# FAQ

## Buying and licensing

**What do I buy?** A license to install Starwisp in your own accounts, with 12 months of updates. It is not a hosted service. No subscription from us, no revenue share.

**What happens after 12 months?** Nothing stops. You keep running the version you have. You only lose new releases unless you renew. See [updates](updates.md).

**Can I use it for clients?** Check the license terms on the site. This page does not give license advice.

**What if I lose my key?** Use <https://getstarwisp.com/retrieve-key>: enter the email you bought with and we send the key again. Check one offline with `npx starwisp license <key>`.

## Accounts and keys

**Do I need my own Claude account?** Yes: an Anthropic **API key**. Usage is billed to you by Anthropic, at Anthropic's prices. We never see, store or resell your key.

**Can I use my Claude Pro or Max subscription?** No. Anthropic directs automated products to API keys.

**Is this made or endorsed by Anthropic?** No. It runs on Claude. We are not affiliated with Anthropic.

**Do I need a GitHub organization?** Yes. Personal accounts are not supported. A free organization is enough.

**Why do I have to make all the accounts myself?** The stores and vendors require that you, the developer, own them. You are the developer of record for your apps. We do not create accounts for you.

## Cost and time

**How much will an app cost to build?** Almost all of it is Claude. A Prototype is about $135 to $225 in Claude (typical about $170, estimated); Ship to testers about $265 to $310, from one measured run of about $290. See [costs](costs.md).

**How do I stop it from spending too much?** Set an Anthropic monthly spend limit and the budget caps in Settings → Budget. See [costs](costs.md).

**How long does a build take?** Under 90 minutes of your time to start, then the run takes hours unattended (an estimate of 6 to 9 hours).

**Why is my first store launch not same-day?** Apple and Google accounts and reviews take days to weeks. See [Apple](vendors/apple.md) and [Google Play](vendors/google-play.md).

## The stores

**Do you publish my app?** No. Starwisp automates *your own uploads* with your own accounts and keys. Submitting to review is a button you tap.

**Will Apple approve my app?** Not promised. Each app must be your own distinct idea. Apple may look hard at first submissions of AI-generated apps.

**Do I need the 14-day Google test?** If your Play developer account is a **personal** account created after 13 Nov 2023, yes: 12 testers for 14 days before production. Internal testing is not affected.

## Data and security

**Where do my keys live?** In your own GitHub secrets. See [security](security.md).

**Do you see my code?** No. Your code goes from your accounts to Anthropic under your own agreement with them.

**Does it phone home?** Only to download a release you ask for. An optional version check (a public list of versions and changelogs; it sends nothing about you) can be turned off in **Settings → Updates**. See [security](security.md).

## Using it

**What can it build?** Expo / React Native apps in TypeScript for iOS, Android and web, with a Supabase backend. See [presets](presets.md).

**Can I edit the code?** Yes. It is your repo. Edits to files Starwisp ships may conflict with updates; your own settings under `.factory/local/` never do.

**Where is the Setup page?** **Setup** in the console menu, until every required row passes. After that it is at `<console>/setup`. Keys themselves are still saved on **Settings → Vault**.