Free plan: use $0 PaymentIntent instead of SetupIntent for age verification

All plans now use the same payment intent flow. Free creates a $0 PI
with payment_method_types[]=card and setup_future_usage=off_session.
No charge, card saved. Removes setup_mode=true for free plan.

Fix submit button label: show 'Verify age & get started' for free
instead of 'Complete purchase'. Retire checkout-free.el.

.gitea/workflows/stage.yaml

@@ -82,7 +82,12 @@ jobs:
           echo "Changed files:"
           echo "$CHANGED"
           NON_ASSET=$(echo "$CHANGED" | grep -v '^src/assets/' | grep -v '^src/shares/' | grep -v '^src/index\.html' | grep -v '^src/about\.html' | grep -v '^src/terms\.html' | grep -v '^src/enterprise-terms\.html' | grep -v '^src/llms\.txt' | grep -v '^migrations/' | grep -v '^scripts/' | grep -v '^tests/' | grep -v '^\.gitea/' | grep -v '^$' || true)
-          if [ -z "$NON_ASSET" ] && [ "$CHANGED" != "unknown" ]; then
+          if [ -z "$CHANGED" ] || [ "$CHANGED" = "unknown" ]; then
+            # No diff (workflow_dispatch with no new commits, or git error).
+            # Registry may not have a stage-latest base image, so force full build.
+            echo "asset_only=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "=> No changed files detected (workflow_dispatch?), forcing full build"
+          elif [ -z "$NON_ASSET" ]; then
             echo "asset_only=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
             echo "=> Asset-only change detected, will use fast path"
           else

Dockerfile.stage

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #
 # CI pre-build steps (in stage.yaml):
 #   - neuron-web: built by `elb build` → dist/neuron-landing
+# Last rebuilt: 2026-05-11
 
 FROM ubuntu:24.04
 

src/js/checkout-free.el

@@ -1,20 +1,6 @@
-// checkout-free.el -- Free plan: show success panel after auth completes.
-// Watches the auth-badge element; when it becomes visible, hides the auth
-// section and shows the free-success panel. No card required for free tier.
-// Compiled with: elc --target=js --bundle --minify --obfuscate
+// checkout-free.el -- RETIRED. Free plan now uses the standard Stripe
+// payment flow (checkout-stripe.el) with a $0 PaymentIntent for age
+// verification. This file is no longer compiled or loaded.
 
 fn main() -> Void {
-    native_js("(function() {
-  var success = document.getElementById('free-success');
-  var auth = document.getElementById('auth-section');
-  if (!success) return;
-  var timer = setInterval(function() {
-    var badge = document.getElementById('auth-badge');
-    if (badge && badge.offsetParent !== null) {
-      if (auth) auth.style.display = 'none';
-      success.style.display = '';
-      clearInterval(timer);
-    }
-  }, 150);
-})()")
 }

src/js/checkout-stripe.el

@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     if (spinner) spinner.style.display = loading ? ''     : 'none';
   }
 
-  // Free plan has no payment form — bail out entirely.
-  if (str_eq(PLAN, 'free')) return;
+  // Free plan: Stripe SetupIntent for age verification (card saved, never charged).
+  // Falls through to the same Stripe init path — server returns setup_mode=true for free.
 
   window._neuronMode = 'payment';
   var paymentEl = null;
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ fn main() -> Void {
       if (submitLabel) {
         submitLabel.textContent = window._neuronMode === 'setup'
           ? 'Save my card - no charge today →'
-          : 'Complete purchase →';
+          : PLAN === 'free' ? 'Verify age & get started →' : 'Complete purchase →';
       }
       waitForStripe(function() {
         if (!stripe) stripe = Stripe(STRIPE_PK);

src/main.el

@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, headers: Map, body: String
             "Secure your Founding Member spot. Pay once, $199 lifetime — Neuron inference included at launch, priced below the major APIs. First 1,000 only."
         } else {
             if str_eq(plan, "free") {
-                "Create your free Neuron account. No credit card required. Your AI that remembers you — runs on your machine, never resets."
+                "Create your free Neuron account. A card verifies you're 18+ — you won't be charged. Your AI that remembers you, runs on your machine, never resets."
             } else {
                 "Subscribe to Neuron Professional for $19/month. The AI that remembers you — persistent memory, runs locally, bring your own API keys."
             }
@@ -697,23 +697,21 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, headers: Map, body: String
             }
         }
 
-        // Free tier: creates a SetupIntent for age verification (18+ requirement).
-        // No charge — but the user must provide a valid payment method.
+        // Free tier: $0 PaymentIntent for age verification (18+ requirement).
+        // Card is verified and saved (setup_future_usage=off_session). No charge.
         if str_eq(plan, "free") {
-            let free_si_body: String = "automatic_payment_methods[enabled]=true"
-                + "&usage=off_session"
+            let free_pi_body: String = "amount=0"
+                + "&currency=usd"
+                + "&payment_method_types[]=card"
+                + "&setup_future_usage=off_session"
                 + "&metadata[plan]=free"
                 + "&metadata[purpose]=age_verification"
-            let free_si_body = if !str_eq(pi_cus_id, "") { free_si_body + "&customer=" + pi_cus_id } else { free_si_body }
-            let free_si_resp: String = http_post_form_auth(
-                "https://api.stripe.com/v1/setup_intents",
-                free_si_body,
+            let free_pi_body = if !str_eq(pi_cus_id, "") { free_pi_body + "&customer=" + pi_cus_id } else { free_pi_body }
+            let free_pi_resp: String = http_post_form_auth(
+                "https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_intents",
+                free_pi_body,
                 auth_header)
-            if str_starts_with(free_si_resp, "{") {
-                let inner: String = str_slice(free_si_resp, 1, str_len(free_si_resp))
-                return "{\"setup_mode\":true,\"plan\":\"free\"," + inner
-            }
-            return free_si_resp
+            return free_pi_resp
         }
 
         // Setup-mode path: save payment method, do not charge. Only valid

src/pricing.el

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ fn pricing(sold: Int, total: Int) -> String {
             el_span("class=\"pricing-price\"", "$0") +
             el_span("class=\"pricing-cadence\"", "forever")
         ) +
-        el_p("class=\"pricing-tagline\"", "Start building your memory. No card required.") +
+        el_p("class=\"pricing-tagline\"", "Start building your memory. Card required for age verification — you won't be charged.") +
         el_ul("class=\"pricing-features\"", pricing_free_features()) +
         el_div("style=\"flex:1\"", "") +
         el_div(

src/styles.el

@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ fn page_head() -> String {
     return page_head_base()
         + page_seo_block(
             "Neuron — The AI That Remembers You",
-            "Every AI resets when you close the tab. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine. Remembers everything. Start free — no credit card required.",
+            "Every AI resets when you close the tab. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine. Remembers everything. Start free.",
             "/",
             "Every other AI forgets you. Neuron doesn't. Runs on your machine, builds a persistent memory over time, and gets sharper the longer you use it. Free tier available."
         )