How one Orchids user saved $600 by switching to Freebuff
Same shipped apps. $50/mo Orchids Premium bill → $0.
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The Freebuff TeamBuilding the free coding agent
TL;DR
- Orchids Premium on Orchids: about $50/month ($600/year).
- Freebuff Web: $0/month for the same prompt → deployed app loop with auth, database, and hosting.
- Net savings: $600/year before credit top-ups or seat multipliers.
- This is a modeled example for a typical solo builder — your mileage depends on usage.
We talk to builders every week who like Orchids but hate watching credits disappear. Here is a straightforward math story for an indie hacker shipping side projects — not a fabricated testimonial, but the kind of switch we see in practice.
The bill on Orchids Premium#
Orchids Premium is $42/mo billed annually or $50/mo billed monthly with 4M monthly credits and unlimited projects. Ultra is $99/mo; Max is $200/mo (per Orchids plans docs). For this example we use the middle paid tier most solo builders aim for: Orchids Premium at $50/month, or $600/year.
| Feature | Freebuff | Orchids Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $0 | $50 |
| Annual cost | $0 | $600 |
| Credit / token overages | None | Common on active projects |
| Auth + database + hosting | Included | Included (varies by plan) |
| CLI for big refactors | Freebuff CLI | Not included |
What changed after switching#
- Same workflow. Prompt in the browser, get a deployed URL, click to iterate.
- No rationing. Heavy debugging weekends do not burn a credit balance.
- GitHub eject any time. The repo is yours; keep editing in Freebuff CLI locally.
- $600/year back. That covers domains, email, or a connected ChatGPT subscription for hard turns.
Three-step migration#
- 1Export to GitHub from Orchids and import into Freebuff Web.
- 2Import the repo into Freebuff Web (or recreate the app with your best prompt).
- 3Cancel Orchids once you have verified the Freebuff deploy — welcome to $0/month.
Is $600/year realistic?+
It is the base subscription for Orchids Premium. Many users pay more after credit top-ups, extra seats, or higher tiers.
Will I lose features?+
You keep auth, database, hosting, and code ownership. Some vendor-specific integrations may need re-wiring — usually a one-time CLI task.
Can teams use Freebuff for free too?+
Yes. No per-seat pricing on Freebuff Web. Collaborate via GitHub like any normal repo.
