The short verdict
- A visitor on the pricing page is close to buying. Generated layouts make them work too hard.
- The usual problems are vague plan names, long feature lists and no answers to the real questions.
- Help people pick, then answer what stops them.
01The default pricing page
Three cards side by side. Starter, Pro, Enterprise. The middle one has a “Most popular” badge and a glow. Each card has a price, a one-line description and a list of ten to fifteen features with ticks. A monthly and yearly toggle sits above. Under it all, an FAQ with four questions about cancelling.
It looks complete. It also skips most of what a buyer needs at this point.
02Where it goes wrong
Plan names that say nothing
“Starter, Pro, Enterprise” describe size, not fit. The visitor has to read every list to work out which one is them. Name or describe plans by who they are for: “For one location”, “For up to five locations”, “For franchises”.
Feature lists nobody can compare
Fifteen ticks per card, mostly the same on each plan, in a slightly different order. The differences are buried. Show the two or three things that actually change between plans at the top of each card. Put the full comparison in a table underneath for people who want it.
The “Most popular” badge
On a new product, it is often not true, and it does not help a visitor who is not like most people. A short line saying who should pick each plan does more.
Hidden or fuzzy limits
“Unlimited projects” with an asterisk. “Fair use” with no definition. “Contact us” where a price should be. Each one is a reason to leave and compare you with someone clearer.
The toggle trick
Yearly pricing shown by default, as a monthly figure, with a small “billed annually” note. Visitors notice when the checkout total is twelve times what they expected. Show the real number for each option.
An FAQ that dodges the hard questions
“Can I cancel anytime?” is fine. But the questions that stop people are usually: what happens when I go over a limit, do you charge per user, how long is setup, can I move my data out. Ask your sales or support inbox what people email about, and answer those.
03What we change
- One line per plan on who it is for. Visitors find themselves in seconds.
- Differences first. The top of each card shows what changes, not what is shared.
- Plain numbers. Real prices, real limits, and what happens past them.
- One clear action per plan. “Start free”, “Start 14-day trial”, “Talk to us”, each saying what happens next.
- Proof close to the price. A short line from a real customer, or a fact about setup time, next to the plan it relates to.
“Nobody leaves a pricing page because it was too clear.”
04Test it on someone
Give the page to someone who has never seen it, describe a customer, and ask them which plan that customer should buy. Time it. If it takes more than a minute, or they get it wrong, the page needs work before the design does.
05Questions people ask
Should I always show three plans?
No. Use as many as you have real customer types. Two is fine. One plan with clear add-ons is fine.
Is “Contact us” pricing always a mistake?
Not for large custom deals. But give a starting point, like “From £2,000 a month”, so people can tell whether it is worth the call.
Does the design of the cards matter much?
Less than the content. Clear differences and honest numbers beat a nicer card every time.
Can you look at my pricing page?
Yes. Send us the link and we will tell you where we think people drop off and what to change first.
