> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guides.tryaqueduct.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Common Business Models

## Creating a talent marketplace

Let's walk though how we would model a talent marketplace by using multiple
price functions in the price model. We'll start with a basic scenario and see
how we can add price functions to compose sophisticated business models.

**Basic metered billing**: Cody is a consultant who provides consulting services
at \$100 per hour that is collected monthly. This is the example from the
developer quick start.

To handle Cody's billing, we create a price model with:

One price function of type per-unit-meter and meter name cody-hours-worked and
meter rate \$100. Billing frequency: monthly.

**Usage based billing with tiers**: Consulting retainer for $3500 per month
which includes 40 hours and is billed at $125 for any additional hours.

We create a price model with:

* Two price functions:

1. Type `per-unit` of \$3500
2. Type `per-unit-meter` and meter name `cody-hours-worked` with two tier. Tier
   1: 0 to 40, meter rate is $0. Tier 2: 40+ the meter rate is $125

* Billing frequency: `monthly`.

**Usage based billing with split payouts**: Consulting marketplace where
consultants have retainers with overage and the marketplace adds a 15% margin
which passed along to the buyer. To model Cody Consultant in this marketplace,
we would use the following.

* Three price functions:

1. Type `per-unit` of \$3500 with destination account Cody.
2. Type `per-unit-meter` and meter name `cody-hours-worked` with two tier. Tier
   1: 0 to 40, meter rate is $0. Tier 2: 40+ the meter rate is $125 with
   destination account Cody.
3. Type `percentage` with percent `15%` an amount `sum-function-outputs`.

* Billing frequency: `monthly`.

Sum function outputs is a special amount variable that will take add the output
of other price functions as an input. Sum function outputs will add up all other
functions by default. You can also specify specific index values to only use
specific function outputs.

**Usage based billing with multiparty split payouts**: Consulting marketplace
allows consultants to refer customers and referrer gets 5% of the margin. Bobby
Buyer was referred by Ruby Referrer. To model this, we would create another
customer for Ruby referrer and use the following price model.

Price model with:

* Four price functions:

1. Type `per-unit` of \$3500.
2. Type `per-unit-meter` and meter name `cody-hours-worked` with two tier. Tier
   1: 0 to 40, meter rate is $0. Tier 2: 40+ the meter rate is $125.
3. Type `percentage` with percent 10% an amount `sum-function-outputs` and index
   values \[0,1].
4. Type `percentage` with percent 5% an amount `sum-function-outputs` and index
   values \[0,1] and destination account Ruby.

* Billing frequency: `monthly`.

Sum function outputs is a special amount variable that will take add the output
of other price functions as an input. Sum function outputs will add up all other
functions by default. You can also specify specific index values to only use
specific function outputs.