Kerf pricing.
The core editor is free forever. Kerf Pro is $10/month or $89 lifetime — same features either way, pick how you pay. No trial timer, no credit card to download, no usage caps on the free tier.
Kerf — $0
The full editor. Bidirectional sync, live preview, framework detection. No account required.
- Bidirectional click-to-source sync — click the preview, land in the code
- Full Monaco editor with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and multi-cursor
- CSS hot-swap — preview updates as you type, no reload
- Layers panel for navigating any page's structure
- Tailwind and Bootstrap framework detection
- Design token scanning — see repeated colors, spacing, typography
- Semantic visual editing — change tags, attributes, classes without leaving the visual flow
- Visual property editing — adjust styles with sliders, color pickers, spacing controls
- Diagnostics panel — invalid HTML, broken links, missing alt text surfaced inline
Kerf Pro — $10/mo or $89 lifetime
Everything in Free, plus the tools for what comes after the first draft.
- One-click deploy to Vercel — connect a project once, ship the workspace from inside Kerf. No CLI, no separate dashboard.
- Snippet library — save HTML and CSS fragments by name; drop them into any project.
- Design token consolidation — scan your CSS for repeated colors, spacing, and typography, then merge them into custom properties with one click.
- Full accessibility audit — WCAG contrast, alt text, heading hierarchy, landmark, and focus order checks with per-issue detail and element highlighting.
$89 lifetime is the better deal if you plan to use Kerf for nine months or more. Monthly is the better deal if you want to try Pro without commitment, or only need it for a specific project.
Side-by-side
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Bidirectional click-to-source sync | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monaco editor + live preview | ✓ | ✓ |
| CSS hot-swap (no reload) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Layers panel + visual property editing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Framework detection (Tailwind, Bootstrap) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Design token scanning | ✓ (read-only) | ✓ (consolidate with one click) |
| Accessibility check | Inline contrast warnings | Full 5-category audit |
| One-click Vercel deploy | — | ✓ |
| Snippet library | — | ✓ |
| Account required | No | Yes (for license verification) |
Pricing FAQ
- Is the free tier really free forever?
- Yes. The core editor — bidirectional click-to-source sync, Monaco, live preview, CSS hot-swap, framework detection, the layers panel, semantic visual editing, and visual property editing — is free forever, with no account required and no usage limits. We don't plan to move free features into Pro.
- What's the difference between $10/mo and $89 lifetime?
- Both unlock the same Kerf Pro features: one-click Vercel deploy, the snippet library, design token consolidation, and the full accessibility audit. Monthly is $10 charged each month and stops when you cancel. Lifetime is a single $89 payment for ongoing access — no recurring charge.
- What happens if I cancel Kerf Pro?
- You keep full access to the free editor — bidirectional sync, Monaco, live preview, layers, framework detection, and visual property editing all stay on. Pro features (Vercel deploy, snippets, token consolidation, accessibility audit) lock until you re-subscribe or upgrade to lifetime.
- Do I need an account to use Kerf?
- Not for the free editor. Download and use it directly. An account is only required for Kerf Pro, so we can verify your subscription or lifetime license.
- Is there a refund policy?
- Yes. We offer a 14-day refund on Kerf Pro purchases — monthly or lifetime — no questions asked. Email support and we'll process it.
- Can I use Kerf Pro on more than one machine?
- Yes. A single Kerf Pro license works on all your personal devices. We don't enforce per-machine limits as long as you're the one using them.
- Do you offer team or volume pricing?
- We don't have a formal team plan yet. If you need 5+ seats, email support — we'll work something out.
- Does the $89 lifetime include future versions?
- Yes. Lifetime includes all future Pro feature updates for the version line you bought into. If we ever ship a major paid upgrade (Kerf 2.0-style), lifetime holders get a discount path — we'll never paywall existing features.
- What platforms does Kerf run on?
- macOS and Linux today. A signed Windows build is in progress and will be linked from the download page once code-signing finishes.
- How do I upgrade from free to Pro?
- In-app. Open Kerf, click any Pro feature (the deploy panel, snippets, design tokens, or accessibility audit), and you'll get an upgrade prompt with both monthly and lifetime options.
Ready to try Kerf?
The free editor is the core product. Pro adds the tools you'll want once you're shipping.