales. He visits the pricing page and sees a comparable table that shows the features and pricing of each plan. John spends 5-7 minutes evaluating the advanced features of the premium plan, such as email marketing and analytics. He decides to sign up for the premium plan, convinced that the advanced features will help him achieve his sales goals.

Key takeaway: Users are willing to pay more for advanced features that meet their specific needs. Highlight the benefits and value of these features on your pricing page to justify the higher cost.

Graphic Design Tool

Emily, a graphic designer, is looking for a graphic design tool that's easy to use and has a lot of design templates. She visits the pricing page and sees a slider that allows her to slide between different plans. Emily spends 3-5 minutes playing with the slider, seeing how the features and pricing change. She decides to sign up for the mid-tier plan, which offers the most templates for the best price.

Key takeaway: Users want to interact with pricing pages in a more engaging and dynamic way. Consider using interactive elements, such as sliders or calculators, to help users explore different pricing options.

Email Marketing Tool

Michael, a marketing manager, is looking for an email marketing tool that can help him create and send professional-looking emails to his subscribers. He visits the pricing page and sees four plans: basic, mid-tier, high-tier, and premium. Michael spends 5-10 minutes evaluating the features and pricing of each plan, ultimately deciding to sign up for the high-tier plan, which offers advanced features like A/B testing and automation.

Key takeaway: Users want to choose the right tier for their specific needs. Provide clear and concise information about each plan, and consider offering a "recommended" or "most popular" plan to help users make a decision.

HR Software

Rachel, an HR manager, is looking for HR software that can help her manage employees and streamline HR processes. She visits the pricing page and sees a 2-tier plan: basic and premium. 2-3 minutes to compare the plans and she decides to sign up for the premium plan, which offers features like onboarding and performance management.

Key takeaway: Users want to simplify complex processes, such as HR management. Highlight the benefits of your software in terms of time savings, efficiency, and streamlined processes to justify the cost.

E-commerce Platform

Meet David, an e-commerce entrepreneur looking for a platform to host his online store. He visits the pricing page and sees a calculator that helps him estimate the costs of using the platform. David spends 5-7 minutes entering his store's data, such as the number of products and expected sales volume. He decides to sign up for the mid-tier plan, which offers the best balance of features and pricing for his business.

Key takeaway: Users want to understand the costs of using a SaaS platform, especially when it comes to e-commerce. Consider providing a calculator or estimator to help users anticipate their costs and choose the right plan.

Cover Image Credits: CometChat Go — Pricing by Ana Moreno.

{{stars-conclusion}}

Pricing templates & Inspiration

Figma Premium Pricing Page
Figma Pricing Tables & Feature List
Figma Website Pricing Tables
Figma Web Pricing Table Designs
Figma Pricing Tables - Light & Dark mode
Codepen Pricing Table Bootstrap 4
Codepen Responsive Card HTML & CSS Pricing
Codepen Dark Pricing Plans with Glow Hover
Codepen Tailwind Responsive Pricing Table
Codepen Interactive Pricing Slider
Codepen jQuery UI Sliders Price Calculating

Cool live pricing sections:

https://lattice.com/pricing

https://wiza.co/pricing

https://www.getharvest.com/pricing

https://yousign.com/pricing-application