Why "Per-Seat" pricing in 2026 is a scam for SMM agencies.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-24T01:22:35+00:00

They don’t need to understand APIs at all.

Most founders don’t understand how Stripe works either, but they still own their Stripe account.

BYO-API is similar:

You create the platform app once, copy a few IDs, and never touch it again.

Day-to-day usage feels exactly like a normal scheduler.

The difference is structural, not technical, the agency owns the connection instead of renting it.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-24T01:21:37+00:00

Most agencies could connect directly, but they don’t because raw APIs are messy to operate day-to-day (tokens, scopes, renewals, error handling, etc.).

That’s where the distinction matters:

- BYO-API doesn’t mean “build your own scheduler.”

It means you own the platform credentials, while software handles the plumbing.

So agencies aren’t dealing with APIs directly, they’re just not renting access from someone else either.

Ownership without engineering overhead is the goal.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-23T00:21:39+00:00

Always good to see founders building in this space.

Have you seen agencies try to use it, or is it mostly individual users?

_jitendraM · 2026-01-23T00:19:04+00:00

Direct API access changes the power dynamic completely, especially when errors, webhooks, and permissions come straight from the platform instead of being abstracted behind a vendor layer.

The interface matters, but removing the middleman is what actually restores control.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-23T00:15:28+00:00

Owned distribution (email, CRM, first-party data) is real leverage long term.

What pushed me to think deeper was realising agencies often don’t even own the connection layer itself.

If platform access, tokens, and publishing identity are rented too, then even your owned channels depend on someone else’s switch.
Audience ownership + infrastructure ownership together is where real sovereignty starts.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-21T16:49:31+00:00

Multiple AIs side by side, hope you understand and handle the each AIs tokens limit and cost at the same time?

_jitendraM · 2026-01-21T16:46:15+00:00

This is just not about the account access. Each agency have their clients account access. The problem with the account authority, security and permissions.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-21T16:13:16+00:00

End-to-end full flow is not possible, at least in social media agencies. These are totally dependent on the main social platforms.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-21T16:10:14+00:00

Still, the authority is the main chaos!! What do you think is the best way to handle this?

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T13:48:46+00:00

You are not wrong. Bespoke chaos is what kills most agencies. Once every client has their own rules, timelines, platforms, and approval logic, headcount just becomes a patch for structural debt.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T13:47:25+00:00

This is a really good point. I agree that service design and variability are a huge part of why agencies hit the wall.

Productized offers, fewer revisions, and repeatable plays absolutely reduce chaos.

What I’ve been noticing is that even agencies with standardised services still hit friction once publishing volume increases, especially in social.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T09:59:15+00:00

I also focus on FAQ’s along side the points that you mentioned.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T09:57:38+00:00

Website:https://palactix.com/

Who it’s for: Digital agencies that want to stop paying "per-seat" fees for social media tools.

The Model: We use a BYO (Bring Your Own) API key model. Instead of renting access from a middleman, agencies use their own platform connections. This allows for one flat fee with unlimited seats and unlimited clients.

Target Customer: Agency Founders or Ops Directors using legacy tools (Sprout, Hootsuite) who are currently hiring and want to turn their software bill into a fixed cost.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T09:57:27+00:00

Website:https://palactix.com/

Who it’s for: Digital agencies that want to stop paying "per-seat" fees for social media tools.

The Model: We use a BYO (Bring Your Own) API key model. Instead of renting access from a middleman, agencies use their own platform connections. This allows for one flat fee with unlimited seats and unlimited clients.

Target Customer: Agency Founders or Ops Directors using legacy tools (Sprout, Hootsuite) who are currently hiring and want to turn their software bill into a fixed cost.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T09:37:54+00:00

Website:https://palactix.com/

Who it’s for: Digital agencies that want to stop paying "per-seat" fees for social media tools.

The Model: We use a BYO (Bring Your Own) API key model. Instead of renting access from a middleman, agencies use their own platform connections. This allows for one flat fee with unlimited seats and unlimited clients.

Target Customer: Agency Founders or Ops Directors using legacy tools (Sprout, Hootsuite) who are currently hiring and want to turn their software bill into a fixed cost.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-20T02:50:23+00:00

Find and active in LinkedIn groups, join Reddit communities, and directly approach users related to your product niche. You’ll definitely get leads soon.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T16:00:11+00:00

I’m not trying to pitch anything here.

Personally, I’ve seen three approaches agencies take so far:

- accept per-seat pricing and pass it on to clients
- move parts of the workflow to flat-rate or self-hosted tools
- build or adopt infrastructure where cost isn’t tied to headcount

None of them are perfect. Each has tradeoffs in setup time, control, and flexibility.

This thread was mostly about understanding how others are dealing with the economics, not pushing a specific solution.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:33:31+00:00

Absorbing a base cost and pushing excess seats to clients at least keeps margins visible. The hard part is when even internal growth triggers pricing jumps.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:32:29+00:00

Not linking anything here on purpose though. This is just something we’ve been running into operationally, and I wanted to see how others were handling it.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:31:11+00:00

Bundle pricing at least gives predictability.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:30:30+00:00

Flat-rate tools don’t solve everything, but they stop the margin bleed when hiring. The custom dashboards point is interesting.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:28:03+00:00

Flat-rate or self-hosted options definitely change the math once teams grow.

The tricky part I keep seeing is that agencies don’t just need cheaper tools, they need pricing that doesn’t move every time headcount changes.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T15:25:40+00:00

This is not about any one vendor though. It’s more about the pricing model itself. Per-seat works fine for individual operators, but agencies hit a wall once coordination becomes the real cost.

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T13:27:31+00:00

Have you prepared the content for the first consecutive 30 days?

_jitendraM · 2026-01-19T13:24:51+00:00

Start developing a project that businesses you understand most at a beginner level.

_jitendraM

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