Will Qaf stay free, and how is it funded?

Category: Questions & membership Priority: P2 Area: billing Reports: 5 Status: Open

Summary

A steady stream of users asks whether the app and its AI service will remain permanently free, whether a paid subscription will eventually be mandatory, and how Qaf funds its costs — one user even asks to keep using the free website when the app goes paid because he cannot afford premium. Abdellatif's standard answer is consistent: a free tier should always remain, some features will become paid, and buying a subscription is the best way to support the project. In one reply he was candid about the economics: Qaf was "burning $4k/day in tokens" with no caps, so rate limits and a paid subscription were expected within ~2 weeks (as of 2026-08-12). A public pricing/FAQ page would preempt most of these emails; one thread (from a mostly-Arabic sender) is still unanswered.

What users say

مخترعون dr.sh.b1448@gmail.com — is the AI permanently free? (plus: teach me to build one)

• Date: 2026-08-21, Language: Arabic, Thread: 1a024c6dd1f1899f, Replied: no
• An admirer of the app asks whether Qaf's AI service is permanently open/free, and additionally asks the team to teach him how to create a permanently free tool of his own so he can use it in the service of Islam.

"بخصوص الأداة قاف هل خدمة الذكاء الصناعي فيها مفتوحة بشكل دائم وأريد منكم إن سمحتم تعلموني كيف أنشيء أداة مجانية بشكل دائم فأستفيد منها في خدمة الإسلام"

Regarding the Qaf tool — is the AI service in it open (free) permanently? And, if you permit, I want you to teach me how to create a permanently free tool so I can benefit from it in the service of Islam.

Mohamad mo1305709@gmail.com — free or eventually paid? (plus: voice assistant?)

• Date: 2026-08-19, Language: Arabic, Thread: 1a01ba49968f9060, Replied: yes
• Two-part question: will the app stay free or will a subscription eventually be required, and is there a voice assistant users can talk to? Abdellatif replied (in Arabic) that free features will remain insha'Allah, some features will become paid, and a voice assistant is being worked on and should be available soon.

"السؤال من شقين الشق الاول هل سيكون هذا التطبيق مجانيا او بعد فتره سيكون لابد من دفع مشترك والشقه الثاني هل يوجد مساعد صوتي نستطيع التحدث معه ام لا"

The question has two parts. The first part: will this app be free, or after a while will paying for a subscription become required? The second part: is there a voice assistant we can talk to, or not?

Mohammed sakib Abbas msakiba2000@icloud.com — why aren't you charging?

• Date: 2026-08-18, Language: English, Thread: 1a012e9421d479e4, Replied: yes
• Asks why Qaf isn't charging and how the platform is funded. Abdellatif replied that charging starts soon and purchasing a subscription when it rolls out is the best way to support the project.

"Why you guys not charging ? How you funding this amazing platform"

Yahya Hegazy yahyamohatef@gmail.com — how do you monetize / cover costs?

• Date: 2026-08-12, Language: English, Thread: 19ff5c1184983631, Replied: yes
• A two-week user praises the answers and checkable sources ("It feels like I'm speaking with a qualified scholar"), then — since he is considering starting his own AI company in sports science — asks how Qaf can offer so much for free. Abdellatif's reply disclosed the economics: free without caps for now, burning $4k/day in tokens, rate limits and a paid subscription coming in ~2 weeks.

"I'm also considering starting an AI company in a different niche (sports science), and I was curious how you're able to offer so much for free. Could you briefly share how you monetize the service or cover the costs?"

Omar Nader omartech15037@gmail.com — can I stay free via the website?

• Date: 2026-08-13, Language: English (Arabic greeting), Thread: 19ff806a1fcc7158, Replied: yes
• Says he has no money to pay for premium once it launches and asks whether he can keep using Qaf free through the website instead of the app. Abdellatif replied: "We're hoping to always continue having a free plan for Qaf - insha'Allah."

"I've not any money to pay the premium when it be paid, could I use it free by visiting the website instead of the app? I know you do lots of efforts to update this AI and I'm so sorry to ask you this rude order but I need this AI"

Details / repro

• Cost figures quoted by Abdellatif in replies: ~$4,000/day token burn (2026-08-12), subscriptions targeted within ~2 weeks of that date.
• The 1a024c6dd1f1899f thread also contains a secondary ask (teach me to build a free tool) that could be answered with a canned "how we built Qaf" pointer (e.g., the agentset open-source library).
• Recommendation implicit in the cluster: publish a public pricing/FAQ page ("Will Qaf stay free?", "How is Qaf funded?") to preempt this recurring email class.

Threads

• 1a024c6dd1f1899f — Is the AI permanently free + teach me to build a free tool (unanswered)
• 1a01ba49968f9060 — Free vs. subscription + voice assistant question
• 1a012e9421d479e4 — Why no charging / how is it funded
• 19ff5c1184983631 — Happy user asks about monetization and cost coverage
• 19ff806a1fcc7158 — Asks to keep free access via website after premium launch