Is ALFI + EDIE really available without a subscription?

Yes for the Framework assistants. You buy a token pack once, the tokens sit on your account, and there is no monthly charge. The only recurring option on the site is SAMU, the GCSE study companion, where a monthly or yearly plan makes more sense for a school term.

What is a token and what does one message cost?

Tokens are the unit of use. An ALFI or EDIE message costs 2 tokens, a group conversation with both cores costs 5, and a voice reply costs 1. A £19.00 Starter pack of 500 tokens is roughly 250 one-to-one messages. Pack prices include VAT at 20%.

Do unused tokens expire?

No. Tokens remain on your account until you spend them, so a quiet month costs you nothing.

What happens when I run out of tokens?

Paid features pause and everything free stays available. You buy another pack when you need it — there is no lapse, no reactivation fee and no loss of history.

Is there a free way to try it before paying anything?

Yes. The guest demos of ALFI and EDIE, the HELIX support assistant, the accessibility tools and the governance reference material are free with no card and no trial clock.

Why is SAMU a subscription when the Framework is not?

SAMU is used daily across a school term by a named learner, with parent and educator oversight and saved progress. A plan matches that pattern honestly. If you would rather not commit, the Framework assistants cover general study help on tokens instead.

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Buy once — no monthly fee

A no-subscription AI assistant: buy tokens once, use them when you need

Nearly every serious AI tool now bills monthly whether you open it or not. The ALFI + EDIE Framework does not. You buy a token pack once from £19.00, the tokens stay on your account until you spend them, and a quiet month costs you nothing.

See token packs Try a free demo first

Why buy-once suits AI better than a monthly plan

What monthly plans cost you

You pay in the months you do not use it.
Cancelling usually removes access to work you already did.
Budget holders need a recurring approval for an experiment.
Costs scale with calendar months, not with actual use.

How tokens work instead

Tokens are bought once and stay on the account.
Nothing recurring to cancel, so nothing to forget.
A single purchase order covers a whole pilot.
Cost scales with the messages you actually send.

What a pack actually buys

An ALFI or EDIE message costs 2 tokens, a group conversation with both cores costs 5, and a voice reply costs 1. Nothing renews.

One-off Framework token packs, tokens included, and the approximate number of one-to-one messages each pack covers.
Pack	One-off price	Tokens	Approx. 1:1 messages
Starter	£19.00	500	250
Pro	£79.00	2,500	1,250
Studio	£249.00	10,000	5,000
Enterprise	£999.00	50,000	25,000

Prices shown include VAT at 20%. Message counts are indicative: group conversations and voice replies use more tokens. Full inclusions are on the pricing page.

Free forever — not a trial

These stay free with no card, no countdown and no feature clawback, because access tools and governance guidance should not sit behind a paywall.

HELIX support assistant
Guest demos of ALFI and EDIE
1in Accessibility Toolkit
Sign Languages
Wellbeing check-ins
NEET pathway
Responsible AI guide, glossary and governance templates

The one exception, stated plainly

SAMU, the GCSE study companion, is sold as a monthly or yearly plan. It is used daily across a school term with saved progress and parent or educator oversight, and pretending that is a one-off purchase would be dishonest. Everything else in the Framework is buy-once or free.

See how SAMU works

No-subscription questions

Is ALFI + EDIE really available without a subscription?: Yes for the Framework assistants. You buy a token pack once, the tokens sit on your account, and there is no monthly charge. The only recurring option on the site is SAMU, the GCSE study companion, where a monthly or yearly plan makes more sense for a school term.
What is a token and what does one message cost?: Tokens are the unit of use. An ALFI or EDIE message costs 2 tokens, a group conversation with both cores costs 5, and a voice reply costs 1. A £19.00 Starter pack of 500 tokens is roughly 250 one-to-one messages. Pack prices include VAT at 20%.
Do unused tokens expire?: No. Tokens remain on your account until you spend them, so a quiet month costs you nothing.
What happens when I run out of tokens?: Paid features pause and everything free stays available. You buy another pack when you need it — there is no lapse, no reactivation fee and no loss of history.
Is there a free way to try it before paying anything?: Yes. The guest demos of ALFI and EDIE, the HELIX support assistant, the accessibility tools and the governance reference material are free with no card and no trial clock.
Why is SAMU a subscription when the Framework is not?: SAMU is used daily across a school term by a named learner, with parent and educator oversight and saved progress. A plan matches that pattern honestly. If you would rather not commit, the Framework assistants cover general study help on tokens instead.