Zero 
Licensing Cost Platform

No per-seat or license fees.Costs apply only to operating and enriching the platform in a secure, enterprise-grade way

Layered Pricing Model

Layer 1 · License$0 Always Free

Core Platform Access

$0 / year

No seats. No vendor limits. No 'platform fees.'

  • AI-driven vendor risk scoring & prioritization
  • Continuous monitoring and alerting
  • Vendor profiles, dashboards, evidence history
  • Unlimited users and vendors

Promise: You never pay for the right to access the software.

Layer 2 · Cost-RecoveryOperate Securely

Platform Operations & Enablement

$250 – $2,500 / month

Covers real operating costs — hosting, maintenance, and SLA-backed support.

  • One-time configuration: $2,500 – $10,000
  • Secure hosting (isolated or dedicated environment)
  • Maintenance, patching, backups, monitoring
  • Operational support (SLA-based): $0 – $1,000 / month

Important: This is not a license. You're paying to operate the platform, not to access it.

Layer 3 · Pass-ThroughExternal Data

Third-Party Risk Intelligence & Reports

$25 – $100 / vendor / year

External provider costs are billed transparently. You control what sources are enabled.

  • Security ratings, external assessments, risk reports
  • Pen test summaries, compliance attestations
  • Per report option: $250 – $1,500 / report

Transparency: Pass-through costs are itemized and optional — no bundling surprises.

Layer 4 · PremiumAccountability

Assurance & Governance (Optional)

$10,000 – $50,000 / year

For audit readiness, defensible posture, and board-level governance.

  • AI-validated remediation closure & assurance reports
  • Regulatory mapping (NIST / ISO / SOC / FFIEC)
  • Risk acceptance & exception workflows
  • Board-ready reporting packs & baselining

Monetization: We monetize accountability and governance — not software access.

Sample Pricing Scenarios (Illustrative)

These examples show how spend scales by operational needs and governance scope — while software access remains $0.

SMB

Self-Serve + Predictable OpEx

Platform License: $0
CostExample
One-time configuration$2,500
Secure hosting$250 / month
SupportIncluded (business hours)
3rd-party reports (optional)$25 / vendor / year

Typical Annual Spend: $6,000 – $9,000

Best for teams that want continuous visibility without license spend.

Mid-Market

Audit-Aware + Assurance Outputs

Platform License: $0
CostExample
One-time configuration$7,500
Secure hosting$750 / month
SLA support$300 / month
3rd-party intelligence$5,000 / year
Assurance pack$12,000 / year

Typical Annual Spend: $28,000 – $35,000

Best for regulated mid-size orgs that need defensible reporting.

Enterprise

Board-Level Governance + Scale

Platform License: $0
CostExample
Enterprise configuration$25,000
Dedicated hosting$2,500 / month
24×7 support$1,000 / month
3rd-party intelligence$25,000 / year
Governance tier$45,000 / year

Typical Annual Spend: $95,000 – $120,000

Best for multi-entity oversight, regulators, and board reporting.

Transparency Summary

One table to explain the model to customers, finance, and procurement.

LayerWhat You Pay ForWhy
Platform License$0 (Always Free)Access to the software should not be a barrier.
OperationsHosting · Setup · Support (Cost-Recovery)Secure production environments have real infrastructure costs.
Third-Party DataExternal reports & intelligence (Pass-Through)External providers charge for data; you control what's enabled.
Premium LayersAssurance · Governance · ScaleMonetizes accountability and defensible outcomes-not access.

Positioning line (keep consistent):

VendorSecurity.ai does not sell software licenses. We recover operating costs and monetize accountability when risk becomes material.

FAQ

If the license is free, why are there other costs?

Operating a secure, production-grade platform includes hosting, monitoring, maintenance, and support. We separate those cost-recovery items from licensing to keep pricing transparent and fair.

What if we never upgrade?

That's fine. The platform license stays $0. Customers choose premium layers only when they need assurance outputs, governance workflows, or higher-intensity intelligence.

Do you mark up third-party data?

Third-party intelligence and reports are billed as transparent pass-through line items. Customers control which sources are enabled.

Start free. Pay only to operate and scale.

Use the $0 platform license today, then add operations, third-party data, and premium governance as your program matures.

Get Started for Free