Three tiers change the question in a buyer's head. It stops being "should I buy?" and becomes "which one should I buy?"
That's why almost every subscription I admire uses some version of good-better-best. But the table itself is where most businesses trip up. The tiers look different, yet there's no real reason to move up. Or the top tier is so close to the middle that it doesn't anchor anything.
This builder lays the table out for you and checks it as you go.
How to use the pricing table builder
- Set the basics: a heading, the value metric that grows between tiers (users, jobs, classes, credits), your annual discount and the badge for your highlighted tier.
- Edit each tier: name, monthly price, how much of the value metric it includes, a one-line description and the button label. Pick one tier to highlight.
- Fill in the features. Type "y" for included, leave it blank for not included, or type a value such as "10%" or "Every 4 weeks."
- Flip the preview between monthly and annual billing.
- Export as Markdown (for docs and proposals) or HTML (for your website), or print it.
The example is an illustrative physio clinic membership, based on our allied health guide.
The checks
The checklist follows the pricing table prompt I use with business owners. A good table has:
- A defined value metric. Every tier is sized by the same unit. If you're not sure what yours is, use the Value Metric Finder.
- More of the value metric in every higher tier. Otherwise your best customers hit a ceiling and stop paying you more.
- At least three reasons to upgrade between each pair of tiers: more of the metric, a feature, a service level, a perk.
- A deliberate anchor. The top price sets a reference point. Next to $499, $339 feels sensible.
It also checks that price per unit falls as customers move up, and flags generous annual discounts.
Annual price per month = Monthly price × (1 − annual discount) Price per unit = Monthly price ÷ value metric allowance
A worked example
The physio example has three tiers: Maintain at $179 a month for 4 clinical classes, Strengthen at $339 for 8, and Return to Sport at $499 for 12.
The checks pass. Moving from Maintain to Strengthen gets you double the classes, a 1:1 review every 8 weeks and an updated program after each review. Moving up again adds more classes, reviews every 4 weeks, progress testing and a bigger retail discount. Price per class falls from $44.75 to $41.58, so upgrading is better value.
Now delete "Progress testing" and change the top tier to 8 classes. Watch two checks turn red.
How to read the result
Fix the red items first. A table that fails the value metric or "reasons to upgrade" checks will push most buyers to the cheapest tier.
Then read the notes. The badge note matters in Australia: only label a tier "most popular" if it's true. Under the Australian Consumer Law you must be able to back up claims, so "Recommended" is safer when you're steering.
And be honest about decoys. A small step from the entry tier to the middle one does nudge buyers up, but the entry tier still has to be worth buying on its own.
What to do next
- Learn how to space the price gaps in good-better-best pricing.
- Decide what goes in each tier with the packaging guide.
- Put the table on a page that converts: the perfect pricing page and annotated pricing page examples.
- Check that every tier makes money with the Subscription Price Calculator. Australian owners can talk it through in a free Subscription Profit Review.
Frequently asked questions
How many pricing tiers should I have?
For feature tiers, three works for most businesses, with perhaps a free tier in front or an enterprise tier behind. More than that and buyers slow down. For usage bands, four to six is common, usually shown with a slider or dropdown rather than separate columns. If everyone needs the same thing, one plan with an annual option is fine.
Which tier should I highlight?
Usually the middle one. It's the tier most buyers should choose, and highlighting it gives them permission. Make sure there's a higher-priced tier next to it to act as an anchor. If you highlight your most expensive tier, there's nothing above it to make the price feel reasonable.
Is decoy pricing ethical?
It is when every tier is a genuine option someone might sensibly buy. Arranging tiers so the middle one looks like good value is normal. Inventing a tier nobody should buy, or claiming a tier is popular when it isn't, crosses the line. In Australia, misleading claims can breach the Australian Consumer Law.
Should I show monthly or annual prices first?
Show the one most of your customers choose, with a clear toggle to the other. If you show annual prices as a monthly figure, also show the total charged up front and when it's taken. Hiding the upfront amount invites complaints. Check your annual discount against churn with the Annual Discount Calculator.
Can I use the exported HTML on my website?
Yes. The HTML export is a self-contained block with simple inline styles, so it works on most website builders that accept custom HTML. Replace the placeholder button links with your sign-up or booking links, and restyle the colors to match your brand. The Markdown export suits proposals, docs and Notion pages.
Built on The Subscription Playbook
This tool turns frameworks from Robert Coorey's book into something you can use in minutes. Robert is the author of The Subscription Playbook and a Director at BPAG Accountants. More about Robert.