What businesses like yours actually pay
The full worked examples behind the /pricing teaser, plus the launch-responsibility split for whichever path you choose.
What Businesses Like Yours Actually Pay
Four worked examples, built entirely from the pricing above. Each keeps subscription, one-time, managed-service, marketplace, third-party, and usage costs in separate labeled rows — never one blended number.
Small business getting started
A small business just getting started uses the Blueprint to map their software and workflows, then launches on Forge Start and completes Guided Launch on their own timeline.
Forge Operational Blueprint → Forge Start → Guided Launch
| Cost family | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Forge Operational BlueprintFull $249 applies toward Managed Launch, an annual Core or Pro agreement, an approved integration, or migration assistance. | $249 |
| Subscription | Forge Start, 12 months (billed annually)$125/month billed annually × 12 months = $1,500. Paying month-to-month instead is $149/mo, $1,788 for the year — this example uses annual billing throughout. | $1,500 for the year |
| Managed service | Guided LaunchNo separate launch fee. Your team completes structured onboarding milestones at your own pace. | Included |
| Marketplace | Marketplace add-onsNone added in this example. Marketplace access is included on every plan. | — |
| Third-party provider | Software you keepAccounting, payroll, payment processing, and any other software you keep running stay billed directly by their providers — not by The Forge. | Billed by your provider |
| Usage | Metered usageNo usage-based Marketplace services (like per-minute call handling) in this example. | — |
| Forge Credits | Illustrative Forge Credits appliedA mid-range illustration from Start's earn up to $100 in forge credits, assuming Guided Launch milestones are completed and applied toward eligible setup or integration costs. Actual credits depend on what your team completes — this is not a guarantee. | -$50 (illustrative)Illustrative |
| Illustrative first-year total (billed annually) | $1,699 | |
$249 Blueprint + $1,500 for 12 months of Forge Start billed annually = $1,749, minus $50 in illustrative credits. Software you keep, billed by its own provider, is not part of this total.
Growing business with integrations
A growing business launches on Forge Core and adds a configured Marketplace integration to connect an existing system beyond what's included in the plan.
Forge Operational Blueprint → Forge Core → Guided Launch → Configured standard integration
| Cost family | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Forge Operational BlueprintFull $249 applies toward Managed Launch, an annual Core or Pro agreement, an approved integration, or migration assistance. | $249 |
| Subscription | Forge Core, 12 months (billed annually)$299/month billed annually × 12 months = $3,588. Paying month-to-month instead is $349/mo, $4,188 for the year — this example uses annual billing throughout. | $3,588 for the year |
| Managed service | Guided LaunchNo separate launch fee. Your team completes structured onboarding milestones at your own pace. | Included |
| Marketplace | Configured standard integrationField mapping, configuration, data reconciliation, and testing for a supported integration beyond what's included in your plan. | $250 |
| Third-party provider | Software you keepAccounting, payroll, payment processing, and any other software you keep running stay billed directly by their providers — not by The Forge. | Billed by your provider |
| Usage | Metered usageThis configured integration doesn't carry separate per-use billing. Marketplace items that do — like per-minute call handling — are itemized separately and shown before you activate them. | — |
| Forge Credits | Illustrative Forge Credits appliedA mid-range illustration from Core's earn up to $300 in forge credits, assuming Guided Launch milestones are completed and applied toward eligible setup or integration costs. Actual credits depend on what your team completes — this is not a guarantee. | -$150 (illustrative)Illustrative |
| Illustrative first-year total (billed annually) | $3,937 | |
$249 Blueprint + $3,588 for 12 months of Forge Core billed annually + $250 for Configured standard integration = $4,087, minus $150 in illustrative credits. Software you keep, billed by its own provider, is not part of this total.
Established business scaling up
An established business scaling across teams and locations starts with the Blueprint, launches on Forge Pro, and completes Guided Launch on their own timeline.
