Understanding Pricing Models
AI tools use different pricing models. Knowing them helps you filter the directory and budget correctly.
Common Models
Free — No cost. May have limits (e.g., requests per day).
Freemium — Free tier + paid tiers. Free tier is often limited; paid unlocks more.
Per-seat — Price per user per month. Common for team tools.
Usage-based — Pay per token, request, or API call. Scales with use.
Flat — Fixed monthly or annual fee. No per-seat or usage tiers.
Enterprise — Custom pricing. Contact sales. Often includes compliance, SLAs, support.
Filtering by Pricing in the Directory
The directory lets you filter by pricing type: Free, Freemium, Paid. Use these to match your budget. "Paid" can include per-seat, usage-based, or flat — check the tool profile for details.
Why This Matters
- Solo / small team — Free or freemium often enough
- Growing team — Per-seat can get expensive; look for volume discounts
- Heavy usage — Usage-based can spike; set limits or alerts
- Enterprise — Custom pricing; negotiate scope and compliance