Value & Growth Economy

Economic model, pricing, credits system, marketplace, and value exchange mechanisms.

Documentation Sections

Pricing

Complete pricing structure including credit packs, content costs, free tier, marketplace pricing, refund policy, and pricing philosophy.

Credits System

Detailed documentation of the credits system: why credits, what they are, what costs credits, credit properties, free tier, error handling, and implementation notes.

Token Reward System

Non-speculative recognition system for user and creator contributions. Tokens represent value exchange, not investment.

Marketplace Economics

Creator economics, pack pricing, revenue distribution, and marketplace value exchange mechanisms.

Overview

waQup's economic model is built on a credit-based system that aligns costs with value creation. Users pay for creation and transformation, not time or consumption. This model respects intentional choice, avoids manipulation, and scales economically.

Core Principle: Practice is free, creation is sacred.

Table of Contents

Credits System Overview

Credits System

1. Why Credits (Not Pure Subscription)

Credits fit waQup because value is created at the moment of ritual creation, not in passive listening.

A ritual is an act of encoding → that is where effort, attention, and meaning happen.

So we price:

  • Creation (encoding)
  • Transformation (deep change)

Not time.

Credits:
  • Feel intentional
  • Reduce churn
  • Avoid "I'm paying but not using it" guilt
  • Match ritual psychology (scarcity + choice)
  • Align infrastructure costs (AI only when needed)

2. What Credits Are (Definition)

A credit = one irreversible act of creation or deep change.

Credits are consumed when the user creates or transforms something meaningful.

Not when they listen. Core Principle: Practice is free, creation is sacred.

3. What Costs Credits (Core Rules)

Consumes Credits

By Content Type (see Content Types & Taxonomy document):
  • Affirmations: 0.5 credits (lighter AI processing, shorter content)
  • Guided Meditations: 1 credit (standard AI processing)
  • Rituals: 1 credit (full AI processing, highest value)
Other Actions:
  • Clone + deeply modify existing content (see thresholds below)
  • Generate hypnosis / NLP-structured content (1 credit)
Optional extra credit:
  • Use premium voices (+0.5 credit, or clarify if included in base)

Does NOT Cost Credits

  • Listening / replaying (unlimited)
  • Daily practice (unlimited)
  • Offline usage (unlimited)
  • Using own voice (if feature exists)
  • Editing text manually (minor tweaks)
  • Minor tweaks (duration, pace, tags)

Modification Thresholds

Free (No Credit):
  • Manual text editing
  • Changing duration
  • Adjusting pace/tone settings
  • Adding/removing tags
  • Organizing in folders
  • Exporting rituals
1 Credit (Deep Modification):
  • Changing practice type (breath work → movement)
  • Changing intent (calming → energizing)
  • Restructuring ritual requiring LLM regeneration
  • Changing core ritual structure
  • Any modification requiring AI regeneration

4. Credit Packs (Simple, Humane)

Example Packs (Illustrative)

  • Starter: 3 credits → €9 (€3/credit)
  • Seeker: 10 credits → €25 (€2.50/credit)
  • Architect: 30 credits → €60 (€2/credit)
Psychology:
  • Small entry point
  • No pressure
  • Higher packs feel like commitment, not upsell
  • Bulk discount rewards intentional use

Credit Properties

  • Never expire (no FOMO, no manipulation)
  • Personal (non-transferable, except future gifting feature)
  • Refundable (on system errors, see error handling)
  • Transparent (always visible balance, clear costs)

5. Free Tier (Important)

Free users get:

  • 1 ritual credit (one-time, to experience creation)
  • Full replay access (unlimited listening)
  • Basic structure only (standard voices, standard features)

This lets them:

  • Feel the power
  • Encode once
  • Understand the system
  • Experience value before paywall

Then the paywall feels natural, not coercive.

6. Error Handling & Refunds

Credit Refund Policy

Credits are refunded when:

  • Ritual generation fails due to system error
  • Audio generation fails after text generation
  • User cancels before ritual completion
  • LLM/TTS service unavailable
  • Any technical failure preventing completion

Credits are consumed when:

  • Ritual successfully generated and saved
  • User confirms ritual completion
  • Ritual appears in library
Principle: User only pays for successful value delivery.

7. Credit Balance & Visibility

Balance Display

  • Always visible in UI (non-intrusive, calm)
  • Shown before consumption: "This will use 1 credit. You have 5 remaining."
  • Transaction history available (credits used, credits purchased, refunds)
  • No pressure messaging (no "low balance" warnings)

Purchase Flow

  • Clear pricing before purchase
  • No hidden fees
  • Immediate credit availability
  • Simple checkout (Stripe integration)

8. Premium Voices

Standard voices: Included in ritual creation credit (1 credit covers creation + standard voice) Premium voices:
  • Option A: +0.5 credit per ritual
  • Option B: Included in base credit (preferred for simplicity)
Recommendation: Include in base credit to maintain simplicity and avoid decision fatigue.

