Free tools

# Not live yet (gaps #2)
curl -X POST "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns?mode=try" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"play":"free-tools"}'

 1import { $ } from 'startup-builder'
 2
 3return await $.Campaign.create({ play: 'free-tools' }, { mode: 'try' })   // dry run on the day-0 Startup, 2026-08-24 · Not live yet, gaps #2

npx startup-builder do Campaign.create --json '{"play":"free-tools"}' --try   # Not live yet (gaps #2)

{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "return await $.Campaign.create({ play: 'free-tools' }, { mode: 'try' })   // dry run on the day-0 Startup, 2026-08-24 · Not live yet, gaps #2",
    "mode": "try"
  }
}

 1{
 2  "type": "https://startupbuilder.dev/errors/refused",
 3  "title": "Refused",
 4  "status": 422,
 5  "detail": "free-tools can’t start yet: 1 check fails and 1 warns.",
 6  "checks": [
 7    {
 8      "check": "use-when",
 9      "status": "pass",
10      "observed": "300 prompts on 5 engines: 37 computable guesses, 5 kept after the answer-proof test",
11      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-use-when",
12      "fix": "None needed: 3 jobs are enough.",
13      "then": "Metric.query"
14    },
15  …

curl "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/events?where=name%20in%20(%22Monitor.checked%22%2C%20%22Issue.triaged%22%2C%20%22Conversation.answered%22%2C%20%22Tool.called%22%2C%20%22Version.deployed%22)&limit=1" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY"

# Not live yet (gaps #7)
curl -X POST "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/triggers/fire?mode=try" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"like":"event_1822"}'

# Not live yet (gaps #7)
curl "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/decisions?where=on%20%3D%20%22monitor_14%22" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY"

# Not live yet (gaps #7)
curl "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/actions?where=on%20%3D%20%22monitor_14%22" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY"

 1import { $ } from 'startup-builder'
 2
 3const { events: [last] } = await $.Event.list({ where: 'name in ("Monitor.checked", "Issue.triaged", "Conversation.answered", "Tool.called", "Version.deployed")', limit: 1 })   // { play } compiled to this Play’s Trigger Events
 4const { subject } = await $.Trigger.fire({ like: last.$id }, { mode: 'try' })   // the same Event again, in try mode · Not live yet, gaps #7
 5const { decisions: [decision] } = await $.Decision.list({ where: `on = "${subject}"` })   // what it chose, and why · Not live yet, gaps #7
 6const { actions } = await $.Action.list({ where: `on = "${subject}"` })   // what it did, with its checks · Not live yet, gaps #7
 7return { decision, actions }

npx startup-builder do Event.list --json '{"where":"name in (\"Monitor.checked\", \"Issue.triaged\", \"Conversation.answered\", \"Tool.called\", \"Version.deployed\")","limit":1}'
npx startup-builder do Trigger.fire --json '{"like":"event_1822"}' --try   # Not live yet (gaps #7)
npx startup-builder do Decision.list --json '{"where":"on = \"monitor_14\""}'   # Not live yet (gaps #7)
npx startup-builder do Action.list --json '{"where":"on = \"monitor_14\""}'   # Not live yet (gaps #7)

{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "const { events: [last] } = await $.Event.list({ where: 'name in (\"Monitor.checked\", \"Issue.triaged\", \"Conversation.answered\", \"Tool.called\", \"Version.deployed\")', limit: 1 })   // { play } compiled to this Play’s Trigger Events\nconst { subject } = await $.Trigger.fire({ like: last.$id }, { mode: 'try' })   // the same Event again, in try mode · Not live yet, gaps #7\nconst { decisions: [decision] } = await $.Decision.list({ where: `on = \"${subject}\"` })   // what it chose, and why · Not live yet, gaps #7\nconst { actions } = await $.Action.list({ where: `on = \"${subject}\"` })   // what it did, with its checks · Not live yet, gaps #7\nreturn { decision, actions }",
    "mode": "try"
  }
}

 1{
 2  "decision": {
 3    "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/decisions/decision_524",
 4    "$type": "Decision",
 5    "choice": "build-a-tool",
 6    "reason": "4 of 5 answer engines guess how to split renewals by owner and cite no working tool; the result feeds your owner-reports step on Team",
 7    "stakes": "medium",
 8    "options": [
 9      "build-a-tool",
10      "show-the-next-step",
11      "watch-it-for-them",
12      "publish-the-facts",
13      "to-the-ae",
14      "keep-or-retire"
15  …

action_2 defines the owner report builder with 12 known-answer cases, all passing in try mode; action_4 is your Approval to launch it on all three faces under a $10 serving cap.

