src/checkout.el

@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ fn checkout_page(plan: String, pub_key: String) -> String {
       <div id=\"auth-section\" " + (if is_free { "" } else { "style=\"display:none;\"" }) + ">
         " + (if is_free { "
         <p class=\"label\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1.5rem; color: var(--navy);\">Create your account.</p>
-        <p class=\"checkout-auth-hint\" style=\"margin-bottom: 2rem;\">No charge today. Add your card to reserve your spot - you won&#39;t be billed until you upgrade.</p>
+        <p class=\"checkout-auth-hint\" style=\"margin-bottom: 2rem;\">No card required. Your account is free, forever.</p>
         " } else { "
         <p class=\"label\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1.25rem;\">Sign in (optional)</p>
         <p class=\"checkout-auth-hint\">Sign in to link this purchase to an existing account. Or skip and create one later - we'll match it to your email.</p>
@@ -135,6 +135,16 @@ fn checkout_page(plan: String, pub_key: String) -> String {
         </div>
       </div>
 
+      <!-- Free-tier success panel: shown after account creation, no card needed -->
+      " + (if is_free { "
+      <div id=\"free-success\" style=\"display:none; text-align:center; padding: 2.5rem 1rem;\">
+        <div style=\"font-size:2.5rem; margin-bottom:1.25rem;\">&#10003;</div>
+        <p class=\"label\" style=\"margin-bottom:.75rem; color:var(--navy);\">You&#39;re in.</p>
+        <p class=\"checkout-auth-hint\" style=\"margin-bottom:2rem;\">Your free account is ready. Download Neuron to get started.</p>
+        <a href=\"/marketplace\" class=\"checkout-submit\" style=\"display:inline-block; text-decoration:none; padding:.875rem 2rem;\">Go to your account &#8594;</a>
+      </div>
+      " } else { "" }) + "
+
       <!-- Payment form (visible immediately - no auth wall) -->
       <div id=\"payment-section\" " + (if is_free { "style=\"display:none;\"" } else { "" }) + ">
         <div id=\"auth-badge\" style=\"display:none; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\"></div>

src/js/checkout-auth.el

@@ -33,8 +33,11 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     if (user && user.id) { window._neuronSupaId = user.id; }
     var auth = document.getElementById('auth-section');
     if (auth) auth.style.display = 'none';
-    var payment = document.getElementById('payment-section');
-    if (payment) payment.style.display = '';
+    var isFree = (window.NEURON_CFG || {}).plan === 'free';
+    if (!isFree) {
+      var payment = document.getElementById('payment-section');
+      if (payment) payment.style.display = '';
+    }
 
     if (user) {
       var badge = document.getElementById('auth-badge');
@@ -55,9 +58,11 @@ fn main() -> Void {
       if (emailEl) emailEl.value = user.email;
     }
 
-    var userEmail = user ? (user.email || '') : '';
-    var userName  = user ? ((user.user_metadata && user.user_metadata.full_name) || '') : '';
-    if (typeof initStripe === 'function') initStripe(userEmail, userName);
+    if (!isFree) {
+      var userEmail = user ? (user.email || '') : '';
+      var userName  = user ? ((user.user_metadata && user.user_metadata.full_name) || '') : '';
+      if (typeof window.initStripe === 'function') window.initStripe(userEmail, userName);
+    }
   }
 
   function checkExistingSession() {

src/js/checkout-free.el

@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
-// checkout-free.el -- Free plan: reveal payment section after auth completes.
-// Watches the auth-badge element; when it becomes visible, shows payment-section.
+// 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
 
 fn main() -> Void {
     native_js("(function() {
-  var pay = document.getElementById('payment-section');
-  if (!pay) return;
+  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) {
-      pay.style.display = '';
+      if (auth) auth.style.display = 'none';
+      success.style.display = '';
       clearInterval(timer);
     }
   }, 150);

src/js/checkout-stripe.el

@@ -31,8 +31,13 @@ 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;
+
   window._neuronMode = 'payment';
   var paymentEl = null;
+  var userEmail  = '';
+  var userName   = '';
 
   function appearance() {
     return {
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     return fetch('/api/payment-intent', {
       method: 'POST',
       headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
-      body: JSON.stringify({ plan: PLAN, timing: timing })
+      body: JSON.stringify({ plan: PLAN, timing: timing, email: userEmail, name: userName })
     })
     .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
     .then(function(data) {
@@ -117,11 +122,17 @@ fn main() -> Void {
     });
   }
 
