Common first-run questions. For deeper topics, follow the links to the relevant docs.

Getting started & trial

Do I need a credit card or email to try it?

No. The 30-day free trial requires no credit card and no email. One-click deploy the starter (or scaffold locally with npx chaibuilder-app create and deploy), and the trial starts on deploy. See Trial & Licensing.

When does the trial clock start?

The moment you deploy the starter to your server - not on download and not on signup.

What's available during the trial?

The entire feature set. There are no tiers or feature flags - a Pro license keeps the same features you tried unlocked.

What happens when the trial ends?

Add the key issued with your Pro license to your environment to keep chaipro unlocked. See Adding the license key. Building a site or two rather than a platform? The open-source core, chaicore, needs no license at all.

Licensing & pricing

How is it priced?

One yearly Pro license for your whole platform, however many sites it runs, quoted to you - no per-site fee, no public price list and no feature tiers. Every license includes the MCP server. To get a quote, book a demo. Building a site or two? The open-source core is free. See Trial & Licensing.

What happens when my license expires?

Your existing deployment keeps working. You just become ineligible for chaipro versions released after your window - the builder prompts you to renew or downgrade to the last eligible version.

Can I get a refund?

No. The trial and a scoped pilot exist so you can confirm fit before signing. See Refunds.

Is Agency branding included in the Pro license?

Agency branding is your logo and colors inside the builder, with no ChaiBuilder branding shown. It is included with every Pro license. Details in Trial & Licensing.

Setup & self-hosting

Where does my data live?

In your database, on your infrastructure. ChaiBuilder is self-hosted software and has no access to your content, users, or hosting. See How It Works.

What database do I need?

SQLite or Postgres - both fully supported by the setup wizard and the CLI. Starting locally with SQLite, there's nothing to set up - the CLI creates a local file database (file:./local.db) for you. Otherwise bring a hosted libSQL / Turso database (URL + auth token) or your Postgres connection details; free options exist for both, and the setup wizard links you there. A local file database can move to Turso (or another libSQL service) later - import the file and switch your env URL. Exact versions are in Requirements.

How do I log into the builder?

With the admin email and password you set during setup - the setup wizard (one-click path) or the CLI (local path) creates that account for you, so there's no separate signup.

How do I deploy?

A ChaiBuilder site is a standard Next.js + Payload app - it deploys anywhere Next.js + Payload runs (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare, self-managed Node), to hosting you own. The fastest route is the one-click path in the Quickstart; for everything else start at Hosting Overview, then follow the page for your target.

Can I move the admin panel off /admin?

Yes. Set PAYLOAD_ADMIN_ROUTE to the path you want (no leading slash, at least 4 characters) and redeploy - the CMS and the visual builder both move there. /admin then redirects to it, so treat this as hardening against scanners rather than access control. Steps and rules: Admin Route.

Do images work out of the box?

You need object storage configured - e.g. S3 via Payload's S3 plugin. Uploads and images won't persist without it. See Storage Configuration.

How do I create a project?

One-click deployment: deploy the starter to your host (Vercel to start), then finish setup in the browser at /setup - no local machine needed. Locally: either run npx chaibuilder-app create (the scaffolder asks the required questions and generates a fully functional project) or clone the starter, run it, and let the same /setup wizard guide you. See Quickstart.

Builder & CMS

Who is it for - editors or developers?

Both. It's low-code, not no-code: editors build pages visually with role-based access; developers extend it with custom blocks, panels, routing overrides, and CMS logic.

Do I have to use Payload CMS?

No. Payload ships with the starter and is the default, but the CMS is swappable - the builder doesn't require it. See How It Works.

When do my pages build?

On a visitor's first visit (SSG + ISR), then cached. Publishing a page automatically invalidates and revalidates it - no full rebuild. See Rendering Model.

What's open source vs paid?

The open-source core (chaicore) is a basic Next.js website builder - the visual builder, SQLite page storage, and page rendering. The paid chaipro package adds a set of Pro extensions on top - roles and access control, revisions, multilingual content, redirects, media management, animations, advanced AI, multi-tenancy, extra database adapters, and more.

AI assistant

Do I need an AI provider to use the builder?

No - the builder works without one. The AI assistant is optional and activates when you add credentials for a provider. See AI - Setup.

Which AI providers are supported?

Vercel AI Gateway (fallback), OpenRouter, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and Cloudflare Workers AI - each activated by environment variables. See AI - Setup.

AI agents (MCP)

Can Claude, Cursor or other AI agents edit my site?

Yes, from chaipro v0.4.0. The built-in MCP server lets any MCP client find, edit, translate and publish pages. Each person connects with their own API key, the agent gets that person's permissions, and edits land in drafts for review. A developer enables the server once per project. See MCP Server Setup.

Does the MCP server use AI credits?

No. The model runs in your MCP client, on your own plan with it. The MCP server only runs the tools the agent calls, on your site.

Still stuck?

• Troubleshooting - common errors and fixes.
• Support - how to get help or contact sales.