In a landscape where marketing spends are being scrutinised more closely than ever, a quiet revolution is reshaping how companies pay for value. When Netcore Cloud announced its outcome-based pricing model, it sparked an conversation about accountability and impact. In this model, if a software costs Rs 100, the buyer pays Rs 70 upfront and the remaining Rs 30 only if the promised outcomes are achieved, with more to be paid if performance exceeds expectations. It’s a bold shift from the conventional ‘pay-for-service’ structure toward a ‘pay-for-success’ partnership.
As performance metrics and ROI become central to marketing conversations, this model redefines how both clients and agencies view value creation. And while it’s still early days, leaders across the ecosystem agree that it points to a future built on transparency, trust, and shared success.
For Rajesh Jain, Founder and Group MD, Netcore Cloud, the move was about aligning the company’s growth directly with its clients. “What we’re essentially saying is that we’re willing to put real skin in the game. Instead of linking pricing purely to inputs, we’re tying it to outcomes, much like how hedge funds operate. Think of it as an ‘alpha, beta’ model. The fixed 70% is the base, the 30% is variable depending on performance, and if we deliver an upside beyond that, there’s an additional alpha component. Just as hedge funds earn a carry on the incremental value they generate, our model aligns incentives directly with results.”
While SaaS firms like Netcore are leading the charge, the question of accountability has also reached the creative and advertising world.
For Virat Tandon, Founder, Curativity, outcome-linked thinking is evolving, even if the full model is yet to take shape. He says that while clients obviously care about outcomes, the people and creative energy behind those outcomes matter just as much. Tandon adds, “In the past, we were never transparent about which talent works on what brand. But we realised that for many brands, this matters as much as the output.”
Tandon explains that under the Curativity model, brands don’t hire individuals directly but work through the platform. Clients upload their project details, budget, and deliverables. Curativity then curates a team based on skill, industry, and scope. The platform negotiates fees with talent and presents a consolidated price, including its platform fee, to the client. Payments are made to Curativity, which then pays the team. “Currently, the model works on a fixed fee with about 10% as an incentive, while outcome-based pricing will evolve with time and greater trust, as it requires clients to relinquish some control to the talent,” he adds.
But the biggest question surrounding outcome-based models is: How do you define success?
For Shraddha Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO, Grapes Digital, this is the single most complex part of the equation. “While performance marketing can easily be outcome-based, creativity doesn’t work that way. You can’t measure the impact of a campaign like ‘Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola’ by directly linking it to how many people bought the product—it’s intangible. So, brands need to balance their budgets between immediate, measurable results and long-term creative impact, which may not show instant returns,” she says.
Creativity can’t be reduced to hours or direct outputs. Yet today, with so many agencies competing, clients often choose to pay only if they like the work, treating creativity like a performance metric.
“Outcome-based pricing models will change the creative process, absolutely. As I mentioned, ownership will need to be clearly defined. If I’m being judged strictly on the results of my output, then that output becomes entirely my responsibility. I don’t think clients will enjoy that either. Right now, good work comes from a collaborative environment. Sometimes the work isn’t great and that’s fine, it’s part of the process,” explains Sudhir Nair, founder, 21N78E Creative Labs.
Many brands without retainer agencies now work project-to-project, calling for pitches each time and rewarding only those who deliver the strongest results, making creativity itself increasingly outcome-driven.
For Abhik Santara, CEO and Founder, Atom Network, outcome-based pricing represents a mindset shift. Talking about client-agency relationship, “Many clients now judge agencies on short-term metrics, monthly sales or digital traction rather than long-term brand building. Especially with shorter CMO tenures and D2C impatience, agencies are under immense pressure to deliver quick wins while still nurturing brand growth.”
Talking about Atom’s model, he says that for some D2C brands, where founders expect faster results, the company keeps around 20% of the fee flexible, tied to specific KPI achievements. But for larger businesses, the company works on an annual bonus model linked to overall business and service performance, rather than monthly outcomes. “We’re not in the pure performance game,” he adds.
The push toward outcome-based pricing mirrors a broader evolution in how brands and agencies collaborate. Retainer models once guaranteed stability; performance models brought flexibility. Outcome-based models aim to fuse the best of both, linking compensation directly to measurable success.
By tying remuneration to results, both sides are equally invested. Agencies get rewarded for excellence; clients get assurance of value. But this also raises the bar for transparency, data sharing, and mutual accountability.
The timing for this change couldn’t be more apt. With marketing budgets tightening and every spend under ROI scrutiny, brands are demanding measurable returns. At the same time, martech and analytics have matured to a point where real-time performance can be tracked with precision.
As Jain explains, “The technology is finally ready. We can now connect marketing actions to measurable results with precision. That makes outcome-based pricing possible at scale.”
Outcome-based pricing may still be in its infancy, but the momentum is unmistakable. For many, it represents not just a commercial innovation but a cultural realignment, one that demands openness, shared data, and mutual accountability. Between bold experiments like Netcore’s and cautious exploration among agencies, one thing is clear — marketing’s new currency is no longer effort or output. Its outcomes.
