Mesh Tier vs Standalone vs Sovereign: which one are you?
We get this question on every demo call: "should I just buy the one flagship I need, or the whole mesh?" The answer is actually simple, but only after you understand why we priced it the way we did.
The three SKUs
| SKU | Price | Who's it for | Decision rule | |---|---|---|---| | **Mesh Tier** | $999/mo (or $849/mo annual) | The default for nearly everyone | If you'd buy ≥2 flagships, buy Mesh | | **Standalone** | Variable (Talent: $299/mo · Billing: see SKU table · Trading: dormant) | Single-flagship needs only | If exactly 1 flagship + no growth path | | **Sovereign** | Custom (typically $5K–$20K/mo) | $1M+ ARR enterprises with custom mesh combos, dedicated CSM, white-label | If you have procurement for "custom enterprise SaaS" line item |
Why Mesh is the default
The economics are intentional. A single flagship priced standalone (e.g., Treasury at ~$249/mo if we sold it that way) costs ~25% of the Mesh price. Buy 4+ flagships individually, you've already paid more than Mesh.
But the real reason is the mesh effect: when Treasury queries Strategy queries Legal queries NexusAI in a single chained question ("show me M&A targets in Quebec with FX exposure to AUD that have an ongoing patent litigation"), you can't replicate that with 4 disconnected tools. The data has to live in the same query engine.
So: Mesh isn't a bundle discount. It's the only way to access the cross-flagship query surface.
Buyer archetypes
Archetype 1: "I just need Bloomberg replaced" **You should buy:** Mesh ($999/mo). **Why:** You think you only need Treasury. But your CISO and GC will copy-paste from your Bloomberg outputs into their own tools within 30 days. Mesh gives them a real surface, not your screenshots.
Archetype 2: "I'm a 4-person agency placing executives" **You should buy:** Talent Intel standalone ($299/mo). **Why:** You don't need Cyber OS or Treasury. Talent Intel + your existing ATS is enough. We bill you 3-8% on placement fees on top of subscription.
Archetype 3: "I'm a 50-person fintech building on Manera" **You should buy:** Mesh + Billing as standalone. **Why:** Mesh is for your operations team. Billing is for your developers — they integrate Manera Billing as their pricing layer (instant SKU, governed_create rate-limited). It's two distinct buying motions.
Archetype 4: "I'm a 200-person regulated mid-cap with procurement" **You should ask about:** Sovereign. **Why:** You need a dedicated CSM, a white-glove DPA review, custom mesh combos (e.g. "Treasury+Strategy+Legal merged for cross-border M&A"), and likely a multi-year MSA. Email [email protected].
Archetype 5: "I'm a solo founder wanting to play with this" **You should sign up for:** Mesh free trial (30 days, no card). **Why:** Most flagships have a generous free tier. The trial converts only if you want it to.
The question we get most
> "If I buy Mesh, am I locked into all 9 flagships?"
No. Mesh is *access*. You use what you need. Some Mesh customers use Treasury + Cyber OS heavily and never touch Strategy or Legal. The price is the same. Think of it like a Costco membership: you don't have to buy the 50-pack of cereal.
The question we get second-most
> "Can I start with one flagship and upgrade?"
Yes, but the math rarely works. If you start with one flagship at, say, $299/mo standalone and upgrade to Mesh at $999/mo, you're paying $999/mo + losing the standalone subscription credit. Better to start at Mesh, use one flagship, and lean in over time. The trial covers your "is this real?" question without the upgrade tax.
What the decision tree looks like
``` START │ ├── Will you use ≥ 2 flagships in 6 months? │ │ │ ├── YES → Mesh Tier ($999/mo) │ │ │ └── NO → Standalone (Talent / Billing / Trading) │ ├── Are you > 200 FTE with procurement? │ │ │ └── YES → Sovereign (custom) │ └── Are you uncertain? │ └── 30-day free trial of Mesh, then decide. ```
Sovereign is rare on purpose
We get pinged for Sovereign every week. We turn down most of them. The ones we say yes to have: - Real, signed MSA budget ($5K-$20K/mo) - A clear mesh-combo need that doesn't fit Mesh Tier (e.g., asset-class-specific Treasury for hedge funds) - A 12-month commitment minimum
If you're "just checking pricing for a case I might need later" — Sovereign isn't for you. Mesh is.
How to buy
- Mesh Tier: [Sign up](/start-trial), 30-day trial, no card. - Standalone: [Browse the SKU catalog](/pricing), click subscribe, Stripe handles it. - Sovereign: Email [email protected] or [book a call](/book).
— Kao