# Pricing & Plans

Choose the right AuthorKit plan for your author website.

## Quick Comparison

| Feature                   | Free          | Pro          | Pro Max      |
| ------------------------- | ------------- | ------------ | ------------ |
| **Sites**                 | 1             | 1            | 5            |
| **Books**                 | 10 max        | Unlimited    | Unlimited    |
| **Reviews per book**      | 3 max         | Unlimited    | Unlimited    |
| **Bookshelf sync**        | Limited       | Full control | Full control |
| **Contests module**       | ✗             | ✓            | ✓            |
| **Reader Magnets module** | ✗             | ✓            | ✓            |
| **Priority support**      | ✗             | ✓            | ✓            |
| **Updates**               | WordPress.org | Automatic    | Automatic    |

***

## Free vs Pro Features

### What's in Free?

AuthorKit Free includes everything you need to get started:

* **Books module** - Up to 10 books with 27 custom fields
* **Reviews module** - Up to 3 reviews per book
* **Bookshelf sync** - Publish to bookshelf.authorkit.pro for discoverability
* **Amazon-style displays** - Professional book cards and layouts
* **SEO optimization** - Basic schema markup
* **Community support** - WordPress.org forums

**Perfect for:**

* Authors just starting their website
* Writers with small book catalogs (under 10 books)
* Testing AuthorKit before upgrading

### What's in Pro?

AuthorKit Pro unlocks everything:

* **Unlimited books** - No 10-book limit
* **Unlimited reviews** - No 3-review-per-book limit
* **Contests module** - Run book giveaways and promotions
* **Reader Magnets module** - Deliver lead magnets and grow your email list
* **Enhanced SEO** - Rich JSON-LD schema markup
* **Priority support** - Email support with 24-hour response time
* **Automatic updates** - No manual downloads

**Perfect for:**

* Professional authors with growing catalogs
* Writers running promotions and giveaways
* Authors serious about email list building

### What's in Pro Max?

Everything in Pro, but for **5 WordPress sites** instead of 1.

**Perfect for:**

* Independent publishers managing multiple author websites
* Book coaches building sites for clients
* Authors with multiple pen names/brands
* Agencies serving author clients

***

## Pricing Options

### Pro (1 Site)

Activate AuthorKit Pro on **one WordPress site**.

| Plan         | Price                                        | Duration              | Best For                           |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **Annual**   | <p>$49/year founding<br>$79/year regular</p> | Renewable yearly      | Authors who prefer annual payments |
| **Lifetime** | <p>$149 founding<br>$249 regular</p>         | Pay once, own forever | Authors committed long-term        |

**You receive ONE license key** that activates on 1 WordPress site.

### Pro Max (5 Sites)

Activate AuthorKit Pro on **up to 5 WordPress sites** with a single license.

| Plan         | Price                                         | Duration              | Best For                        |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **Annual**   | <p>$99/year founding<br>$149/year regular</p> | Renewable yearly      | Publishers with multiple sites  |
| **Lifetime** | <p>$249 founding<br>$399 regular</p>          | Pay once, own forever | Long-term multi-site management |

**You receive ONE license key** that activates on up to 5 different WordPress sites.

***

## Founding Member vs Regular Pricing

### What is Founding Member Pricing?

The first **150 customers** receive permanent founding member pricing.

**Founding Member Benefits:**

* Lower price locked in forever (as long as license stays active)
* Price never increases on renewals
* Early access to new features
* Special recognition in community

**Example (Pro Annual):**

* Founding member pays: $49/year forever
* Regular customer pays: $79/year
* Savings: $30/year, $150 over 5 years

**Once 150 spots fill, all new customers pay regular pricing.**

### Founding vs Regular Pricing Table

| Product          | Founding Price | Regular Price | Savings  |
| ---------------- | -------------- | ------------- | -------- |
| Pro Annual       | $49/year       | $79/year      | $30/year |
| Pro Lifetime     | $149 one-time  | $249 one-time | $100     |
| Pro Max Annual   | $99/year       | $149/year     | $50/year |
| Pro Max Lifetime | $249 one-time  | $399 one-time | $150     |

***

## Annual vs Lifetime: Which Should You Choose?

### Cost Over Time

**Pro (1 site):**

* Annual: $49/year × 5 years = $245 (founding) or $79 × 5 = $395 (regular)
* Lifetime: $149 (founding) or $249 (regular) — pay once
* **Break-even point:** 3 years (founding), 3.1 years (regular)

