Operator economics
Every split. Every fee. No fine print.
Numbers below are the live ones we operate against. Anything that changes goes to the operator network 30 days before it kicks in.
Revenue share
The split per dollar collected.
| Item | Operator | ModelMerge | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build fee | 80% | 20% | On project ship date |
| Retainer fee | 70% | 30% | Monthly, after Stripe payout |
Platform fee
Flat fee, MRR-tiered. Free to start.
The split above already includes our cut. The platform fee is the only flat charge — and it's waived under $5k MRR so new operators don't pay anything to get going.
- Hobbyist$0 / mo< $5k MRR
No platform fee while you're under $5k in monthly retainers. Pay only the per-project splits above.
- Practice$99 / mo$5k–$25k MRR
Above $5k MRR a flat platform fee covers infrastructure, support, and operator tooling. Cheaper than a single missed hour.
- Studio$299 / mo$25k+ MRR
White-label option included. Run a studio with ModelMerge as your back-end. Lifetime cap on retainer share at the Practice tier.
Real example earnings
What the math actually looks like.
Three scenarios drawn from operators currently on the platform. Quarterly take-home before personal tax.
- First quarter
One operator, two builds, three retainers.
- 2× Standard build @ $5,000+ $8,000
- 3× Standard retainer @ $500/mo · 3 mo+ $3,150
- Platform fee (under $5k MRR)$0
- Operator take$11,150
- Steady state
Five active retainers, one build per quarter.
- 1× Standard build @ $5,000+ $4,000
- 5× retainer mix · 3 mo+ $5,775
- Platform fee · $5–25k MRR− $297
- Operator take$9,478
- Studio mode
Two operators under one studio, mixed mix.
- 2× Stack build @ $15,000+ $24,000
- 8× retainer mix · 3 mo+ $11,550
- Platform fee · Studio tier− $897
- Studio take, pre-split$34,653
The numbers are post-Stripe-fees, pre-personal-tax. Build fees pay out within seven days of project ship; retainer share pays the Monday after Stripe captures the subscription invoice. Mid-month cancellations prorate on your side too — we don't take a full month's share on a half-month retainer.
Pick a number above. Then come do this.
We're honest about the bar and honest about the money. The only thing left is your portfolio.
- No exclusivity. Keep your studio.
- Drop a client mid-cycle? Re-matched without drama.
- Quarterly check-ins, no daily standups.