From 2013, they will have to charge an up-front fee for advice instead, as part of moves towards greater price transparency in banking services.

BBC: RBS logo

Analyst Keith Benjamin figures online mall CUC NetMarket's model -- where customers pay an up-front fee to receive bigger discounts on all subsequent book purchases -- might prove more profitable.

FORBES: Does Amazon.com really matter?

Qteros and Praj will ask for an up-front licensing fee and then a percentage of the cash flow, a kind of royalty, from the ongoing operation.

FORBES: Soros-backed Biofuels Company Qteros Partners With Indian Ethanol Plant Builder

However, pension providers will be able to charge an additional up-front fee if clients want personalised advice but the government insisted that the 1% charge should be enough to cover basic advice.

BBC: Small firms exempt from stakeholder pension

With reserved instances, companies pay a reservation fee for an instance up front and a much lower hourly rate for use of that instance.

FORBES: 3 Amazon Cloud Myths Dispelled