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.

Two Levels of Subscription

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:

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:

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:

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.