Ali Demirbaş - Lab
TRGet in touch

SaaS & B2B

Making the Annual Plan the Default Selection A/B Test

Preselecting annual billing may shift choices toward a longer commitment.

  • SaaS & B2B
  • Revenue per assigned user

Control vs Variant

Which option arrives already chosen is the variable.

Changed
Default selection
Page
SaaS & B2B
Difference
changed

Hypothesis

If users miss the billing period, it may increase checkout abandonment or early cancellations. Compare revenue for all assigned users on the same accounting basis across monthly and annual plans; do not treat upfront payment as recurring revenue.

How to run this test

Primary metric

Revenue per assigned user

Include non-buyers and use the same measurement window and revenue basis for monthly and annual plans.

Other metrics

  • Paid subscription start rateCompare paid subscription starts across the monthly and annual defaults.
  • Annual plan selection shareReport plan selection; choosing the annual plan does not by itself prove revenue improved.
  • Cancellation or refund rateCompare subscriptions with the same completed follow-up period.
  • Billing-related support requestsTrack questions about billing period or charges using the same visitor denominator.

What to check before and during the test

  • DefaultCompare monthly selected by default with annual selected by default.
  • DiscountKeep the annual discount and its wording unchanged.
  • Price disclosureShow annual total, monthly equivalent and billing schedule clearly in both arms.
  • SelectorUse the same visible selector and allow visitors to change their selection.
  • AudienceReview small-team and enterprise users separately.

Setup mistakes to avoid

  1. 1Do not hide or make the monthly plan difficult to find.
  2. 2Do not present the annual total as a monthly charge.
  3. 3Do not change the default and discount rate together.
  4. 4Keep cancellation and refund terms visible.
  5. 5Make the selected plan clear on mobile.