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Is Studio Stax Founding Member Worth It? A Breakdown for Tool Builders

Studio Stax's Founding Member tier is $100/year. Here's what you get, what the Standard tier gets, and how to decide which makes sense for your tool.

📅 May 17, 2026⏱ 1 min read

Founding Member vs Standard — What's Different?

| | Founding Member | Standard |

|---|---|---|

| Annual price | $100 | $150 |

| Full directory listing | ✓ | ✓ |

| Reviewed before listing | ✓ | ✓ |

| Priority ranking boost | ✓ | — |

| Founding Member badge | ✓ | — |

| Early access to new features | ✓ | — |

| SM-Give contribution | ✓ | ✓ |

Founding Member is cheaper AND includes priority ranking. Why?

Because the first cohort of listed tools is building the directory. Early listers take a bet on an unproven directory. The priority ranking and badge are the reward for betting early.

The ROI Question

Is $100/year worth it for a tool builder?

The real question is: what's one relevant customer worth to your tool?

If one closed sale from a Studio Stax referral pays for the listing, it's worth it. Most B2B tools in the creator space close deals worth $100–$2,000/year. One referral = payback.

Studio Stax is not a mega-directory with millions of visitors. It's a curated, growing directory with a specific audience of creators and builders actively looking for tools.

The SM-Give Factor

Listing fees contribute to SM-Give — SocialMate's charitable fund. So your listing also contributes to helping homeless individuals, single parents, and underprivileged schools.

If your tool is aligned with the creator economy mission, that context matters.

[Apply at socialmate.studio/studio-stax/apply](https://socialmate.studio/studio-stax/apply)