By what the software does, not who logs in. Usage-based pricing leads at 43 percent of AI founders in Open Future Forum's August 2026 data (base 148), with flat subscriptions at 24 percent, outcome-based pricing at 24 percent and rising fastest (up 8 points inside July), and per-seat licensing at 20 percent.
The vertical patterns are strong: 69 percent of sellers into fintech price by usage, outcome-based pricing peaks in enterprise software at 43 percent, and healthcare is the early market where 28 percent of sellers are not charging yet. The sample is current, with 76 percent of the YC founders surveyed coming from 2024 to 2026 batches.
Full data: YC Founder AI Report, August 2026.
Founders and the executives they sell to meet at Open Future Forum's events.