Per McKinsey's 2026 software pricing data, 62% of SaaS platforms have introduced AI-premium tiers and credit-based pricing nearly doubled year-over-year (35 → 79 companies), with HubSpot, Figma, Adobe, Salesforce, and Cursor all adopting credit models. Buyers report budgeting 25–35% more when bolting AI onto an existing stack. Credits are emerging as incumbents' compromise between predictable seats and scary usage meters — a way to charge more for AI without abandoning the subscription line item.