Revenue Strategies for AI API Services

Strategy: "The DevRel Trojan Horse" – Free, Unmetered Tier with Hard-Walled Pro Features

Specific Execution Plan:

1. Pick the 3 Most Viral Use-Case APIs (e.g., SMS verification, social media engagement, or location data – whatever has the highest search volume on GitHub/StackOverflow).
2. Offer a "Free Forever" Tier with:
   • No credit card required.
   • High rate limits (e.g., 10,000 calls/month) – high enough to solve real MVP problems.
   • No contractual lock-in.
3. **Embed "Pro-Only