Kerf pricing.
The core editor is free forever. Kerf Pro is $96/year or $10/month — 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 — $96/year or $10/mo
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.
Annual ($96/year) works out to two months free versus paying monthly — the better deal if Kerf earns a regular spot in your workflow. Monthly ($10) is better 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 monthly and annual?
- 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. Annual is $96 per year — like getting two months free versus monthly — and renews yearly until you cancel.
- 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.
- 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.
- Is there a refund policy?
- Yes. We offer a 14-day refund on Kerf Pro purchases — monthly or annual — 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 annual auto-renew?
- Yes. Annual renews once a year at $96 until you cancel — and you can switch to monthly or cancel anytime from your account. You keep Pro through the end of any period you've already paid for, and we'll never paywall features you already had.
- 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 annual options.
Ready to try Kerf?
The free editor is the core product. Pro adds the tools you'll want once you're shipping.