Turn a pilot into a paid contract

A paid pilot your champion can say yes to.

Their numbers, one goal, two weeks, then a contract.

Download RiverHow to start

How it works.

River writes a one-page pilot plan in your champion’s own numbers and an order form that becomes a subscription unless they opt out, then holds every date on your calendar.

  1. Pick the deal and price

    River suggests the prospect from your calls and the price from your last proposal.

  2. River builds the pilot

    One goal they named, today’s baseline and two weeks with owners on both sides.

  3. Ready for your champion

    Plan and order form as PDFs, the meetings held, the deal updated.

What you get.

  • A one-page Pilot plan your champion could forward to their boss unchanged
  • An order form that turns into a subscription, with a 30-day opt-out
  • Kickoff, a week-one check-in and the results meeting held on your calendar
The finished result of Turn a pilot into a paid contract in River

Start in three steps.

  1. River’s app icon

    Get River

    Download the app for your computer.

  2. River’s first question, “What’s your role?”, with Founder chosen

    Sign up as a founder

    When River asks your role, choose Founder.

  3. Start “Turn a pilot into a paid contract”

    Press + in your Dock, open Playbooks, and press Start. River picks the deal from your latest calls and asks you to confirm the price.

A few things to know.

Why make the pilot paid?

Unpaid design partnerships tend to drag on. YC’s advice is a recurring contract with an early opt-out, so River never drafts an open-ended unpaid pilot.

What if I don’t have an order form?

River uses its own, where the pilot rolls into the paid subscription when it ends. It adds a note to have a lawyer review it before you send.

What does it cost?

It uses your plan’s AI credit, like everything else in River. The contract and the payment stay between you and your customer.

View pricing

More for founders.

All founder playbooks

Try it on your own work.

Download River, choose Founder, and press Start on “Turn a pilot into a paid contract”.

Download RiverSee every playbook