FAQ
Questions you'd ask anyway.
What exactly is free, and what's paid?
The engine — the CLI daemon with every trigger type, keystroke and shell actions, plugins,
and a read-only MCP server — is MIT-licensed and free forever. Studio adds the visual GUI
and the AI workflow that writes configuration: chat with 5 LLM providers, plan/approval
diffs, MIDI Learn. The free tier lets any LLM client inspect your rig; only the licensed app lets
AI change it.
Is this a subscription?
No. You buy a perpetual license. It includes one year of updates; after that an optional
$29/yr renewal keeps new versions coming. If you never renew, the last version you received
keeps working indefinitely.
Do I need to pay for the AI?
You bring your own API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, and 3 other providers). Conductor adds no
markup and never proxies your traffic — your key talks directly to your provider. Typical
configuration sessions cost cents.
Can I use Studio at work?
Personal and hobbyist use is covered by Studio. Any business or commercial use — streaming
for revenue counts as hobbyist; using it in a production studio, broadcast facility, or on
company machines does not — requires Pro. One Pro license per seat.
What do alpha and beta testers get?
Alpha testers use everything free during alpha and receive lifetime updates on purchase.
Beta purchasers pay $19 (Studio) / $29 (Pro) — about 60% off — and also lock in lifetime
updates. Early support is rewarded permanently.
Which platforms?
macOS today (Apple Silicon and Intel, signed and notarized). Windows is the next priority;
Linux follows. The open-source daemon already builds on all three.
Refunds?
14 days, no questions. Payments are handled by Lemon Squeezy as merchant of record — they
deal with VAT/sales tax in your country so the price you see is handled cleanly.