Learn why AppClerk offers free compliance scans while keeping document generation as a paid feature, and how this model benefits developers.
When we built AppClerk, we made a deliberate decision: compliance scans and checks would be completely free, while document generation would be a paid feature. This wasn't an arbitrary choice—it reflects our core belief that developers should be able to identify compliance issues without barriers, while premium features that save significant time and effort should be monetized.
In this post, we'll explain the reasoning behind this model and how it benefits both developers and the AppClerk platform.
Before diving into our pricing model, it's important to understand the problem we're addressing:
The Compliance Discovery Problem: Most developers don't know what compliance issues they have until they try to submit to app stores. By then, it's often too late to fix issues without delaying launches.
The Document Generation Problem: Creating compliant privacy policies and legal documents is time-consuming, requires legal knowledge, and needs to be maintained as apps evolve.
Our goal is to solve both problems, but we've structured our pricing to remove barriers where they matter most.
The biggest hurdle in compliance isn't fixing issues—it's knowing what issues exist in the first place. Many developers:
By making scans free, we remove the barrier to discovery. Developers can:
This aligns with our mission: every developer should know their compliance status, regardless of budget.
Free scans demonstrate that we're not hiding problems behind paywalls. Developers can:
This transparency builds trust and ensures developers only pay when they see clear value.
Free scans serve an educational purpose. When developers see their scan results, they learn:
This education benefits the entire developer community, not just paying customers.
Free scans create network effects:
Document generation saves developers:
This is substantial value that justifies a paid feature. We're not just providing a template—we're:
Free scans are a one-time analysis. Document generation includes:
This ongoing service requires infrastructure, monitoring, and maintenance—costs that justify a paid model.
When developers pay for document generation, they expect:
These guarantees require investment in quality assurance, legal review, and infrastructure—all of which are funded by paid subscriptions.
A sustainable business model allows us to:
Without revenue from document generation, we couldn't maintain the free scanning service or continue improving the platform.
Our pricing model creates a clear value exchange:
This gives you everything you need to understand your compliance status.
This gives you everything you need to solve your compliance requirements.
Our model supports developers at every stage:
This journey ensures developers can explore and understand compliance for free, then pay only when they're ready to implement solutions.
This model has real benefits:
For Individual Developers: Free scans mean you can check compliance on side projects, experiments, or early-stage apps without financial commitment.
For Startups: Teams can scan multiple projects, understand requirements, and only pay when they're ready to launch.
For Agencies: You can scan client projects to identify compliance needs before proposing solutions.
For Enterprises: Free scans allow compliance audits across multiple projects, with paid generation for production apps.
Our pricing model—free scans, paid document generation—reflects our core values:
We believe this model benefits everyone:
If you haven't tried our free scans yet, run your first scan and see what compliance issues you might have. No credit card required—just connect your project and see your results in minutes.
Ready to generate your first compliant document? Start your free trial and see how AppClerk can automate your compliance workflow.
