How we’re using a value‑first freemium strategy to drive adoption, data, and long‑term revenue.

Why We’re Going Freemium

When we designed our Trusted AI Agent Builder, we knew the biggest barrier to adoption wasn’t the tech — it was trust.

  • SMEs are cautious: Many have never used AI automation before. 
  • The value is in seeing it work: No amount of slides beats a live result on their workflow. 

That’s why we’ve chosen a freemium launch for our AI Agents — giving users access to real, production‑grade functionality without a paywall, so they can experience the benefits before committing.

What’s Included in the Free Tier

Our free tier isn’t a “demo” — it’s a full‑featured starting point designed to deliver instant value.
Free users can:

  • Build up to 2 role‑specific digital workers 
  • Connect to a curated set of integrations (e.g., Shopify, BigCommerce, Google Sheets) 
  • Run a set number of workflows each month (enough to meaningfully improve operations) 
  • Access approval flows, rollback, and audit logs 

The goal? Give enough access to solve a real business problem in week one

Where the Business Model Kicks In

The freemium tier is designed to drive:

1. Conversion to Paid

Once users see the ROI — whether it’s 10 hours saved, SEO rankings improved, or fewer operational errors — they’re primed to upgrade for:

  • Unlimited digital workers 
  • Full integration library 
  • Higher workflow limits 
  • Premium AI features (multi‑step reasoning, custom logic)

2. Expansion Revenue

As teams scale usage, they’ll need more:

  • Seats for team members 
  • Sector‑specific agent packs (e.g., marketing, inventory, compliance) 
  • Dedicated onboarding and support 

This creates land‑and‑expand economics — low acquisition cost upfront, high lifetime value over time.

3. Marketplace Monetisation

We’re building an Agent Marketplace where:

  • We sell premium, pre‑built agents 
  • Third‑party developers can sell their own agents via revenue share 
  • Users can access niche agents for industry‑specific needs 

Free users get a taste; paid users explore the marketplace — generating another recurring revenue stream.

Why Freemium Works for AI Agents

AI agents are habit‑forming products: once a workflow is automated and embedded, people rarely go back to manual processes.
By removing the initial cost barrier, we:

  • Increase top‑of‑funnel signups 
  • Shorten the time to “aha” moment 

Build trust with SMEs who are new to AI

How We’ll Measure Success

We’re tracking:

  • Activation rate – How many free users deploy a live digital worker 
  • Time to value – How quickly users experience measurable benefit 
  • Upgrade rate – % of free tier users converting within 60–90 days 

Workflow retention – How often agents are triggered after month three

The Bigger Picture

This freemium launch isn’t just about lead generation — it’s about building the foundation for:

  • Widespread adoption of AI agents in SMEs 
  • A rich marketplace ecosystem of agents and integrations 
  • Long‑term customer relationships where Vortex IQ becomes the automation backbone for their business

Final Word

Our freemium strategy is a bet on value over gating: give away enough power to make AI agents indispensable, and monetise through expansion, marketplace, and premium capabilities.

It’s not “free forever” — it’s free until you can’t imagine running your business without it.