Spawn Cost Breakdown
Last updated: 2026-02-05
Final Decision
- Starter: $20/month, $5 credits, cpx21/cpx22
- Pro: $50/month, $10 credits, cpx31/cpx32
- Business: $100/month, $40 credits, cpx41/cpx42
Hetzner VPS Pricing (Current)
New Generation (cpx*2 series) – EU Locations
| Server | vCPU | RAM | Storage | EU Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cpx22 | 2 | 4 GB | 80 GB | $6.99 | ✅ Available |
| cpx32 | 4 | 8 GB | 160 GB | $11.99 | ✅ Available |
| cpx42 | 8 | 16 GB | 320 GB | $21.99 | ✅ Available |
Old Generation (cpx*1 series) – US Locations
| Server | vCPU | RAM | Storage | US Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cpx21 | 3 | 4 GB | 80 GB | $9.99 | ⚠️ Deprecated in EU |
| cpx31 | 4 | 8 GB | 160 GB | $17.99 | ⚠️ Deprecated in EU |
| cpx41 | 8 | 16 GB | 240 GB | $33.49 | ⚠️ Deprecated in EU |
Recommendation: Use EU locations (fsn1, nbg1, hel1) with new cpx*2 series for best pricing.
Claude API Pricing (Pass-Through)
We pass through AI costs at cost. No markup on credits.
| Model | Input | Output | Typical Turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Opus 4.5 | $15/MTok | $75/MTok | ~$0.075 |
With $10 credits: ~133 turns/month average
Transaction Costs
Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
| Price Point | Stripe Fee | Net Received |
|---|---|---|
| $20/month | $0.88 | $19.12 |
| $25/month | $1.03 | $23.97 |
| $50/month | $1.75 | $48.25 |
| $100/month | $3.20 | $96.80 |
Tier Analysis
Option A: Current Pricing ($25/$50/$100)
| Tier | Price | VPS (EU) | Credits | Stripe | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $25 | $6.99 | $10 | $1.03 | $6.98 (28%) |
| Pro | $50 | $11.99 | $20 | $1.75 | $16.26 (33%) |
| Business | $100 | $21.99 | $40 | $3.20 | $34.81 (35%) |
Option B: $20 Starter Pricing ($20/$50/$100)
| Tier | Price | VPS (EU) | Credits | Stripe | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $20 | $6.99 | $10 | $0.88 | $2.13 (11%) |
| Pro | $50 | $11.99 | $20 | $1.75 | $16.26 (33%) |
| Business | $100 | $21.99 | $40 | $3.20 | $34.81 (35%) |
$20 Starter Viability Analysis
Can we do $20/month? Yes, but margins are thin.
Breakdown:
- Customer pays: $20.00
- Stripe takes: -$0.88
- VPS costs: -$6.99
- Credits included: -$10.00
- Net margin: $2.13/month (10.6%)
Considerations
Pros:
- Clean $20 price point (psychological)
- Lower barrier to entry
- Pro/Business tiers have healthy margins
- Extra credit purchases have margin too
Cons:
- Very thin margin on Starter
- No buffer for support time
- One bad month (chargebacks, etc.) wipes margin
Alternative: Reduce Starter Credits
| Scenario | Price | VPS | Credits | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 / $10 credits | $20 | $6.99 | $10 | $2.13 (11%) |
| $20 / $5 credits | $20 | $6.99 | $5 | $7.13 (36%) |
| $20 / $7 credits | $20 | $6.99 | $7 | $5.13 (26%) |
$20 with $5-7 credits gives healthier margins while keeping the price point.
Other Costs (Not Monthly)
- Domain registration: ~$12-15/year (passed to customer with markup)
- Domain renewal: ~$12-15/year (passed to customer with markup)
- SSL: Free (Let’s Encrypt)
- Setup/provisioning: Automated (no marginal cost)
Recommendation
For $20 Starter tier to work profitably:
- Use EU servers (cpx22 @ $6.99)
- Consider reducing included credits to $5-7
- OR accept thin margins on Starter, knowing Pro/Business have healthy margins
- Extra credit purchases provide additional margin
The $20 price point is ACHIEVABLE but requires either:
- Lower included credits, OR
- Acceptance of ~10% margin (viable if volume is high)
Single source of truth: Update this document when costs change.