Number of Seats/Users: Rakuten DX offers discounts based on the number of users or seats. A higher volume typically leads to a better discount structure, especially for enterprise-level usage.

Commitment to a Long-Term Contract: Discounts are often provided to companies that commit to using the service for a longer period (e.g., 1-year or 3-year contracts). A longer commitment shows Rakuten DX that the company is serious and willing to invest in the platform long-term.

No Active Discounts: Companies that are not already receiving other active discounts may have a better chance of qualifying for additional discounts from Rakuten DX. Rakuten DX reserves discounts for new customers or those not currently under promotional pricing.

Volume or Usage Commitment: Rakuten DX offers discounts if you agree to a minimum amount of usage or transaction volume. This could be based on data storage, transactions, or other metrics tied to how much you will use the platform.

Enterprise-Level Negotiation: Companies that qualify as “enterprise” due to their size or complexity (e.g., having large teams, multiple departments, or geographical presence) may be eligible for additional discounts from Rakuten DX. Such companies are often in a position to negotiate for better pricing.

Early Renewal or Prepayment: Rakuten DX often offers discounts if you renew early or prepay for the entire contract period. This is a common approach to securing a lower price.

Here at Spendbase our internal data shows that Rakuten DX (Aquafadas) is seen as a strong, no‑code / low‑code platform for building rich digital content and apps, with a few recurring friction points to keep in mind for negotiations and adoption planning.

Overall sentiment is clearly positive, with most Spendbase clients highlighting:

• Easy app and content creation without coding
• Strong InDesign integration for digital publishing
• Good multi‑platform delivery and analytics
• Solid support and onboarding from the Rakuten team

Key strengths our clients point out:

1. Productivity & ease of use
   – Drag‑and‑drop builder and no‑code setup reduce reliance on developers.
   – InDesign plugin lets teams reuse print assets and workflows.
   – Real‑time editing via cloud tools is appreciated for quick updates.

2. Experience & engagement features
   – Rich media support (video, audio, animations, sub‑layouts, conditional states).
   – Multi‑device export and robust iOS/Android apps.
   – Analytics connectors (e.g., Google Analytics) help measure engagement.

3. Business impact
   – Faster digitalization of training and marketing materials.
   – Better customer / learner experience through interactive content.
   – Scalable with other Rakuten technologies for loyalty and communication.

Main pain points to factor into pricing and rollout:

1. Performance & usability
   – Several clients mention the platform can be slow or laggy at times.
   – UI is sometimes perceived as complex or not intuitive, especially at first.
   – Some actions take “too many clicks” to complete.

2. Learning curve & training needs
   – Advanced features require structured training to unlock full value.
   – Early usage can feel overwhelming without proper guidance and templates.

3. Feature gaps
   – No PowerPoint import and limited web viewer.
   – SaaS enrichment tools less powerful than the InDesign plugin.
   – Desire for more personalization in menus, summaries, and data visualizations.

From a Spendbase discount perspective, this suggests good leverage around:

• Bundling training and onboarding to reduce the learning curve.
• Negotiating better terms or roadmap commitments for performance and UI improvements.
• Asking for favorable pricing where specific missing features require workarounds or extra tools.

Overall, our clients see Rakuten DX as a powerful platform that delivers strong value once teams are trained and workflows are set up, with optimization room around usability, speed, and certain advanced features.