**Pro Max (5 sites):**

* Annual: $99/year × 5 years = $495 (founding) or $149 × 5 = $745 (regular)
* Lifetime: $249 (founding) or $399 (regular) — pay once
* **Break-even point:** 2.5 years (founding), 2.7 years (regular)

### When to Choose Annual

Choose annual if you:

* Want lower upfront cost ($49 vs $149)
* Aren't sure about long-term commitment
* Prefer spreading costs over time
* Might change website platforms in 2-3 years

### When to Choose Lifetime

Choose lifetime if you:

* Plan to use WordPress long-term (3+ years)
* Want to avoid recurring payments
* Prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions
* Want maximum value over time

**Most popular:** Lifetime (like Vellum and Atticus, you buy it and keep it)

***

## Pro vs Pro Max: Do You Need Multi-Site?

### When You Need Pro (1 Site)

Choose Pro if you:

* Manage **one author website**
* Write under one pen name
* Have one WordPress installation

**Price:** $49-$79/year or $149-$249 lifetime

### When You Need Pro Max (5 Sites)

Choose Pro Max if you:

* Manage **2-5 author websites**
* Write under multiple pen names
* Run a publishing business with multiple author sites
* Build author sites for clients
* Have staging + production environments

**Price:** $99-$149/year or $249-$399 lifetime

**Important:** Pro Max gives you ONE license key that works on up to 5 sites. Not 5 separate keys.

***

## Which Plan is Right for You?

### Decision Guide

**I have fewer than 10 books:** → Start with **Free** (upgrade later if needed)

**I have 10+ books and one website:** → **Pro Lifetime** ($149 founding, $249 regular)

**I have 10+ books and 2-5 websites:** → **Pro Max Lifetime** ($249 founding, $399 regular)

**I prefer annual payments:** → **Pro Annual** ($49 founding, $79 regular)

**I manage multiple author sites professionally:** → **Pro Max** (Annual or Lifetime based on preference)

### Common Scenarios

**Scenario 1: New Author, 5 books**

* Start with **Free** (no cost)
* Upgrade to **Pro** when you publish book #11

**Scenario 2: Established Author, 15 books, 1 site**

* **Pro Lifetime** ($149 founding)
* Unlimited books + contests + magnets
* No recurring payments

**Scenario 3: Author with 2 pen names, 2 sites**

* **Pro Max Lifetime** ($249 founding)
* Same license works on both sites
* Cheaper than 2 separate Pro licenses ($298)

**Scenario 4: Publisher with 4 author sites**

* **Pro Max Annual** ($99 founding)
* Low upfront cost
* Covers all 4 sites with one license

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I upgrade from Free to Pro anytime?

**Yes!** No data loss. Your existing books and reviews remain intact. Limits are simply removed.

### Can I upgrade from Annual to Lifetime?

**Yes!** Contact <support@authorkit.pro> and we'll credit your annual payment toward lifetime.

### Can I upgrade from Pro (1 site) to Pro Max (5 sites)?

**Yes!** Pay the difference and we'll upgrade your license to Pro Max.

### What happens if I don't renew my Annual license?

* Pro features continue working
* Updates stop after license expires
* Renew anytime to resume updates
* Your books and data are never affected

### Can I downgrade from Pro to Free?

**Yes.** Deactivate your license and you'll revert to Free tier. Books 11+ and reviews 4+ are hidden (not deleted). Reactivate Pro anytime to restore them.

### Do founding member prices apply to renewals?

**Yes!** If you purchase at founding member pricing, your renewal rate stays at the founding price forever (as long as license remains active).

### Can I transfer my license between sites?

**Yes.** Deactivate on the old site, activate on the new site. See [Multi-Site Activation Guide](/getting-started/multi-site-activation.md).

### Is there a refund policy?

**Yes.** 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.

***

## Ready to Upgrade?

[View Pricing Plans →](https://authorkit.pro/pricing)

[Compare All Features →](https://authorkit.pro/features)

[Try Free First →](https://wordpress.org/plugins/authorkit/)

***

**Questions?** Email <support@authorkit.pro> or check our [FAQ](/getting-started/faq.md).

**Last Updated:** April 4, 2026


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