Install is free.
You only pay for queries.
No subscription. No seats. No minimum. Deposit funds, spend credits per result returned, stop paying the moment you stop querying. Deal creation is always free — we only charge for the data you read to decide.
Every command. Every cost. Nothing hidden.
These rates are hard-coded in the CLI today. Run tl describe --json locally to see the live credit table — the CLI is honest about its own costs.
| Resource | What it returns | List (per result) | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| tl deals | Deal records — cost, price, send date, channel, status | 2c | 3c |
| tl uploads | Video-level data — views, likes, comments, evergreenness | 1c | 2c |
| tl channels | Channel profiles — subs, category, demographics, history | 3c | 5c |
| tl brands | Brand intelligence — 7-year marketing history | 5c | 8c |
| tl snapshots | Firebolt time-series — view curves, growth trends | 1c/point | — |
| tl reports run | AI-built report execution with fresh dates | varies | — |
| tl deals create | Place a real matched deal into the TL pipeline | FREE | — |
| tl comments | Read and post comments on a deal | FREE | — |
| tl describe | Self-serve schema — discovery and docs | FREE | — |
| tl balance / auth / doctor | System — check balance, log in, health check | FREE | — |
| tl ask (NL fallback) | Natural-language translation layer (+ underlying query cost) | +2c each | waived w/ --llm-key |
Plan gates.
Plans aren't paywalls. They're data-scoping rules that determine which fields you see on your deals and which resources you can query. Nobody is blocked from installing the CLI — the CLI just tells you what your plan unlocks.
Media Buying
For brands & advertisers
- — See deal price (your own deals)
- — Never see cost
- — tl deals, tl channels, tl uploads
- — tl deals create
Media Selling
For publishers & creators
- — See deal cost (your own deals)
- — Never see price
- — tl deals, tl channels (your own)
- — tl comments
Intelligence
For agencies & analysts
- — Full tl brands access
- — Full tl channels search
- — Full tl uploads search
- — Competitive data
Research tier
For HBS / MIT academics
- — Firebolt snapshot access
- — Elasticsearch + Postgres
- — Password login (no Google SSO)
- — Approval-gated
FAQ.
How much does an exploratory session cost?
A typical "vet one channel" session is under 30 credits. Install + login is zero. The first 500 credits are on us when you sign up, which is enough to run dozens of real queries before deciding whether to deposit.
What if I run out mid-session?
The CLI warns you before your balance drops below 500 credits. If you hit zero, the next query returns a 402 and the post-exec hook surfaces a deposit link. Nothing fails silently.
Why pay-per-result instead of subscription?
Subscription pricing punishes people who don't know how much they'll use. Pay-per-query punishes exploration. Pay-per-result only charges when you got something worth paying for. It's the only model that aligns with how agents actually work.
Is there a free tier?
Install is free. tl describe, tl auth, tl balance, tl doctor, tl comments, and tl deals create are all free forever. You can navigate the whole system, book real deals, and never spend a credit.
Are there volume discounts?
Yes — for data partners and agencies querying at scale. Email partnerships@thoughtleaders.io.