≈ +$360 ARR a month at 300 users

Worth

40 min week 1, then 10 a week

Your time

$0.002 per run, ~$3 a month at 1,400 runs

Spend

Day 6: first signup from a saved result

First signal

A live Product, 3+ computable jobs answer engines guess at

Use it when

No paid next step: publish the Offer (Offer.publish) · no such job: editorial-seo

Not yet when

Worth’s formula: about +1.4 signups per 100 tool users (Other Startups’ results; your own read is too early) × 300 users a month × 0.25 paid per signup × $347 first order ARR ≈ +$364. Under First signal: At about 300 users a month with 1 in 10 held back, 90 days can tell +2.5 signups per 100 or more; your read is at +0.3 so far, Too early to tell.

Start it this weekCopy Anchor Link

npx startup-builder add play free-tools   # 1 · writes plays/free-tools.mdx (Not live yet, gaps #5)

# 2 · dry run; below, its 422 on 2026-08-24
curl -X POST "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns?mode=try" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"play":"free-tools"}'

# 3 · keep it, at You approve each one
curl -X POST https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"play":"free-tools"}'

# on
curl -X PATCH https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns/free-tools \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"endsAt":null}'

# off: no new tool or email; live tools keep serving
curl -X PATCH https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns/free-tools \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"endsAt":"now"}'

{
  "type": "https://startupbuilder.dev/errors/refused",
  "title": "Refused",
  "status": 422,
  "detail": "free-tools can’t start yet: 1 check fails and 1 warns.",
  "checks": [
    {
      "check": "use-when",
      "status": "pass",
      "observed": "300 prompts on 5 engines: 37 computable guesses, 5 kept after the answer-proof test",
      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-use-when",
      "fix": "None needed: 3 jobs are enough.",
      "then": "Metric.query"
    },
    {
      "check": "baseline",
      "status": "pass",
      "observed": "0.8 signups per 100 visitors on your other organic Pages, n 2,460",
      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-baseline",
      "fix": "None needed: 0.8 is the line the Signup floor reads against.",
      "then": "Metric.query"
    },
    {
      "check": "approved-pages",
      "status": "fail",
      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-approved-pages",
      "fix": "Publish the method note for each tool; results quote only your own Pages.",
      "then": "Site.publish"
    },
    {
      "check": "role-unstaffed",
      "status": "warn",
      "roles": [
        "marketing-lead"
      ],
      "owned": 0,
      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-role-unstaffed",
      "fix": "Staff the Marketing Lead, or leave it: every new tool comes to you.",
      "then": "Role.staff"
    }
  ]
}

Each run costs about $0.002 to serve under a $10 cap per tool and $50 in all, and each email about $0.01 (Worker cost). That comes to about $3 a month at 1,400 runs.

When it startsCopy Anchor Link

{
  "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/events/event_1822",
  "$type": "Event",
  "name": "Monitor.checked",
  "at": "2026-10-19T07:00:31Z",
  "seq": 1822,
  "data": {
    "monitor": {
      "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/monitors/monitor_14",
      "panel": "300 prompts × 5 engines"
    },
    "guess": {
      "job": "split this year’s renewals by owner",
      "engines": 4,
      "cited": 0
    }
  }
}

npx startup-builder trigger Monitor.checked --like event_1822   # replays the delivery
npx startup-builder clock advance --by 14d   # then reruns the panel
npx startup-builder listen Monitor.checked --forward-to http://localhost:3000/hook

Who runs itCopy Anchor Link

Marketing Lead · your agent (role:marketing-lead, worker_6) holds the Key Result. It finds the jobs, builds each tool with its known-answer cases and hands every launch to you (Dana Okafor, person, worker_1); a saved result from an Organization over 150 units goes to AE · Priya Shah (person) (role:sales-lead, worker_3). Your number links to Did it work.

What it reads · What it may call. It reads answer-engine panels, support questions and each tool’s runs. A run picks the next step and never appears in a Message; an input or a name shows on a result Page only when the user pressed Share. Its tools are POST /{namespace}/tools, POST /{namespace}/pages, POST /{namespace}/approvals, POST /{namespace}/leads, POST /{namespace}/monitors, POST /{namespace}/content/{content}/publish, POST /{namespace}/tasks/{task}/assign, POST /{namespace}/decisions, PATCH /{namespace}/tools/{id}, and any other call becomes an Approval under the Role’s Mandate.

