Pricing
Built for the lifecycle, not the feature list. Every tier answers a different question. Cancel anytime, no annual lock-in.
Free, forever
“Is my idea any good?”
no card, no commitment
For founders exploring an idea before committing time or money.
Best for
pre-idea exploration
One-time, Research
“What does the data say?”
paid once, no subscription
For founders ready to validate an idea with real market data.
Best for
idea validation
Intelligence
Most popular“What's moving in my market?”
per month, cancel anytime
For founders building toward launch and through their first year.
Best for
build-to-launch and first year
Operator, post-launch
Coming soon“How is my business doing?”
per month, cancel anytime
For founders running a business with revenue, customers, and growth.
Best for
post-launch operations
All paid plans include a free Founder Brief first. You won’t pay until you’ve seen what the platform does.
Studio, custom
Studio is a partnership tier for teams who need StartupShortcut at scale, with multi-workspace, custom integrations, white-label briefs, and dedicated support.
Frequently asked
The questions founders ask before they buy. No accordion, all visible at once.
What does "one-time" mean for the $29 tier?
You pay $29 for one idea, and the platform runs your full Market Research on it. Your dashboard does not expire. If you want a second idea researched, that is another $29, and if you delete the idea you researched, the run comes back so you can point it somewhere else. No subscription. No surprise charges.
Can I downgrade from $59/mo or $149/mo?
Yes, anytime. Tier changes take effect at the next billing cycle. Your data stays with you when you downgrade. You just lose access to features above your new tier until you upgrade again.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your account stays. Your Founder Brief stays. Your past Market Research stays. You lose access to live monitoring and the cofounder, but everything you generated before canceling is yours forever.
Do you offer refunds?
Yes. The $29 tier is refundable within 7 days of purchase if you didn't run Market Research. Subscription tiers can be canceled anytime. We don't pro-rate, but we don't lock you in either.
Why no annual billing?
We'd rather have customers who can leave anytime than customers locked in for a year. If the platform stops being useful, you should be able to walk. That keeps us honest.
Is there a free trial of $59/mo or $149/mo?
The free tier is the trial. You get the chat, the brief, and the pre-data dashboard with no time limit. Most users start at $29 to validate, then move up to $59/mo when they're ready to build.
What each upgrade unlocks
Three transitions, each tied to a moment in the founder’s journey, not a feature checkbox.
When the brief alone isn't enough.
When you're shipping.
When you're operating a business.
Still not sure? Talk to your AI cofounder.
Start free