Billing Management: #5 Usage Billing

Billing Management: #5 Usage Billing

After understanding the nuances of Advance Billing and Retainers, we will explore one of the booming billing models.

Long ago, villagers drew water from a shared well in a small village. The well was a lifeline for the entire community. Ravi, the well keeper, spent his days making sure the water stayed clean, the walls stayed strong, and the rope was firm.

At first, he allowed everyone to take water freely. But Ravi soon realized that maintaining the well required effort; if no one contributed, the well would eventually fall into disrepair.

So he gathered the villagers and proposed something simple,

 "You don't have to pay me a fixed amount every month. Instead, pay me for the water you take."

The rule remained simple and fair. Families that took one or two pots paid less, and large households paid more. No one was overcharged, and Ravi always had enough to keep the well in good condition.

Ravi invented the earliest form of usage billing without even knowing it. It is a model built not on flat fees but on fairness: pay for what you consume, nothing more, nothing less.

 What is Usage Billing? 

Usage billing is a billing model in which customers are charged based on how much of a product or service they actually use. Unlike traditional flat subscriptions, which apply the same fee regardless of consumption, usage billing creates a direct link between value received and price paid. For customers, it ensures fairness, and for businesses, it unlocks scalable revenue growth.

As stated above, usage billing is not new. Utilities, telecom providers, SaaS companies, IoT, and several others highly rely on it. In recent times, however, it has become a strategic move by industries that thrive on flexibility.

Why Businesses Adopt Usage Billing? 

Usage-based pricing nowadays is considered a growth driver. Recent reports highlight,
  • 85% of SaaS companies have adopted some form of usage-based pricing, according to the State of Usage-Based Pricing 2025 Report by Metronome & Greyhound Capital.

  • 63% already practice it,, and 74% expect to expand usage billing further, notes as study by Chargebee in collaboration with OpenView.

  • Hybrid pricing models, where a flat subscription fee is combined with usage-based elements, are booming, with nearly half of the SaaS firms adopting them, according to the 2025 SaaS Pricing Trend Report from Maxio.

  • The same Maxio report adds that companies using usage-based pricing often report faster revenue growth (median 21%+) and stronger net dollar retention compared to peers.

 Simplifying the Complex 

Conceptually, usage billing is simple. But executing it well requires precision. Two main challenges in usage-based billing are:
  • Tracking consumption with accuracy.

  • Turning usage into an invoice transparently.

Zoho Billing provides both. It enables businesses to combine flat-rate subscriptions with usage-based billing, supporting hybrid pricing models that suit modern industries.

A subscription in Zoho Billing can be marked as a usage subscription just by a simple checkbox. Renewal invoices will include all the usage that is added and invoiced during the next billing period to ensure accurate billing. Zoho Billing supports multiple ways to record usage. Users can manually record usage individually by accessing the application. It can be uploaded in bulk using import options, and the most popular way is through APIs to push usage data automatically from your system to Zoho Billing.

Wisdom to Strategy
 
Paying only for what you use has made customers feel valued for ages. By charging based on consumption, businesses ensure sustainability and growth. From ancient water pots to today's gigabytes, transactions, and compute cycles, the principle hasn't changed, just that the scale and sophistication have changed. And with solutions like Zoho Billing, companies can turn this age-old wisdom into a modern growth strategy.

Alright, this is just a beginning. In the coming posts, we'll dive deep into how usage billing plays out across industries from SaaS to telecom to IoT, showing how businesses can apply it to stay competitive and loyal. 
    • Sticky Posts

    • Community Learning Series | Digest #5 — September 2020

      Dear customers, We're happy to bring you the September edition of our #CommunityDigest! Keep track of your subscription KPIs right from your smartphone: Last month, we enhanced our Android mobile app to help our customers get daily updates on their business health. We got to know from a lot of customers that this has made their job much more easier because they no longer have to keep a reminder to manually check on the previous day's revenue or activations. If you have not downloaded it yet, here's
    • Community Learning Series | Digest #4 - August 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you're staying safe and healthy. I'm happy to bring you the fourth edition of our #CommunityDigest with some brand-new updates from us. 1. Daily Business Updates (for Android users) The Zoho Subscriptions Android app has got a cool new update: You can now get a push notification to your smartphone that lets you know how many activations and cancellations have taken place, and what's the net revenue for the previous day. The best part is, you can tell the app when exactly you
    • Community Learning Series | Digest #3 - July 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you're staying safe and healthy. We're glad to bring you the July edition of our #CommunityDigest. New community members can view our previous newsletters here. This time, we have two major updates and three interesting topics for you: 1. Zoho Subscriptions Developer Community Since the inception of Zoho Subscriptions, our team believed that the recurring billing platform we provide should be able to offer an extensive API library that empowers businesses to automate most
    • Introducing: Community Learning Series | Digest #1 - May 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you are staying safe and healthy. Helping businesses manage their customer subscriptions more efficiently has always been, and always will be, our goal at Zoho Subscriptions. We strongly believe this is possible if we grow together as a community and share what we know with each other. To nurture this shared learning experience, here is our brand-new Community Learning Series! ​ Welcome to the first edition of our digest! Each edition of our community digest includes guides

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Condition to skip recipient signature

        Is there a way, alone or with a Zoho Form integration, to skip a recipient signature when a condition is set? This happens because in this template, not always all the recipients need to sign it. Sometimes its just a few. We are using a Zoho Form integration
      • How to filter emails by Reply-to field?

