Canny Pricing 2025: Real Costs, Hidden Fees & Better Alternatives
Canny looks cheap at $24/month. Then you hit 101 users and suddenly you’re paying $156/month.
That’s right. Canny’s new “tracked user” pricing model means the more people engage with your feedback, the more you pay. It’s like being charged extra every time your product gets popular.
Let’s break down what Canny actually costs in 2025 and why their pricing model might be a growth killer for your team.
For teams tired of usage-based pricing, check out our guide to the top 7 Canny alternatives in 2025. If you’re new to feedback tools, our guide on how to collect customer feedback will get you started right.
What is a “Tracked User” and Why Should You Care?
Canny changed their pricing in May 2025. Instead of charging per admin, they now charge based on “tracked users.” Here’s what that means:
A tracked user is anyone who:
- Creates a post
- Votes on feedback
- Comments on anything
- Has feedback added on their behalf (by admins or their AI)
Basically, if someone engages with your feedback in any way, they count. And that’s where things get expensive.
Canny’s New Pricing Structure (2025)
Canny now has four plans: Free, Core, Pro, and Business. Here’s what they actually cost:
Base Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Tracked Users | What Happens at Limit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 25 users | Must upgrade |
| Core | $24 | 100 users | Price scales up |
| Pro | $99 | 100 users | Price scales up |
| Business | Custom | 5,000+ users | Contact sales |
Canny's Starting Prices (Before User Scaling)
Looks reasonable, right? Wrong. Those prices are just the starting point. Once you exceed the user limits, here’s what happens:
How Pricing Scales with Users
| Tracked Users | Core Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $24/mo | $99/mo |
| 500 | $156/mo | $349/mo |
| 1,000 | $311/mo | $661/mo |
| 2,500 | $686/mo | $1,486/mo |
| 5,000+ | Custom | Custom |
Just 500 active users and you’re looking at $156 to $349/month. That’s a 550% price increase on the Core plan.
Annual Pricing (20% Discount, Same User Limits)
Paying annually saves you 20%, but the user limits stay the same:
| Plan | Yearly Price | Monthly with Annual | Tracked Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 25 |
| Core | $288 | $24 | 100 |
| Pro | $1,188 | $99 | 100 |
| Business | Custom | Custom | 5,000+ |
Canny's Annual Pricing (Still Subject to User Scaling)
Even with the discount, once you hit those user limits, you’re back to the scaling prices. A team with 1,000 users on the annual Pro plan? That’s $7,932/year.
What Each Plan Actually Includes
Here’s what you get with each plan (and what’s locked behind higher tiers):
| Feature | Free | Core | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| User Limits | ||||
| Tracked Users | 25 | 100+ | 100+ | 5,000+ |
| Managers | 5 | 5 | 10 | Custom |
| Core Features | ||||
| Posts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Boards | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Roadmaps | 1 | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Autopilot AI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Key Differences | ||||
| Custom Domain | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PM Integrations | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSO | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ |
| Remove Canny Brand | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✓ |
Notice something? Essential features like PM integrations (Jira, Linear) require the $99/month Pro plan. Want to remove Canny branding? That’s Business plan only.
The Hidden Cost: Growth Penalties
The real cost of Canny isn’t in the base price. It’s in how they punish your growth. Here’s what they don’t tell you upfront:
1. Autopilot AI Counts Against You
Canny includes “Autopilot”, their AI that automatically captures feedback from support tickets and conversations. Sounds great, right? Except every piece of feedback it captures creates a tracked user. You’re literally paying more for their AI to work.
2. No Warning Before Limits
There’s no grace period or warning when approaching limits. Hit 26 users on the free plan? Time to pay. No trial, no buffer.
3. Feature Gating Forces Upgrades
| What You Need | Minimum Plan | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Custom domain | Core | $24+ |
| Multiple roadmaps | Pro | $99+ |
| Jira/Linear sync | Pro | $99+ |
| Remove Canny branding | Business | Custom |
Who Can Actually Use Each Plan?