9. Marketplace Relationship

Creator Packs

  • Purchased separately (direct payment or credits)
  • Credits can be used to purchase packs (1 credit = €3 value, or separate pricing)
  • Creator revenue: Separate from user credits (creators receive payment, not credits)

Credit Usage for Marketplace

  • Users can use credits to purchase packs
  • Credit value: €3 per credit (or market rate)
  • Credits supplement, don't replace direct payment

10. Internal Logic (Systemic, Not Cosmetic)

Credits align:

User Psychology → "What is worth encoding now?"
  • Intentional choice
  • Scarcity creates meaning
  • No infinite scrolling
Infrastructure Cost → AI + processing only when needed
  • Pay for what you use
  • Predictable costs
  • Scales with usage
Retention → Rituals stay forever
  • No subscription pressure
  • No "use it or lose it"
  • Credits never expire
Ethics → No addiction loops
  • No streaks
  • No pressure
  • No manipulation
  • No FOMO

This avoids:

  • Infinite content scrolling
  • Meditation gamification
  • Streak anxiety
  • Subscription fatigue

11. Economic Scalability

From a business view:

  • Near-zero marginal cost per replay
  • Credits purchased upfront (cash flow)
  • No refund pressure ("I forgot to cancel")
  • Works globally (no subscription fatigue)
  • Predictable revenue per engaged user
  • Credits = cash flow + clarity

12. Long-Term Extensibility

Credits later can unlock:

  • Creator rituals (revenue share)
  • Couple rituals (2 credits)
  • Trauma-safe guided work (higher credit, 2 credits)
  • Therapist-generated rituals (premium, 2 credits)
  • Custom voice models (premium, 2 credits)
  • Ritual sequences (multiple rituals, proportional credits)

Same system. No redesign.

13. Anti-Gamification Safeguards

What Credits Are NOT

  • Not a reward system (no "earn credits by practicing")
  • Not a loyalty program (no "more credits for streaks")
  • Not a social comparison tool (no leaderboards)
  • Not a manipulation mechanism (no FOMO, urgency)

What Credits ARE

  • Resource management tool
  • Cost allocation mechanism
  • Intentional choice enabler
  • Infrastructure cost alignment

14. Implementation Notes

Credit Management Service

  • Tracks credit balance per user
  • Validates credit availability before consumption
  • Processes refunds on errors
  • Records transaction history
  • Integrates with Payment Service for purchases

API Integration

  • Check credit balance before ritual creation
  • Consume credit on successful completion
  • Refund credit on failure
  • Track credit transactions

UI/UX Principles

  • Calm, non-intrusive balance display
  • Clear cost communication before action
  • No pressure messaging
  • Transparent transaction history
  • Simple purchase flow

15. Content Type Credit Costs

Rationale

  • Affirmations (0.5 credits): Shorter, simpler AI processing, lighter content
  • Guided Meditations (1 credit): Standard processing, medium complexity
  • Rituals (1 credit): Full processing, highest value, but same cost = intentional choice
Alternative Consideration: All cost 1 credit for simplicity and intentionality (recommended for Phase 1, can adjust based on usage data).

16. Open Questions

  1. Affirmation credit cost: 0.5 credits (lighter) or 1 credit (simplicity)?
  2. Premium voice pricing: Include in base credit or +0.5 credit?
  3. Credit gifting: When to implement? What are the mechanics?
  4. Marketplace credit value: Fixed €3/credit or variable?
  5. Bulk discounts: Should larger packs have better per-credit pricing?
  6. Type transitions: Should converting affirmations → meditations → rituals cost credits?

Summary

The credits system is a resource management tool that:

  • Aligns costs with value creation
  • Enables intentional choice
  • Avoids manipulation
  • Scales economically
  • Maintains waQup's anti-gamification principles
Core Principle: Practice is free, creation is sacred.

Token/Reward System

7. Token/Reward System

Non-speculative recognition system for user and creator contributions. Tokens represent value exchange, not investment.

Reward Types:
  • Practice tokens (for regular engagement)
  • Creator tokens (for quality packs)
  • Referral tokens (for word-of-mouth)
  • Feedback tokens (for constructive feedback)
Note: For detailed token mechanics, distribution rules, and economic model, see Value & Growth Economy document.

Marketplace Economics

Marketplace economics details to be added.

Revenue Distribution

Revenue distribution details to be added.