- Is Explorer really free?
- Yes. Free forever, no card, no trial clock. One company, the full four-sentinel methodology, all seven metrics, the Journal, every year past and future, and a daily AI allowance. It is the whole cascade, not a demo.
- What exactly is behind the paywall, then?
- The thing someone else reads. Explorer gives you the whole method and a real preview of your quarterly briefing, generated from your own grid. Navigator ships the briefing in full, every quarter, and lets you publish anonymized Client Summary links for a board or a client exec team.
- Why is Navigator only $49?
- Because it should be a decision you make on your own card, not one you take to a budget holder. The tools a CTO actually keeps cost about this much. We would rather be the obvious yes.
- Do you gate metrics or years?
- Never. All seven financial and operational metrics are on the free tier, and you can plan across every year, past and future, without paying. A planning tool that hides your own history is not a planning tool.
- What does Navigator do between board meetings?
- It keeps the record for you. Fathom syncs your meetings into the Journal as they happen, and the Curator reads the week back to you. That is the part you feel the absence of if you stop: a briefing is only as good as the quarter behind it.
- Is Fractional only for fractional CTOs?
- No. It is for anyone running more than one company or managing team performance through the Zonaite framework. Fractional CTOs are just the most common case. It also carries accounting and delivery sync, so actuals fill the grid on their own.
- What if I run more than three companies?
- Fractional includes three. If your portfolio is bigger than that, email hello@ctocompass.com and we will work out what fits.
- Do the paid tiers include coaching?
- Coaching is sold separately, not bundled into a subscription. A Compass Calibration sets your cascade up properly from day one, and Bearing Reviews keep it honest through the year. Not sure yet? Book a free 30-minute consultation. No pitch, no pressure.
- How does the AI work?
- Sentinel suggestions, objective names, executive briefings, the Curator, and the journal advisor all run on Claude. No API keys required, no per-call cost to you. Explorer includes a daily allowance; Navigator and Fractional get the full-strength limits, and Fractional can bring its own Anthropic key.
- Does the trial need a card?
- The paid tiers do: you enter a card to start the 14-day trial, and the first charge lands on day 15 unless you cancel before then. Explorer needs no card at all, and never will.
- How does annual billing work?
- Twenty percent off the monthly rate, billed once a year. You can switch between monthly and annual at any time from your billing page; credit prorates on the next invoice.
- Can I downgrade or cancel?
- Any time. Downgrades take effect at the next billing cycle; cancellations are immediate. Your cascade and journal stay exactly where they are. Explorer is free forever, so you keep working. Published Client Summary links stop being served while a subscription is lapsed.