Forge Operational Blueprint → Forge Pro → Guided Launch
| Cost family | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Forge Operational BlueprintFull $249 applies toward Managed Launch, an annual Core or Pro agreement, an approved integration, or migration assistance. | $249 |
| Subscription | Forge Pro, 12 months (billed annually)$699/month billed annually × 12 months = $8,388. Paying month-to-month instead is $799/mo, $9,588 for the year — this example uses annual billing throughout. | $8,388 for the year |
| Managed service | Guided LaunchNo separate launch fee. Your team completes structured onboarding milestones at your own pace. | Included |
| Marketplace | Marketplace add-onsNone added in this example. Marketplace access is included on every plan. | — |
| Third-party provider | Software you keepAccounting, payroll, payment processing, and any other software you keep running stay billed directly by their providers — not by The Forge. | Billed by your provider |
| Usage | Metered usageNo usage-based Marketplace services (like per-minute call handling) in this example. | — |
| Forge Credits | Illustrative Forge Credits appliedA mid-range illustration from Pro's earn up to $750 in forge credits, assuming Guided Launch milestones are completed and applied toward eligible setup or integration costs. Actual credits depend on what your team completes — this is not a guarantee. | -$375 (illustrative)Illustrative |
| Illustrative first-year total (billed annually) | $8,262 | |
$249 Blueprint + $8,388 for 12 months of Forge Pro billed annually = $8,637, minus $375 in illustrative credits. Software you keep, billed by its own provider, is not part of this total.
Multi-entity operation
A multi-location or multi-entity business launches on Forge Operations, where final pricing and launch scope are set in your Forge Plan rather than published as a flat figure.
Forge Operational Blueprint → Forge Operations → Managed Launch
| Cost family | Item | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One-time | Forge Operational BlueprintFull $249 applies toward Managed Launch, an annual Core or Pro agreement, an approved integration, or migration assistance. | $249 |
| Subscription | Forge Operations, 12 months (starting-at floor)From $1,999/mo is a starting price. Your final monthly price is set in your Forge Plan based on entities, locations, and configured scope. | $23,988 floor for the yearIllustrative |
| Managed service | Managed LaunchForge Operations is Managed Launch only. Unlike Start, Core, and Pro, it doesn't carry a published starting price — cost is scoped after your Blueprint, based on your entities, locations, and integration count. | Scoped after your Blueprint |
| Marketplace | Marketplace add-onsAny Marketplace items you add are priced and confirmed before activation. | Priced before activation |
| Third-party provider | Software you keepAccounting, payroll, POS, insurance, and other systems that stay the official record for your business remain billed directly by their providers. | Billed by your provider |
| Usage | Usage & media spendAdvertising spend and any per-use provider costs (like per-minute call handling) are kept separate from your subscription and shown before activation. | Kept separate |
| Starting-at first-year floor | $24,237 | |
$249 Blueprint + $23,988 floor for 12 months at Operations' starting price = $24,237. This is a floor, not a quote — your actual total depends on the entities, locations, and scope confirmed in your Forge Plan. Operations doesn't carry a published Forge Credits earn cap; launch cost is addressed directly in your Forge Plan.
Want to build a total cost for your own business instead of one of these examples? Use the pricing & cost estimator.
Get My Forge PlanWho Does What During Launch
Both launch paths are a partnership. Guided trades participation for a lower cost. Managed trades a defined service cost for a hands-off transition. Here's what falls to each side.
Guided Launch
Included with every plan. Work through a structured launch and earn Forge Credits as your team completes each onboarding milestone.
- Industry template selection
- Structured setup checklist
- Native integration connection within your plan allowance
- Standard import templates for your records
- Recorded training for your team
- Validation checklist and go-live readiness review
- Your team performs the data preparation and connection steps
- Earn Forge Credits as milestones are approved
Managed Launch
You provide access, context, and approvals. Our team configures, connects, migrates, tests, trains, and launches The Forge remotely.
- HustleForge performs the configuration and supported integrations
- We migrate your customers, jobs, staff, and history
- Your existing systems keep running until you approve the switch
- Testing, training, and a coordinated go-live — remotely
- Can be paid upfront, distributed over six months, or included in an Operations annual agreement
- Your final quote is confirmed during discovery
For the week-by-week timeline, readiness checklist, and data ownership boundaries behind either path, see how launch works, or a sample Managed Launch walkthrough.
- See the exact first-year cost for a business like yours
- Know what falls to your team vs. ours during launch
- Nothing here is invented — every figure traces to the catalog
- Confirm your own numbers on a call before you commit