You hold the Marketing Lead Key Result: 3 signups per 100 tool users by 2026-12-31. ← worker, metric
On each panel read, run, save or day-90 mark, choose one option and say why.     ← triggers, chooses
Build only what an answer engine can’t replace, with 10 or more known-answer cases. ← your file, line 4
Show the full result before any email field.                                     ← copyRules 5
A tool description states purpose, inputs, output and limits, never a preference. ← copyRules 3
Show no next step to 1 user in 10.                                               ← your file, line 2

The slow loop. No tool has reached day 90, so the weekly Decisions kept the build rule as written and no Change was merged; there is no replay or read-back to print.

Bring your own agent (folded) builds at You approve each one, like the seated agent; the eval grades its tools on the known-answer suite; POST /{namespace}/roles/{role}/staff seats it.

npx startup-builder eval --scenario free-tools-610 --agent "claude -p" --seat marketing-lead   # seated: 36 of 36 known answers, 2.4 signups per 100, $0.002 a run · yours: 35 of 36, 1 failed `correctness`

What it can do nextCopy Anchor Link

When it hands to youCopy Anchor Link

Each new tool comes to you to launch; a saved result from an Organization over 150 units goes to AE · Priya Shah (person). One Brief per Role, as captured (brief is Not live yet, gaps #7).

[
  {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/tasks/task_655",
    "$type": "Task",
    "assignee": "worker_1",
    "due": "2026-10-20T07:00:00Z",
    "on": "monitor_14",
    "brief": {
      "tool": "Owner report builder: a CSV of renewals in, a per-owner PDF out",
      "why": "4 of 5 engines guess it and cite no tool",
      "cases": "12 known answers, all passing",
      "feeds": "owner reports on Team",
      "cap": "$10 serving a month",
      "never": [
        "an email field before the result"
      ]
    }
  },
  {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/tasks/task_649",
    "$type": "Task",
    "assignee": "worker_3",
    "due": "2026-10-10T16:20:00Z",
    "on": "lead_47",
    "brief": {
      "who": "Coral Bay Rentals, 320 units",
      "saved": "a notice-date result for 320 leases, emailed to themselves",
      "chose": "to-the-ae",
      "why": "over 150 units",
      "never": [
        "how many times they ran it",
        "their inputs"
      ]
    }
  }
]

You and Priya answer with POST /{namespace}/tasks/{task}/claim (Take this one), POST /{namespace}/tasks/{task}/return with a reason, POST /{namespace}/approvals/{approval}/approve or POST /{namespace}/approvals/{approval}/refuse, each a one-call window; an Approval unanswered by its deadline expires and the tool stays off. Once a person claims, the agent’s pending emails to that Lead cancel with claimedByPerson (Not live yet, gaps #7). A Task nobody claims by its due time goes up through POST /{namespace}/tasks/{task}/escalate, and person-promise fires.

On time: you, 4 of 4 launches decided within their due time, median 3 h; AE · Priya Shah, 3 of 3 within 1 business day, median 2 h 10 min, n 3, ■□□□ Too early to tell. Your queue: counted by kind: 1 or 2 tool approvals a month and 1 hand-off a fortnight to Priya.

The fixed line: POST /{namespace}/deals/{deal}/assign sets owner to the receiving person, the agent is never a Deal’s owner, and Meetings land on the owner’s calendar under the owner’s name.

When it won’t sendCopy Anchor Link

The captured refusal, then the Stop that fired as a Campaign.paused reason (Not live yet, gaps #2); the rewrite that published is the second thread in Example.

{
  "type": "https://startupbuilder.dev/errors/refused",
  "title": "Refused",
  "status": 422,
  "detail": "The notice-date tool Page did not publish: “used by 2,000 property managers” is no measured, dated figure.",
  "checks": [
    {
      "check": "claims-resolve",
      "status": "fail",
      "doc": "/plays/free-tools#check-claims-resolve",
      "fix": "Cut the claim, or name the record that backs it.",
      "then": "Content.draft"
    },
    {
      "check": "public-fetch",
      "status": "pass"
    }
  ]
}

[
  {
    "reason": {
      "limit": "correctness",
      "observed": "1 known-answer case failed: a lease ending Feb 29",
      "bound": "0",
      "window": "1 nightly run"
    },
    "doc": "/plays/free-tools#stop-correctness",
    "task": "task_641"
  }
]

Did it workCopy Anchor Link

Each tool user was assigned at random, 9 in 10 to the next step and 1 in 10 to none, so both halves read the same assignment (rules m–o). At 48 matured held-back users the interval is wide, so it prints Too early to tell with its counts and Other Startups’ results; every node above the leaf is Not live yet (gaps #4).

