Product-led growth is dead. Long live product-led revenue.

The PLG playbook needs a rewrite. Operators are building something better.

Product-led growth (PLG) was supposed to be the future. Let the product sell itself. No sales team required.

That dream has collided with reality. And the most successful companies aren't doubling down on pure PLG. They're building hybrid models.

The shift is toward what we're calling product-led revenue: using the product as the funnel, but complementing it with strategic go-to-market motions.

Here's what's working: low-friction product onboarding paired with targeted enterprise sales for higher-value customers. The product doesn't need to do all the heavy lifting.

One founder told us: "PLG gives us leverage. But revenue requires strategy."

The companies winning right now are the ones using the product to generate qualified leads, then deploying human judgment where it matters most.