Canny just changed their pricing, again.
At first glance, it looks like a price drop. Their old Starter plan was $99/month. Now you can get started for just $24/month.
But if you dig deeper, you'll find that this change introduces a new kind of limit that penalizes the very thing feedback platforms are supposed to support: engagement.
Let's break it down.
What Is a "Tracked User"?
Canny now bases pricing around tracked users. Here's how they define it:
A tracked user is someone who has given feedback. This can be via creating a post or voting/commenting on a post. Those actions can be taken by the user themselves, by an admin on their behalf, or by Autopilot.
So if one of your users leaves a comment, votes on a post, or even just has feedback added for them, they count.
It's a broad definition, and it's very easy to exceed.
And the Limits Are Tiny
Here's what Canny offers now:
- Free plan: 25 tracked users
- Core ($24/mo): 100 tracked users
- Pro ($99/mo): 100 tracked users
Once you grow past those small numbers, pricing scales up fast:
| Tracked Users | Core Pricing | Pro Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $24/mo | $99/mo |
| 500 | $156/mo | $349/mo |
| 1,000 | $311/mo | $661/mo |
| 5,000+ | Custom Quote | Custom Quote |
Just 25 people interacting with your feedback board, a few bug reports, some upvotes, and one discussion thread, and you're already being asked to pay.
Their Old Pricing Was Expensive, But Predictable
Before this change, Canny wasn't cheap either:
- Starter ($99/mo): Unlimited tracked users and unlimited posts
- Growth ($399/mo): Same, with more advanced features
- Free tier: Unlimited users, capped at 100 posts
That $99 starting point was steep. But it came with a fair tradeoff: your growth wasn't penalized. You could have as many users engaging as you wanted, without worrying about hitting invisible walls.
Feedback Isn't Just Feedback, It's a Growth Engine
Here's the part that gets overlooked: tools like Canny and UserJot don't just collect feedback. They pull users back in.
These platforms keep customers engaged with:
- Weekly updates
- Status changes on posts they care about
- Changelog announcements
- Roadmap progress alerts
That ongoing loop turns passive users into active ones. And it's one of the most powerful retention mechanisms a product can have.
But when you cap the number of people allowed in that loop, you choke off your potential for growth.
It's not just about getting feedback, it's about keeping users involved. And the more users you bring into that loop, the stronger your product becomes.
So when you're charged more every time that loop grows? That's not a feedback tool. That's a growth tax.
How UserJot Handles It
At UserJot, we've built things differently from the start. We don't believe in charging you for success. Every plan, including the free one, gives you:
- ✅ Unlimited users
- ✅ Unlimited posts
- ✅ Unlimited upvotes and comments
- ✅ Full access to the engagement loop
Our pricing is based on features, not usage. You only pay if you want more tools, not more feedback.
| Plan | Price | Tracked Users | Posts | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Starter | $29/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Professional | $59/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
You can bring in your whole user base, update them regularly, and keep the feedback loop alive, without worrying about costs creeping up behind you.
Why This Matters
Feedback is not a cost center. It's the beginning of a conversation. And when users feel heard, they stay engaged.
Platforms like Canny and UserJot are more than inboxes for product ideas, they are retention tools. They close the loop. They help your customers feel like they're part of the building process.
That's why we built UserJot, and why we don't believe in throttling growth. No hidden limits. No silent penalties.
If you're tired of being taxed for getting your users involved, give UserJot a try. No growth ceiling. No gotchas. Just feedback, done right.
Top comments (6)
Nice post
Thank you.
I totally agree, limiting by engaged users feels like punishing growth instead of supporting it. Have you actually seen teams switch because of these new Canny limits?
we switched to featureOS with their first mayor price increase and have never looked back :)
Is this a typo?
That threw me off too, but that’s actually how it works. Both the Core and Pro plans only include 100 users at that price.