BigIdeasDB Desktop
Desktop billing and access
Desktop comes with Basic and Pro. Anyone else can buy it once as an add-on. There is no AI bill from us, because your own AI agent does the work.
Last updated: October 31, 2026
Quick answer
Desktop is included with Basic and Pro. Free and Lite accounts can buy the Desktop add-on once. The add-on starts at $9 and rises $1 with every sale, so the price shown at checkout is the price you pay. Purchases are final.
- Included with Basic and Pro.
- Add-on: one time, you keep it.
- Pro monthly: access ends when the subscription ends. Cancel at period end keeps access until then.
- No refunds on Desktop purchases. See the Terms of Service.
What is included
- Basic and Pro: Desktop is included, with the Clipper extension.
- Free or Lite: buy the Desktop add-on once to get Desktop and Clipper.
- Pro also includes the hosted BigIdeasDB MCP. Desktop does not need it.
- One licence covers up to 3 computers.
See the live price and buy the add-on on the Desktop pricing page, or manage your licence in your Desktop account.
The add-on price
The add-on price starts at $9 and rises by $1 after each sale. The price shown at checkout is the price you pay. Because it rises with each sale, earlier buyers are not entitled to a credit or price difference.
Pro monthly
If you have Desktop through Pro monthly, access ends when the subscription is cancelled, ends or stops being paid, because the licence stops refreshing. A subscription cancelled at the end of the billing period keeps access until that period ends. Lifetime members keep Desktop. If you also bought the add-on, you keep it.
Your projects and data stay on your computer either way. See Devices and licence.
Refunds and terms
Desktop purchases are final, and ending access because a subscription ends is not a refund event. The full terms are in the Terms of Service, section 13.
Your own AI costs
BigIdeasDB provides no AI credits for Desktop. Your chats run on your own agent plan, such as Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode or Ollama, under that provider's terms and limits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the add-on if I have Basic?
No. Desktop is included with Basic and Pro. Only buy the add-on on a Free or Lite account.
What happens to Desktop if I cancel Pro monthly?
Access runs until the end of the period you paid for, then the licence stops refreshing. Your data stays on your computer. Lifetime members and add-on owners keep Desktop.
Can I get a refund?
No. Desktop purchases are final under the Terms of Service. Try the sample project and read the overview docs before you buy.
Does BigIdeasDB charge for AI usage in Desktop?
No. Your own AI agent and plan do the work. We provide no AI credits and send no AI bill.
What's the best way to get BigIdeasDB Desktop?
Get Basic or Pro if you want the full BigIdeasDB suite, since Desktop is included. If you only want Desktop, buy the one-time add-on at its current checkout price.
Was this page helpful?
Related articles
BigIdeasDB Desktop
BigIdeasDB Desktop overview
BigIdeasDB Desktop is a local-first research app for Mac and Windows. It runs on your computer, costs us nothing to run, and uses the AI agent you already pay for.
BigIdeasDB Desktop
Desktop devices and licence
One BigIdeasDB Desktop licence covers 3 computers. It works offline for 48 hours, renews every 12 hours when online, and recovers on its own once you reconnect.
BigIdeasDB Desktop
Install and activate BigIdeasDB Desktop
Download BigIdeasDB Desktop for Mac or Windows, press Activate, sign in through your browser, and start. A paste-your-licence fallback is built in.
