# Pricing Structure — Initial Draft (Mar 28, 2026)

**Status**: Starting point — revisit as revenue data comes in

---

## Infrastructure Cost
- ~$140/month (dedicated host + VPS + Backblaze B2)
- Break-even: ~7-8 customers at Modded tier

---

## Launch Scope
- **Minecraft only** — all 6 variants (Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge)
- Other games added after revenue validates the platform
- Engine abstraction designed, not yet implemented (DEC-010)

---

## Game Server Pricing (Minecraft)

| Plan | RAM | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Vanilla** | 2GB | Small/vanilla servers, ~10 players | $8/mo |
| **Modded** | 4GB | Standard modpacks, Fabric/Forge/NeoForge, ~20 players | $20/mo |
| **Heavy** | 8GB | Large modpacks, 20+ players, heavy NeoForge | $35/mo |

**Market context:**
- Budget hosts (Shockbyte, BisectHosting): $2.99-5/mo — race to the bottom, not our market
- Premium modded hosting: $20-35/mo for modded, $35-50/mo for heavy
- We are priced at market rate for premium — justified by better UX, Modrinth integration, purpose-built platform

---

## Dev Environments
- Deferred from launch — add once game server revenue is stable
- Target price range: $15-40/mo (to be finalized)
- Developer discount on game servers: 50% (to be implemented with dev env launch)

---

## Notes
- Do not undercut market — underpricing signals low quality
- Revisit after first 30 days of live data
- Annual discount option: consider later
- Free trial: not at launch, revisit after billing is stable