How to get better pricing on GTM tech

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In today’s economy, keeping SaaS spend in check isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Finance and procurement teams need real pricing benchmarks and proven playbooks to negotiate smarter.

In our recent webcast, we shared exclusive insights from hundreds of contracts with vendors like HubSpot, Gong, and SalesLoft.

From data-backed analysis to real-world strategies, the session offered a practical roadmap to cutting software costs and securing better deals.

You can view the full webcast video above, with highlights below.‍

HubSpot pricing benchmarks: discounts tied to ACV and Q3 deals

HubSpot consistently ties discounting to Annual Contract Value (ACV). Larger contract values reliably unlock deeper discounts, often between 30–40%, with some contracts exceeding 50% savings.

Best Practices for Negotiating HubSpot Contracts:

• Q3 offers the most favorable pricing outside of December, driven by sales pressure during slower quarters.
  
• Annual billing can increase discount potential by up to 15%.
  
• HubSpot offers flexibility with user seats—start small and scale at a prorated rate.
  
• Ask about free trials or add-on products during renewal to extract more value.

These findings were drawn from a four-year analysis of HubSpot contract data, and the patterns have proven consistent across client engagements.‍

Gong: high variability creates opportunity for skilled negotiation

Unlike HubSpot, Gong’s pricing behavior shows minimal consistency between ACV and discounting. Discounts vary significantly by deal and are heavily influenced by sales pressure and competitive references.

Key Strategies:

• Reference competitors like Chorus or Zoom to increase discount flexibility.
  
• 36-month terms can lead to platform and implementation fees being waived (commonly valued at $7,500+).
  
• Volume can drive savings, but outcomes depend on negotiation rigor—not spend level alone.
  
• Gong’s 60-day non-renewal clause exceeds industry norms. Procurement teams are advised to remove auto-renewal clauses entirely to retain leverage at renewal time.

SalesLoft: term length and timing are primary pricing levers

For SalesLoft, term length has proven to be a more significant pricing driver than license volume. Deals renewed or renegotiated in Q4—especially December—see the steepest price reductions.

Benchmark Insights:

• Clients moving from quarterly to annual or multi-year terms reported discounts exceeding 50%.
  
• One client reduced users from 40 to 15 but doubled term length and achieved a 30% discount per user.
  
• High-value concessions such as free training, unlimited messaging/calling, and waived implementation fees are often negotiable.
  
• As with Gong, referencing Outreach—SalesLoft’s main competitor—drives urgency and flexibility.

‍Methodology: benchmarking at scale

SpendHound’s pricing intelligence is powered by anonymized and aggregated data from over 600 companies, refreshed monthly to reflect current market conditions. The dataset spans recent contracts across hundreds of software vendors, offering precise visibility into pricing trends by vendor, spend tier, term length, and contract structure.

Our approach combines automated data extraction from ERP and accounting systems with expert procurement advisory, enabling clients to enter negotiations with confidence and clarity.

SpendHound is SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant, and operates as a 100% free platform. Our model is supported by YipitData, leveraging de-identified insights to serve both our clients and our broader data infrastructure.

Final thoughts

Software pricing is changing fast—vendors are adjusting models, adding new fees, and pushing for longer-term commitments. For procurement teams and finance leaders, staying ahead means having real-time data, smart benchmarks, and proven strategies.

That’s where SpendHound comes in.

We’re here to make sure you walk into every renewal or negotiation with a clear advantage—powered by real pricing intelligence. Whether you're looking to cut costs, avoid renewal surprises, or benchmark against your peers, we’ve built the tools to help you do it faster and with more confidence.

Want to get ahead of your next renewal? Let’s talk. Our team is here to provide tailored benchmarking reports, walk you through your software stack, and help uncover real savings opportunities—at no cost.

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