{
  "topic": {
    "slug": "switched-to-sales-led",
    "title": "Startups that dropped self-serve sign-up for book-a-demo",
    "rule": "The homepage had a free sign-up or trial button at the previous check and now only offers a demo.",
    "record": "https://startuphistory.org/t/switched-to-sales-led"
  },
  "as_of": "2026-11-09",
  "summary": "In Q4 2026 (to 9 November 2026), 4 startups dropped their free sign-up and now ask visitors to book a demo, out of 1,797 with at least two captures in the archive that quarter. These are observations in the archive, not a market-wide rate. Coverage differs by quarter.",
  "quarters": [
    {
      "quarter": "2026-Q4",
      "companies": 4,
      "checked": 1797
    },
    {
      "quarter": "2026-Q3",
      "companies": 2,
      "checked": 815
    },
    {
      "quarter": "2026-Q2",
      "companies": 0,
      "checked": 168
    },
    {
      "quarter": "2026-Q1",
      "companies": 0,
      "checked": 401
    },
    {
      "quarter": "2025-Q4",
      "companies": 0,
      "checked": 61
    },
    {
      "quarter": "2025-Q3",
      "companies": 0,
      "checked": 499
    }
  ],
  "pagination": {
    "page": 1,
    "per_page": 200,
    "total": 4,
    "pages": 1,
    "next": null
  },
  "changes": [
    {
      "company": "Budibase Limited",
      "record": "https://startuphistory.org/c/budibase.com",
      "summary": "Dropped its free sign-up; visitors are now asked to book a demo.",
      "between": {
        "from": "2026-10-24T21:34:59.000Z",
        "to": "2026-11-06T14:30:32.007Z"
      },
      "counted_in": "2026-Q4",
      "evidence": "https://budibase.com/",
      "evidence_kind": "live_capture"
    },
    {
      "company": "Augmentt",
      "record": "https://startuphistory.org/c/augmentt.com",
      "summary": "Dropped its free sign-up; visitors are now asked to book a demo.",
      "between": {
        "from": "2026-10-09T15:33:46.000Z",
        "to": "2026-11-06T14:26:48.532Z"
      },
      "counted_in": "2026-Q4",
      "evidence": "https://www.augmentt.com/",
      "evidence_kind": "live_capture"
    },
    {
      "company": "Firebolt",
      "record": "https://startuphistory.org/c/firebolt.io",
      "summary": "Dropped its free sign-up; visitors are now asked to book a demo.",
      "between": {
        "from": "2026-10-19T05:59:25.000Z",
        "to": "2026-11-05T14:19:56.349Z"
      },
      "counted_in": "2026-Q4",
      "evidence": "https://www.firebolt.io/",
      "evidence_kind": "live_capture"
    },
    {
      "company": "AssemblyAI",
      "record": "https://startuphistory.org/c/assemblyai.com",
      "summary": "Dropped its free sign-up; visitors are now asked to book a demo.",
      "between": {
        "from": "2026-10-28T16:15:40.000Z",
        "to": "2026-11-05T11:31:43.012Z"
      },
      "counted_in": "2026-Q4",
      "evidence": "https://www.assemblyai.com/",
      "evidence_kind": "live_capture"
    }
  ],
  "method": {
    "version": "messaging-v1",
    "description": "https://startuphistory.org/method"
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "cite": "StartupHistory, “Startups that dropped self-serve sign-up for book-a-demo”, https://startuphistory.org/t/switched-to-sales-led (accessed 9 November 2026)"
}