Let’s be real about who these plans work for:
Free Plan (25 users): Maybe a tiny internal team. One viral post and you’re over the limit.
Core Plan ($24 to $311/mo): Startups who don’t realize they’ll hit 100 users in weeks. Then it’s $156/month for 500 users.
Pro Plan ($99 to $661/mo): Companies that need PM integrations and have budget to burn. 1,000 users = $661/month.
Business Plan (Custom): Enterprises with procurement departments and unlimited budgets.
The truth? Most growing teams outgrow the affordable tiers within months.
Why Did Canny Change Their Pricing?
Canny’s pricing history tells a story:
- Pre-2025: Admin pricing starting at $99/month
- May 2025: Switched to tracked user model, “lowered” entry to $24/month
- Reality: Most teams now pay MORE due to user limits
They marketed it as a price drop. But do the math:
- Old model: $99/month for unlimited users
- New model: $24/month for 100 users, then $156/month for 500 users
It’s a classic bait and switch. Lower the entry price, then charge more as you succeed.
Real-World Canny Pricing Examples
Let’s calculate what Canny actually costs for different scenarios:
Scenario 1: Small SaaS Startup
- 50 beta users giving feedback
- Need: Basic feedback collection
- Canny Cost: Forced to Core plan at $24/month
- Problem: Hit 101 users next month? Now it’s $156/month
Scenario 2: Growing B2B Product
- 500 active users in feedback loop
- Need: PM integrations for Jira sync
- Canny Cost: Pro plan at $349/month
- Problem: No monthly roadmaps on cheaper Core plan
Scenario 3: Established SaaS
- 2,000 engaged users
- Need: White label branding
- Canny Cost: Business plan (custom quote)
- Problem: Forced to enterprise tier just to remove branding
| User Count | Core Plan | Pro Plan | What You’re Paying For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $24/mo | $99/mo | Base features |
| 500 | $156/mo | $349/mo | User growth penalty |
| 1,000 | $311/mo | $661/mo | Success tax |
| 2,500 | $686/mo | $1,486/mo | Why are you still using this? |
Why Teams Are Leaving Canny
We’ve talked to dozens of teams who’ve switched from Canny. Here’s what they say:
“The UI is stuck in 2017”
Despite the high prices, Canny’s interface hasn’t evolved. The kanban roadmap view is confusing, there’s no global search, and the whole experience feels dated.
”We can’t predict our costs”
One month you’re at 95 users ($24), next month you’re at 105 users ($156). That’s a 550% price increase for 10 more users.
”Essential features cost extra”
- Want to sync with Jira? That’s $99/month minimum
- Need multiple roadmaps? $99/month
- Custom domain? Even that’s behind a paywall
- Remove Canny branding? Enterprise only
”It penalizes engagement”
The more successful your product becomes, the more Canny charges you. It’s literally a tax on user engagement.
The Engagement Tax Problem
Here’s what Canny doesn’t want you to realize: feedback tools aren’t just about collecting ideas. They’re retention engines.
Good feedback tools create a loop:
- Users submit ideas
- They get updates on progress
- They see their impact in changelogs
- They stay engaged with your product
But when you charge per engaged user, you’re taxing the very thing that makes your product sticky. It’s like a gym charging you more when you actually show up.
Canny’s model actively discourages the feedback loop that keeps users coming back.
Canny’s Discounts (Still Subject to User Limits)
Canny offers some discounts, but they don’t fix the core problem:
| Discount Type | Discount Rate | The Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Payment | 20% off | User limits still apply |
| Startup Program | Up to 50% off | Must qualify, temporary |
| Non profit | Varies | Still hit scaling costs |
| Education | Varies | User model remains same |
Even with 20% off annual billing, you’re still paying $280/month for 1,000 users on the Core plan. The discount doesn’t solve the growth penalty.
