How to price a premium niche SaaS value-based vs cost-plus with early adopters?

[Jonathan_R]

I'm launching a premium subscription service for a niche professional tool, and I'm paralyzed by setting the right pricing strategy. I'm torn between a value-based model that reflects the significant time savings we offer and a more competitive cost-plus approach to attract early adopters in a market with a few established, but inferior, alternatives. For other SaaS founders, how did you determine your initial price point, and what was your process for testing and iterating on pricing without alienating your first crucial customers?