-  fetchAndMount();
-  var tNow   = document.getElementById('timing-now');
-  var tLater = document.getElementById('timing-later');
-  if (tNow)   tNow.addEventListener('change',   fetchAndMount);
-  if (tLater) tLater.addEventListener('change', fetchAndMount);
+  // Don't init Stripe at page load — wait for auth.
+  // checkout-auth.el calls window.initStripe(email, name) after sign-in.
+  window.initStripe = function(email, name) {
+    userEmail = email || '';
+    userName  = name  || '';
+    fetchAndMount();
+    var tNow   = document.getElementById('timing-now');
+    var tLater = document.getElementById('timing-later');
+    if (tNow)   tNow.addEventListener('change',   fetchAndMount);
+    if (tLater) tLater.addEventListener('change', fetchAndMount);
+  };
 
   var form = document.getElementById('payment-form');
   if (form) form.addEventListener('submit', async function(e) {

src/main.el

@@ -584,23 +584,9 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
         }
         let timing: String = json_get_string(body, "timing")
         if str_eq(timing, "") { let timing = "now" }
-        // Free tier: SetupIntent — save card details without charging.
-        // Card is stored on a Stripe Customer; billing begins only if the
-        // user later upgrades to a paid plan.
+        // Free tier: no card required. Return immediately — no Stripe interaction.
         if str_eq(plan, "free") {
-            let si_body: String = "automatic_payment_methods[enabled]=true"
-                + "&usage=off_session"
-                + "&metadata[plan]=free"
-            let auth_header: String = "Bearer " + stripe_key
-            let si_resp: String = http_post_form_auth(
-                "https://api.stripe.com/v1/setup_intents",
-                si_body,
-                auth_header)
-            if str_starts_with(si_resp, "{") {
-                let inner: String = str_slice(si_resp, 1, str_len(si_resp))
-                return "{\"setup_mode\":true,\"plan\":\"free\"," + inner
-            }
-            return si_resp
+            return "{\"plan\":\"free\",\"free\":true,\"no_payment_required\":true}"
         }
         // Hard cap: block founding checkouts when 1,000 spots are filled
         if str_eq(plan, "founding") {
@@ -612,6 +598,27 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
         }
         let auth_header: String = "Bearer " + stripe_key
 
+        // Find-or-create Stripe Customer by email upfront so every intent
+        // is attached to an existing customer — prevents duplicate customers.
+        let pi_email: String = json_get_string(body, "email")
+        let pi_name:  String = json_get_string(body, "name")
+        let pi_cus_id: String = ""
+        if !str_eq(pi_email, "") {
+            let pi_email_enc: String = str_replace(str_replace(pi_email, "@", "%40"), "+", "%2B")
+            let pi_search_url: String = "https://api.stripe.com/v1/customers/search?query=email%3A%22" + pi_email_enc + "%22&limit=1"
+            let pi_search: String = http_get_auth(pi_search_url, auth_header)
+            let pi_cus_id = json_get_string(pi_search, "id")
+            if str_eq(pi_cus_id, "") {
+                let pi_name_enc: String = str_replace(pi_name, " ", "%20")
+                let pi_cus_body: String = "email=" + pi_email_enc
+                    + "&name=" + pi_name_enc
+                    + "&metadata[plan]=" + plan
+                    + "&metadata[source]=neuron-checkout"
+                let pi_cus_resp: String = http_post_form_auth("https://api.stripe.com/v1/customers", pi_cus_body, auth_header)
+                let pi_cus_id = json_get_string(pi_cus_resp, "id")
+            }
+        }
+
         // Setup-mode path: save payment method, do not charge. Only valid
         // for Professional (Founding is one-shot lifetime, charges immediately).
         if str_eq(plan, "professional") && str_eq(timing, "later") {
@@ -620,6 +627,7 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
                 + "&metadata[plan]=" + plan
                 + "&metadata[hold_until]=launch"
                 + "&metadata[launch_target]=2026-09-01"
+            let si_body = if !str_eq(pi_cus_id, "") { si_body + "&customer=" + pi_cus_id } else { si_body }
             let si_resp: String = http_post_form_auth(
                 "https://api.stripe.com/v1/setup_intents",
                 si_body,
@@ -642,6 +650,7 @@ fn handle_request_inner(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
             + "&automatic_payment_methods[enabled]=true"
             + "&metadata[plan]=" + plan
             + "&metadata[timing]=" + timing
+        let pi_body = if !str_eq(pi_cus_id, "") { pi_body + "&customer=" + pi_cus_id } else { pi_body }
         let response: String = http_post_form_auth(
             "https://api.stripe.com/v1/payment_intents",
             pi_body,