# "too expensive" usually means "i don't get it yet"

Price is the easiest excuse to give and the hardest to argue with. What too expensive usually means, the one question to ask back, and when to let people go.

2026-10-17 · Kuba

"Too expensive" is the easiest thing to say when you're leaving, and the hardest to argue with. Most of the time it's not about the number. It's about what the person thinks they're getting for it. This is part five of our weekend series on selling when you're small.

## price is the easiest excuse

Saying "I don't understand what this does for me" feels a bit embarrassing. Saying "I'm not sure I trust you" feels rude. Saying "too expensive" is neutral and ends the conversation politely.

So people say it, even when the price isn't the real problem. If you take it at face value, you drop your prices and wonder why nobody new signs up.

## what it might mean

When someone says too expensive, it's usually one of these.

- **"I don't see what it does for me."** They understand the features. They don't see the result.
- **"I'm comparing you to the wrong thing."** A free tool, or a tool that does a tenth of what yours does.
- **"It's not my money."** They need to convince a boss or a client and don't have the words.
- **"Not right now."** The timing is off. The price is fine.
- **"It actually is too expensive."** They're not your customer. That's allowed.

![A pink slide: what too expensive usually means. A card translating it: i don't see what it does for me, i'm comparing you to the wrong thing, it's not my money, not right now.](https://spookat.com/_astro/1-en.D5Rj6nXH.webp)

## ask one question

Don't defend the price. Ask one question back: "Too expensive compared to what?"

It's not a trick. It tells you which of the five you're dealing with. "Compared to the free one" means they're comparing to the wrong thing. "Compared to what my boss will approve" means they need words for someone else. "Compared to nothing, I just don't need it yet" means timing.

Each answer points to a different next message, and none of them is a discount.

![A light slide: ask one question. A chat widget: a visitor writes too expensive, Marta answers fair, compared to what?](https://spookat.com/_astro/2-en.BiTLx-6H.webp)

## answer with their math, not yours

Once you know what they're comparing, do the maths in their terms, not yours.

If they run a shop, it's "one extra order a month pays for it". If they're an agency, it's "you bill the client for it, and the client sees their chats". If it's their boss, give them two sentences they can paste into Slack.

Your feature list doesn't help here. Their numbers do.

![A lime slide: their math, not yours. A receipt for one month: the tool, minus; 1 question answered, a tick; 1 order saved, plus. At the bottom: paid for, with a tick.](https://spookat.com/_astro/3-en.BMbBU7Hq.webp)

## don't discount on the first no

Dropping the price right away teaches two things: your price was never real, and complaining works. The person who pays full price next week finds out, and they're right to be annoyed.

If you want to help someone short on money, offer a smaller plan or a longer trial. Keep the price the same for everyone who's already paying it.

![A dark slide: don't discount on the first no. A card with three crossed-out lines: 50% off, just for you; today only; ok, how about half?](https://spookat.com/_astro/4-en.BnzEcqgQ.webp)

## when it really is too expensive

Sometimes it is. A hobby project doesn't need a paid chat. A student doesn't need your team plan. Say so kindly, point them to a free option if you have one, and let them go.

They'll remember you were honest. Some of them come back when the hobby becomes a business.

## how we price

Spookat is $4.99 a site a month, not per person, so your whole team answers for the same price. You reply from a Slack or Discord thread, or from our inbox and its phone app. There are 14 days of pro with no card, so nobody has to trust a price before they've seen the product.

[See the pricing](/pricing/).

Tomorrow: why being small is your unfair advantage.

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source: https://spookat.com/blog/too-expensive-means-i-dont-get-it/