trending

Pay-per-execution vs subscription — which actually wins for tools you use occasionally?

Hey everyone

I'm building DataPulse Bulk Engine: three bulk tools (AI image upscaler, 500-URL QR batches, PDF Markdown) behind one prepaid wallet. Top up once with $5 / $10 / $25, spend only on the jobs you actually run, new accounts get $2 of free credit.

My thesis: nobody uses bulk tools every day. You get a spike "I need 800 photos upscaled THIS weekend" then nothing for months. A $20/mo subscription for that feels wrong, so I went pay-per-execution instead.

But I keep second-guessing the model:

DataPulse Bulk Engine - Bulk upscaling, QR codes & PDF→Markdown, priced per job

Three production-grade bulk tools — AI image upscaling, 500-URL QR code batches, and PDF→Markdown — funded by one prepaid wallet. Top up in $5/$10/$25 packages via Paystack and pay per execution. No subscriptions, built for small teams and freelancers.