Directory / content site
An Astro static site whose listings live in JSON/YAML files that a coding agent edits. Free hosting on Cloudflare Pages, a beehiiv newsletter for the audience, PostHog for analytics. Almost no running cost until the newsletter passes 2,500 subscribers.
Who it's for: Curators and niche experts building a directory, review or resource site (like StackSpeedrun itself) that earns from affiliates, sponsors or a newsletter.
Prices last verified
Disclosure: tools marked aff. program have affiliate programs. Links on this page currently go to the plain official sites. If we switch any to affiliate links, they'll be labeled aff. link, and we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Picks are based on fit, not payout.
Day one 0 readers
$21.74/mo| Category | Tool | Plan | $/mo | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| coding agent | Claude Pro | $20.00 | Builds the Astro site and keeps the data files (listings, prices) up to date. Cost note$20/mo monthly or $17/mo billed annually. Claude Code is included in Pro. Heavy daily use may need Max (from $100/mo). | |
| framework | Open source | $0.00 | Content-first static site generator. Pages build from data files, so you edit data, not layout. Cost noteFree, open-source framework (no pricing page). The pricing_url here is GitHub's, for the repo that hosts it. | |
| code hosting | Free | $0.00 | Owns your code outside any AI builder. Needed for exporting, Cloudflare/Vercel deploys and Claude Code. Cost noteFree plan: unlimited public/private repos, 2,000 Actions minutes/mo. | |
| hosting | Free | $0.00 | Free static hosting with unlimited asset requests, and the domains are already at Cloudflare. Cost noteFree plan: 500 builds/mo, 100 custom domains per project, static asset requests free and unlimited (Workers pricing page). | |
| email list | Launch (free) | $0.00 | Newsletter + subscribe form, and later sponsorship tools. Cost noteFree up to 2,500 subscribers. | |
| analytics | Free tier (pay-as-you-go beyond) | $0.00 | Which listings get clicked, and which pages bring sign-ups. Cost noteFree each month: 1M analytics events, 5K session recordings, 1M feature-flag requests, 100K exceptions. Assumes you stay under these (about 1,000 users × ≤500 events/mo). | |
| domain | .com + .dev at cost | $1.74 | At-cost renewals, DNS and hosting in one dashboard. Cost noteTwo domains (.com + .dev) amortized monthly, ~$0.87 each. Same third-party source as the .com price; .dev renewal price not checked. Check both in the Cloudflare dashboard. | |
| Split total | $21.74 | Excludes: Transaction fees (Stripe/MoR % of revenue), any one-time fees, and usage above stated assumptions. | ||
Switch when…
- You list affiliate links. Add a clear disclosure on every page that has them (FTC requirement).
First users ~100 subscribers
$21.74/mo| Category | Tool | Plan | $/mo | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| coding agent | Claude Pro | $20.00 | Weekly data refreshes and new listing pages. Cost note$20/mo monthly or $17/mo billed annually. Claude Code is included in Pro. Heavy daily use may need Max (from $100/mo). | |
| framework | Open source | $0.00 | No change. | |
| code hosting | Free | $0.00 | Owns your code outside any AI builder. Needed for exporting, Cloudflare/Vercel deploys and Claude Code. Cost noteFree plan: unlimited public/private repos, 2,000 Actions minutes/mo. | |
| hosting | Free | $0.00 | No change. Cost noteFree plan: 500 builds/mo, 100 custom domains per project, static asset requests free and unlimited (Workers pricing page). | |
| email list | Launch (free) | $0.00 | Weekly 'what changed' issue. Cost noteFree up to 2,500 subscribers. | |
| analytics | Free tier (pay-as-you-go beyond) | $0.00 | Product analytics, session replay and feature flags in one tool, with a generous free tier. Cost noteFree each month: 1M analytics events, 5K session recordings, 1M feature-flag requests, 100K exceptions. Assumes you stay under these (about 1,000 users × ≤500 events/mo). | |
| domain | .com + .dev at cost | $1.74 | At-cost renewals, DNS and hosting in one dashboard. Cost noteTwo domains (.com + .dev) amortized monthly, ~$0.87 each. Same third-party source as the .com price; .dev renewal price not checked. Check both in the Cloudflare dashboard. | |
| Split total | $21.74 | Excludes: Transaction fees (Stripe/MoR % of revenue), any one-time fees, and usage above stated assumptions. | ||
Switch when…
- You need user submissions or accounts. Add Supabase Free for a submissions table.
Scale ~1,000 subscribers
$21.74/mo| Category | Tool | Plan | $/mo | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| coding agent | Claude Pro | $20.00 | Ongoing updates. Cost note$20/mo monthly or $17/mo billed annually. Claude Code is included in Pro. Heavy daily use may need Max (from $100/mo). | |
| framework | Open source | $0.00 | No change. | |
| code hosting | Free | $0.00 | Owns your code outside any AI builder. Needed for exporting, Cloudflare/Vercel deploys and Claude Code. Cost noteFree plan: unlimited public/private repos, 2,000 Actions minutes/mo. | |
| hosting | Free | $0.00 | Static traffic spikes still cost $0. Cost noteFree plan: 500 builds/mo, 100 custom domains per project, static asset requests free and unlimited (Workers pricing page). | |
| email list | Launch (free) | $0.00 | Still under 2,500. Cost noteFree up to 2,500 subscribers. | |
| analytics | Free tier (pay-as-you-go beyond) | $0.00 | Product analytics, session replay and feature flags in one tool, with a generous free tier. Cost noteFree each month: 1M analytics events, 5K session recordings, 1M feature-flag requests, 100K exceptions. Assumes you stay under these (about 1,000 users × ≤500 events/mo). | |
| domain | .com + .dev at cost | $1.74 | At-cost renewals, DNS and hosting in one dashboard. Cost noteTwo domains (.com + .dev) amortized monthly, ~$0.87 each. Same third-party source as the .com price; .dev renewal price not checked. Check both in the Cloudflare dashboard. | |
| Split total | $21.74 | Excludes: Transaction fees (Stripe/MoR % of revenue), any one-time fees, and usage above stated assumptions. | ||
Switch when…
- You pass 2,500 subscribers or want paid newsletter tools. beehiiv Lite is $59/mo monthly / $49/mo annual for 1k, and $79/mo at 2,500. Kit stays free up to 10,000 (per Kit's help center).
- Search or filtering gets heavy on the client side. Add a Cloudflare Worker (Free: 100k requests/day; Paid: $5/mo).
Alternatives
Lovable Free + GitHub sync aff. program
$0.00/mo · pricing source ↗
Beginner path: generate the directory UI in chat, then host the synced repo on Cloudflare Pages. Upgrade to Pro ($25) when you edit daily.
All prices are in USD, billed monthly unless noted, and come from each tool's official pricing page as of October 17, 2026. Usage-based costs use the assumptions in each cost note. Some links are affiliate links (marked affiliate: true). StackSpeedrun may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Picks are based on fit, not payout, and every affiliate link must be clearly disclosed on the page where it appears.