Worth staying for

There's a playbook that most software companies follow. Lock users in with annual contracts. Make cancellation difficult. Build features that create dependency rather than value. Charge for access, not usage. The assumption is that friction keeps customers.

We think this gets it backwards. Friction doesn't create loyalty—it creates resentment. The moment a better option appears, or the moment someone realizes they're paying for something they barely use, trust evaporates.

What we believe

We started with a simple question: what if we built software assuming users could leave at any moment? What if we had to earn every session, every return visit?

This isn't idealism—it's alignment. When your business model depends on customers forgetting to cancel, you're building for the wrong outcome. We'd rather build something people actively choose to use.

The honest part

We want to build something that works for both of us. You get a tool worth using; we get to keep building it. That's the whole equation.

When you buy credits, we don't create anxiety of parked money. We discourage you to buy more when you already have enough. Your credits never expire. We'd rather you buy less and trust us more.

This is the deal: we'll be transparent about what things cost and why. We'll make it easy to leave. In return, we hope you stay because you want to—not because you have to.

An invitation

We're still figuring this out. If you have ideas about how we can make Riff cheaper, simpler, or more honest—we want to hear them.

This isn't a manifesto carved in stone. It's a conversation. And you're part of it.