Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Subscriptions
💡 In simple words: A subscription means paying a small amount every month to support and use the platform. It gives steady help to the community and access to services for you.
⚠️ Not yet approved. This page describes a proposal that is still under community review. It is documented here so it can be discussed, improved and endorsed.
Monthly Subscriptions
WikiDeal:Economics NEW
Contents
📋 Key Rule: Subscriptions are Optional but Required to Sign
- Free access: Anyone can browse WikiDeal, read wiki pages, and explore contracts without subscribing.
- Signing a contract requires being up to date: Both parties must have an active (or retroactively settled) subscription at the moment of signing.
- Retroactive billing at signing: If months are overdue, ALL unpaid subscription fees are collected retroactively at the time of the next contract signing — billed in addition to the transaction commission, not deducted from it.
- Double commission + subscription: The transaction carries a double commission (User Group + WikiDeal platform), between 5% and 15% total (justified exceptions possible). Subscription fees are charged on top of this commission.
- Micro-payments: For frequent small transactions, overdue subscription fees may be split into micro-installments. For larger contracts, the full overdue amount is settled at once.
WikiDeal operates two parallel subscription systems: the platform subscription (covering base access for all users) and User Group subscriptions (covering access to specific service verticals). Both are designed to be low-cost, transparent, and governed by market equilibrium rather than central pricing mandates.
Platform: 10 CHF/year (or 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF mgmt fee) · User Group: ~1€/month or 10€/year · Annual always cheaper
Two Levels of Subscription
| Level | What it covers | Annual price | Monthly price | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Base platform access, contracts, AI, governance | 10 CHF | 1 CHF + 2 CHF fee = 12 CHF/yr | Ynternet.org Foundation |
| User Group | Access to specific service (babysitting, etc.) | ~10€ | ~1€ + fee | Each User Group |
These are independent subscriptions. A user can have the platform subscription without any User Group subscription (access WikiDeal but not service-specific features). A user participating in three User Groups pays three separate group subscriptions plus the platform subscription.
Platform Subscription
The platform subscription is described in detail on the Subscription Model page. In summary:
- 10 CHF/year if paid annually (best value)
- 1 CHF/month + 2 CHF management fee if paid monthly (= 12 CHF/year total)
- 20% surcharge for monthly payment reflects real admin overhead
- Billed at Transaction time (deferred model for inactive users)
User Group Subscription
User Group subscriptions are set independently by each User Group. They are typically very low — around 1€/month or 10€/year — but vary based on the services offered and the costs the group must cover.
Like the platform subscription, User Group subscriptions offer an annual discount to incentivise up-front commitment:
User Group subscription (example): Annual: 10€/year Monthly: 1€/month + management fee Annual saving: 10–20% (set by each UG)
If a User Group sets subscriptions too high, members will fork and create a competing group at a lower price. This equilibrium pressure keeps subscriptions honest.
The Arrears Rule
WikiDeal enforces a strict arrears rule for User Group subscriptions to prevent free-riding:
Rule: If a member stops paying their User Group subscription (e.g. misses February and March), and then resumes in April, they must pay all missed months (February + March) at the time of resumption — before accessing the service again.
This rule applies to User Group subscriptions specifically (not the platform subscription, which uses the deferred billing model). It ensures:
- Members cannot selectively pay only during months when they need the service
- User Groups have predictable revenue even during seasonal lulls
- The group's cost base remains stable regardless of individual member activity patterns
Example:
- January: pays ✅
- February: does NOT pay ❌
- March: does NOT pay ❌
- April: wants to resume → must pay Feb + Mar + Apr to continue ✅
Annual Incentives
Both subscription levels incentivise annual payment:
| Payment type | Platform sub | UG sub (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual (once) | 10 CHF → 10 CHF/yr | 10€ → 10€/yr |
| Monthly (12 payments) | 12 CHF (20% more) | 12€ (20% more) |
The management fee on monthly payments is not arbitrary — it reflects the real cost of processing 12 individual payments, tracking 12 separate billing events, and managing 12 potential arrears situations versus one annual payment.
Equilibrium Logic
WikiDeal's subscription model is self-regulating through market equilibrium:
- If a platform subscription is too expensive → users leave or don't join → Ynternet.org Foundation lowers price
- If a User Group subscription is too expensive → members fork and create a competing group → prices naturally decrease
- If User Group subscription too low to cover costs → group may merge, raise rates with community approval, or dissolve
The threat of forking is a feature, not a bug. It prevents any single group from imposing unsustainable rates on its members.
See also: Subscription Model Payment Methods User Groups Financing Development