Every network that matters has a founding cohort. Domains had the early .com wave. Social apps had low user IDs. Internet Map has Early seats: the first 25 human claims are free, keep their plan footprint, and receive a permanent Early badge on the square and public profile. This post is the canonical explainer - mechanics, strategy, and what happens when the counter hits zero.
The rules, clearly
- Seats #1–#25 (human claims with a claim index) are Early.
- Early claims are free regardless of Personal / Startup / Business / Enterprise plan choice.
- You still get that plan’s size and placement rules (including choose-plot on Business/Enterprise).
- You get a permanent Early badge - not a temporary coupon.
- HQ and system squares don’t consume Early inventory the way human claims do.
- After 25, new claims pay annual prices via Paddle.
Why we made Early free
A map with three tiles is a demo. A map with a visible founding layer is a place. Early seats bootstrap neighbors around Prime Center, create screenshots worth posting, and reward people who take a product risk before the social proof exists. We’re not running an infinite free tier - twenty-five is small on purpose.
What the Early badge is for
Badges are legibility. When someone opens your profile months from now, Early answers “were you here at the beginning?” without a paragraph of lore. It’s useful in decks (“founding map address”), community roles, and casual flexes. It is not a governance token and not a promise of future airdrops. It’s a product badge tied to claim order.
Strategy: which plan to pick while Early is free
If Early is free, the marginal cost of a larger plan is $0 today - but only if you’re in the first 25. That tempts everyone toward Enterprise. Be intentional:
- Solo indie project - Personal or Startup is enough; spend energy on a great tile image.
- Venture-backed SaaS that wants a loud screenshot - Business 2×2 or Enterprise 3×3 near HQ.
- If you don’t have time to place a plot well, don’t grab Enterprise just to park a messy 3×3.
Remember: after Early, renewals follow normal pricing. Pick a size you’d still pay for next year.
How to know how many seats are left
The map sidebar and claim flow read live stats from our claim counter (with safeguards so we don’t under-count real human claims). If the UI says seats remain, move - Early is designed to disappear. If you’re reading this after it’s closed, you can still claim paid; you just won’t get the Early badge.
FAQ
Can Early be transferred?
The badge stays with the square’s claim history. Don’t buy/sell Early informally and expect support to restyle history. Claim with the account that should own the story.
What if checkout fails mid-Early?
Don’t spam create. Check /dashboard for pending squares, retry free-claim, or contact support with your handle. Index assignment is tied to successful claim progression - racing the counter with half-finished drafts helps no one.
If Early still shows seats remaining, this is the moment.
Claim Early