Updated March 2026
When you call POST /api/trial, you get an instant API key and a claimUrl. The key works immediately with free-tier limits. But the account is provisional. You have 24 hours to claim it or everything gets deleted.
Here is the full flow. POST /api/trial returns an apiKey (st_live_ prefix), a claimUrl, your plan (free), and your limits. The key is live. You can create forms, submit data, build dashboards, configure webhooks. No signup, no email, no credit card.
The claimUrl is a browser link. Visit it within 24 hours and sign in with GitHub or Google. That links the provisional account to your real identity. Once claimed, the account is permanent. Your data persists. You can upgrade to a paid plan whenever you want.
If you do not claim within 24 hours, the account and all its data are deleted automatically. Forms, submissions, dashboards, webhooks -- gone. This is intentional. Trial accounts without a real identity behind them would accumulate forever.
Every API response during the trial includes _meta.claim with the deadline timestamp, remaining minutes, the claim URL, and a reminder message. So even if you lose the original claimUrl, any API call shows it.
For AI agents, this matters. An agent can call POST /api/trial, start building, and include the claimUrl in its response to the user. The user visits the link in a browser to keep the data. The agent does not need to handle auth itself.
After claiming, the account stays on the free plan. Upgrade to Builder ($9/month), Pro ($29/month), or Scale ($79/month) through the dashboard or the pricing page. Claiming does not require payment.