        I receive a very particular newsletter from an association A registered on a website W (that is used by many associations), and the emails fields are not great: the From just contains the generic website's W's email, while A is only mentioned in the Reply-to
      • Wich version of Backstage is included in Zoho One

        Hello I am in the event business and i am considering Zoho One to replace my current tools. I will need Backstage to manage my events but I am wondering wich version of backstage will I get if I subscribe to Zoho One. Thank you Guillaume
      • How to restore deleted campaigns?

        I accidentally deleted my first campaign that went out today (08/21/18). How do I restore it?
      • Organize and Clone Task Custom Views

        We have rolled out two new enhancements to task custom views: Custom View Groups and Custom View Clone. Custom View Groups Similar to predefined view groups, we have introduced groups for custom views to help organize and categorize them. My Custom Views:
      • Kits: Option to Hide Associate Items on Documents

        The new Kit type of Composite Item is very helpful, and we're already using it in several different ways. One problem is that there seems to be no way to hide the components on some documents, including Package Slips. There is an option given in settings
      • Zoho Books CREDIT LIMIT is completely USELESS due to a BUG!!! Please fix it ASAP!!

        Credit Limit should not be taken into account if payment terms on the Invoice are without credit. If selected Credit 0 days (Prepayment) why in this world would a notification pop up saying credit limit is exceeded and not allowing to create an invoice?
      • Is it possible to adjust the web browser tab title (when a ZoHo Desk ticket is opened)

        Hi All, When I open a ZoHo Desk ticket in a web browser, the tab title (text that appears at the top of the browser tab) uses the logic: *company icon picture* (xxxx) #ticket number - company name See below (highlighted in red) for reference. Company
      • Configure ChatGPT in Zoho Cliq | Now with GPT-4!

        Updated for GPT-4 Support: The post and scripts has been revised to take advantage of the new GPT-4 model's capabilities. Please use the updated version for enhanced performance and accuracy. If you have been on the internet for the past few months, you
      • Have completed Zoho Sign documents attach automatically to contact and/or account

        Hello, Just used ZohoSign for the first time to get an e-signature on an important document. Setting up the template was nice and easy and configuring the request to go to the right people and training a member of staff was also very easy. HOWEVER Why
      • Using email "importance" as workflow-criteria

        I'd like to set up a workflow that triggers if an incoming email has been flagged as "high importance" but I'm not seeing any way to do that. Hopefully I'm just missing something obvious...?
      • Update Lead Status in Zoho CRM When a Meeting is Booked via Microsoft Bookings

        Hi everyone, I’m trying to streamline our lead management process and would like to automatically update the Lead Status in Zoho CRM whenever a meeting is booked through Microsoft Bookings. Has anyone successfully implemented this kind of integration
      • Kaizen #199: FAQs on Multi-Select Lookup (MxN) Field in Zoho CRM

        Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone. Got
      • Zoho Desk Android app update: Enhanced UI of the History tab.

        Hello everyone! In the latest Android version(v2.9.10) of the Zoho Desk mobile app, we enhanced the UI of the 'History' tab within a ticket. Also, we have introduced a filter option to easily search the history based on the actions performed on the ticket.
      • Is Zoho Marketing Plus part of Zoho One?

        Hi, Is the new fancy Zoho Marketing Plus part of the Zoho One package? Is there any benefit in using this rather than the standalone products? Many thanks Jon
      • Is it possible to Bulk Update 'Product Name' in Zoho Desk?

        Is it possible to Bulk Update 'Product Name' in Zoho Desk? I cannot see that option now. Kindly help how we can do it.
      • Change visable Subform fields

        I have a form with 4 subforms in it. I added another field to each of the subforms in my main form. Now, how do I update the subforms to show the new fields that I added?
      • Trial Extenstion/ 2nd Go!

        Hi, Recently trialed FSM bit didnt get a chance to try out the most recent features is it possible to get another trial to try the new features and see if I can make it work for me?
      • Weekly Tips : Take Control of Your Sent Emails using Outbox Delay

        Ever clicked “Send” on an email, then instantly realized you forgot something—like a file, an attachment, or even made a small typo? It happens more often than you'd think. Wouldn’t it be helpful if your email waited a little before actually going out?
      • Format of data after export to spreadsheet

        Dear Zoho, can you explain to me what is the point of a report exporting to XLSX if the format of the amounts that will be created there is in text format and not suitable for anything? Why do I need data in a sheet with which nothing more can be do
      • Customer Payment

        Seprate voucher required for cash and bank .You can not authorized any one to enter cash payment .In statement clearly shown is it bank receipt or cash recipt .
      • how to add previous month purchase bill and claim ITC

        Hello we have a unclaimed ITC bill of April (we didn't claim it in may as seller didn't uploaded his gstr1 ) when we trying to file gstr 3b in june month we noticed the bill has been uploaded (april bill) .how to change the filing month of that april
      • Deluge security enhancements

        Hello everyone, At Deluge, security is a top priority, and we're continuously working to enhance the platform's safety and reliability. As part of our ongoing commitment to secure coding and industry best practices, we're rolling out key updates to how
      • How do I set users up to only send emails using org emails?