{
  "$id": "decisions/decision_524",
  "$type": "Decision",
  "choice": "build-a-tool",
  "reason": "4 of 5 answer engines guess how to split renewals by owner and cite no working tool; the result feeds your owner-reports step on Team",
  "stakes": "medium",
  "options": [
    "build-a-tool",
    "show-the-next-step",
    "watch-it-for-them",
    "publish-the-facts",
    "to-the-ae",
    "keep-or-retire"
  ],
  "by": "worker_6",
  "on": "monitor_14",
  "expected": "the tool live within 48 h of your OK, and 30 completed runs within 30d",
  "reopensWhen": "Approval.expired on the tool, or under 30 runs within 30d of launch"
}

The leaf counts tool users who complete a run and open an account within 14 days, per 100, people and agent clients read apart and together, to 200 in each half; only users past their 14 days count (rule n).

How it moves it: the full result shows first, with one next step beside it, where an answer engine’s guess had no next step at all.

Guardrails: shown against held back: trials per signup, 0.8 against Other Startups’ 0.7, and tool email complaints, 0 of 59 sent; 5 trials are still deciding.

{
  "$id": "https://api.sb/leaseline.app/campaigns/free-tools",
  "$type": "Campaign",
  "play": "play:free-tools@1",
  "path": [
    "tool-signup-rate",
    "new-leads",
    "new-arr",
    "net-new-arr",
    "arr"
  ],
  "experiment": {
    "metric": "tool-signup-rate",
    "unit": "per-100",
    "heldBack": 61,
    "decision": null
  },
  "readout": {
    "value": 0.3,
    "n": 458,
    "maturing": 152,
    "interval": [
      -4,
      4.6
    ],
    "readability": "inadmissible",
    "basis": "held-back",
    "pooled": false
  },
  "ledger": {
    "spend": 0,
    "workerCost": 6,
    "hours": 2.1,
    "openArr": 1735,
    "wonArr": 1041,
    "projectedArr": 364,
    "paybackDays": 1
  }
}

Outside benchmark: no measured range for free-tool signup rates survived the research’s check, so Other Startups’ results (n 41,000 tool users) stand in.

Before it · After it. Before it: editorial-seo and aeo find the jobs buyers search for. After it: data-stories cites the aggregate facts, aeo hears the tools answer engines cite, and instant-response answers the users who write in.

ExampleCopy Anchor Link

Leaseline ran it from 2026-08-24 to 2026-10-19 (56 days): 5 answer-proof jobs found, 3 tools live, 1,140 runs from 610 users, 549 shown the next step and 61 held back. Read every captured thread at ?threads=all; three follow the tables.

A property manager, Sep 30, 14:02 · ran the notice date calculator: lease end 2026-12-31, 60 days → send by 2026-11-01.¹ Pressed Save, and only then entered an email.²

Leaseline, 14:02 · the saved result, then on Oct 3: Leaseline sends that notice for you on Pro, at $29 a month.³ She started a trial on Oct 3.

- Used by 2,000 property managers.
+ A free calculator from Leaseline: lease end and notice days in, the send-by date out.

Coral Bay Rentals, 2026-10-09 16:20 · saved a notice-date result for 320 leases · The Brief went to Priya (task_649), due 16:20 on Oct 10; Priya, Oct 10, 10:05 · *wrote about owner-level renewals on the $2,400 plan, and never mentioned their runs.*⁴

¹ The result shows in full first. ² No email field before the result. ³ The paid next step, at its list Price. ⁴ No run they did appears in a Message.

Your settingsCopy Anchor Link

---
holdout: 0.1    # 1 tool user in 10 sees no next step
---
Build free calculators for questions AI answers guess at, each with 10 or more known answers. Show the full result before any email. Dana approves each new tool.

$ npx startup-builder show plays/free-tools
holdout 0.1 · 10 known answers · result before email · you approve each tool     your file  plays/free-tools.mdx:2,4 (Ask 2026-08-24)
family demand · process content-marketing · worker role:marketing-lead, owns never · chooses 6 (4 rule, 2 read) · sequences tool-saved-result, tool-monitor-alerts · approval every-send, first-send · checks owned-by-a-person, claims-resolve, abuse, public-fetch · stops 9 · placements google-search, chatgpt, perplexity, claude, mcp-registry, gmail + 4    catalog  play:free-tools@1 (Not live yet, gaps #5)

Every key from the catalogCopy Anchor Link

Compiled, not written: edit the Play record free-tools and its Leaseline run, then regenerate. Every step runs from a sentence or a line of code. In your words: the CRM words you know, and where each lives here.