UserJot: Built for Growth, Not Growth Penalties
We built UserJot because we were tired of feedback tools that punish success. Here’s how we do things differently:
No Tracked User Limits. Ever.
| What We Track | UserJot | Canny |
|---|---|---|
| Users | Unlimited | 25 to 100 before scaling |
| Posts | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Votes | Unlimited | Counts as tracked user |
| Comments | Unlimited | Counts as tracked user |
Feature-Based Pricing That Makes Sense
| Plan | UserJot | What You Get | Canny Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Unlimited users, 2 boards, roadmap | $24 to 156/mo |
| Starter | $29/mo | Custom domain, 5 boards, integrations | $99 to 349/mo |
| Professional | $59/mo | Unlimited boards, SSO, all features | $399 to 661/mo+ |
We charge for features, not engagement. Your 1,000th user costs the same as your 1st: nothing.
Real Price Comparison for Growing Teams
Why Teams Switch from Canny to UserJot
“We saved $300/month instantly”
- Team with 600 users paying $349/mo on Canny Pro
- Now paying $29/mo on UserJot Starter
- Same features, better interface, no user limits
“Finally, predictable pricing”
- No more surprise bills when user engagement grows
- Budget once, forget about it
- Scale without penalty
“The migration took 10 minutes”
- One click import from Canny
- All feedback, users, and votes transferred
- Zero downtime
Stop guessing what to build. Let your users vote.
Try UserJot freeFrequently Asked Questions
How much does Canny cost in 2025?
Canny starts at $24/month for 100 tracked users. But here’s the catch: once you exceed 100 users, pricing scales dramatically. 500 users costs $156/month on Core or $349/month on Pro. 1,000 users? That’s $311 to $661/month.
What is a tracked user in Canny?
A tracked user is anyone who creates posts, votes, comments, or has feedback submitted on their behalf. Basically, anyone who engages with your feedback board in any way counts as a tracked user.
Does Canny have a free plan?
Yes, but it’s limited to 25 tracked users. That’s barely enough for internal testing. One popular feature request and you’ll blow past that limit.
Why did Canny change from admin based to user based pricing?
Canny switched from charging per admin ($99/month) to charging per tracked user ($24/month base) in May 2025. While marketed as a price drop, most teams now pay more due to user scaling.
Can I remove Canny branding?
Only on the Business plan, which requires a custom quote. There’s no way to white label on Core ($24) or Pro ($99) plans.
What features require Canny’s Pro plan?
- Unlimited roadmaps (Core only gets 1)
- PM integrations (Jira, Linear, Asana)
- Advanced privacy settings
- Advanced reporting
Basically, if you need to sync with your PM tools, you’re looking at $99/month minimum.
How does Canny’s pricing compare to alternatives?
- Canny: $24 to $661/month depending on users
- UserJot: $0 to $59/month with unlimited users
- Nolt: $39/month with unlimited users
- Fider: Free (open source)
Canny is 5 to 10x more expensive for teams with 500+ engaged users.
Is Canny worth the price?
For teams under 100 users who don’t need PM integrations, maybe. For growing teams, the tracked user model becomes a growth tax. Most teams find better value with alternatives that don’t penalize engagement.
Can I predict my Canny costs?
Not really. Your costs depend on user engagement, which fluctuates. One viral feature request, one popular changelog update, or one engaging roadmap item can push you into a higher pricing tier overnight.
What’s the best Canny alternative for growing teams?
UserJot offers unlimited users on all plans, starting free. Same core features (feedback, roadmaps, changelogs) without the growth penalties. One click migration from Canny makes switching easy.
The Bottom Line
Canny’s $24/month starting price is misleading. Once you factor in their tracked user model, most growing teams pay $156 to $661/month. That’s not a feedback tool. It’s a tax on your product’s success.
The more your users engage, the more you pay. The more successful your product becomes, the higher your bill. It’s a pricing model that actively works against your growth.
If you’re tired of being penalized for building products people love, it’s time to look at alternatives. Tools like UserJot give you unlimited users from day one, so you can focus on growing your product, not managing your feedback tool budget.
Ready to stop paying the growth tax? Try UserJot free. Unlimited users, no surprises, just better feedback management at a price that makes sense.