        We run marketing campaigns for multiple clients and strictly send emails using the official organization addresses provided by each client. However, we've encountered several instances where users unintentionally send emails from their own company accounts—a
      • open multiple notes at a time.

        Hey there, New to Notebook and liking it, but one thing that's really a bother is not being able to open more than one note at a time, either in a new window or in a new tab. Often times, I like to copy/paste from one note to another or compare drafts
      • Let’s Talk Recruit: Forms that think before you do!

        Welcome back to our Let's Talk Recruit series. In our previous post, we shared highlights from our community meetups held across India. This time, we’re talking about something that often gets overlooked but makes a huge difference once you set it up
      • PEPPOL Support Needed for Zoho Books in Europe

        I'm reaching out to discuss the urgent need for PEPPOL support in Zoho Books for European users. With Belgium mandating B2B e-invoicing via PEPPOL starting in 2026, many of us are struggling to manage invoices without this integration. While Zoho Books
      • Allow Equity Accounts to be Used for Expenses

        Currently, when entering an Expense or Bill, the Expense Account (account to be debited) allows for accounts in any of these categories to be chosen: COGS Expense Other Current Liability Fixed Asset Other Current Asset Noticeably missing are Equity Accounts.
      • メール一括配信の未送信のメールについて知りたい

        メール一括配信の後の、未送信のメールの数は添付のようにシステムから連絡がくるのですが それらの対象者を知りたい。レポートなど一覧で知りたい。 また配信対象者なのに(担当者、リード)の メールの履歴に配信したメールの件名でさえ表示されないのはどう理解したらよいのか知りたいです。 また、これらの人をレポートで一覧で出す方法を教えてください。把握したいためです。
      • How do I add the time zone for the each recipient/subscriber

        Hi, I've read that Zoho allows for emails to be sent at a certain time based on the recipient's time zone. How do I add the time zone for the each recipient/subscriber? Thanks!
      • Zoho Formsから獲得した見込み客をSaleIQでトラッキングし、そのトラッキング情報をCRMに集約することは可能でしょうか?

        Zoho formsを活用しています。 Zoho CRM、Zoho SalesIQと連携するよう設定しており、Zoho formsから獲得した見込み客の情報はCRMに連携されるのですが、トラッキング情報はZoho CRMの見込み客データ内の 関連リスト 訪問-Zoho salesIQ にデータが反映されません。※添付画像参照ください 考えられる原因や対策などありましたら教えていただけないでしょうか。 よろしくお願い致します。
      • Find and Merge Duplicates to trigger webhook

        My sales team uses the Find and Merge Duplicates feature often to cleanup records in the CRM. We use webhooks to signal to our internal tools database when new Contacts are created, updated, or deleted, in order to keep our DB in sync with Zoho CRM. However,
      • Marketer’s Space: Using Zoho CRM Data for Dynamic Content and Personalization in Zoho Campaigns

        Hello Marketers! Welcome back to Marketer’s Space. Do you want to send emails or SMS that feel less like mass messages and more like one-on-one conversations? By integrating Zoho CRM with Zoho Campaigns, you can pull in rich customer data and use it to
      • Add Attendees to Session months before the Event

        I need to manually add Attendees to Sessions right away for an event that's taking place in 6 months so that the Speaker can communicate with them in advance of the event. How can this be done?
      • Override Auto Number field?

        We are preparing to migrate from Salesforce. In Salesforce, we auto-generate a unique number on our Opportunities (Potentials). If the Opportunity results in a contract, we use that unique number as the Contract number. There are some situations where
      • Switching hosts while meeting is occuring

        We had a team meeting in Zoho Meetings this morning, but the person listed as the host had to leave the meeting early. We looked for an option to set me to host, but didn't see the option, and we incorrectly assumed that it would be like Zoom in that
      • Refund Form Can’t Reverse “Bank Charges” Line — Throws Off Reconciliation

        Zoho, When we pay a vendor, the Payment screen lets us add a “Bank Charges” amount (we post a $1 processing fee there). Perfect. But on the Refund popup there’s no matching field, so the refund can only return the net expense. If our processor sends back
      • Trigger for Validation Rules

        Currently in Zoho CRM we can set a trigger for workflows, blueprints etc in a custom deluge function But Validation Rules are missing For example if I run a custom function to update a record, it bypasses the validation rules It would be really beneficial
      • ZOHO Desk blocking emails from creating tickets

        Hi We have been noticing some issues since last week ZOHO Desk is not creating a ticket which is still in our affiliate mail box.
      • how to install desk

        how to install desk
      • Next Page