Frequently Asked Questions

Spectra is an AI-powered software platform with four products: Forge (free idea viability scoring), Architect (AI-generated architecture documents and system diagrams), Build (AI-driven application development that produces real, deployed code), and Deploy (managed hosting with monitoring, patching, and support). You can use one product or the entire platform.

Cursor and Lovable are AI coding assistants that help developers write code faster — they require you to be a developer. Spectra is end-to-end: you describe what you want to build, and Spectra produces architecture documents, generates production code, deploys it, and hosts it. You do not need to write or review code to use Spectra. Compared to an agency, Spectra delivers faster (hours to days, not months) and at a fraction of the cost, because the heavy lifting is done by AI pipelines, not billable hours.

No. Spectra is designed for founders, product managers, and non-technical stakeholders. You describe your idea in plain language — what it should do, who it is for, how it should work. Spectra translates that into architecture, code, and a live application. That said, technical users can provide detailed specifications and get more precise outputs. For Deploy, basic familiarity with domain names is helpful but not required.

Spectra Forge — the viability analysis tool — is free for every user, every time. It is not a trial. Architect, Build, and Deploy are paid products. If you are asking whether there is a free trial of Build, the answer is no: generating production code and deploying infrastructure has real costs that we cannot absorb. We keep Forge free because running a quick viability check is low-cost and high-value for you before you commit to a build.

You receive a professional software architecture document that includes: an 11-module analysis of your project (data model, API design, authentication strategy, security model, scalability plan, infrastructure blueprint, and more), interactive system diagrams, technology stack recommendations with justifications, estimated implementation complexity, and risk identification. Deliverables are exported as PDF, Markdown, and an interactive web view.

Most architecture analyses complete in 15–45 minutes depending on the complexity of the project and current queue depth. You will receive an email notification when your document is ready. You can also monitor progress in your Spectra dashboard.

On-Demand plans include one revision round. Submit your revision request through the project dashboard within 7 days of delivery, specifying which sections you want reconsidered and why. Partner subscribers have unlimited revisions and can request changes at any time. Revisions are processed within 24 hours for Partner subscribers.

Spectra Build generates web applications: SaaS products, internal tools, admin dashboards, marketplaces, booking systems, content platforms, and API backends. The output is real, production-quality code — not a mockup or prototype. Applications include authentication, database, payment integration where specified, responsive design, and security hardening. Spectra does not currently generate native mobile apps (iOS/Android), desktop applications, or embedded systems firmware.

MVP builds (5 pages, simple auth, 3 database tables) typically complete in 2–6 hours. Launch builds (15 pages, OAuth, Stripe, admin dashboard) take 12–24 hours. Production builds (enterprise scope) take 2–4 days. These are pipeline processing times; you will receive a notification when your build is complete. Complex builds are not slowed down by weekends — the pipeline runs continuously.

Spectra generates Next.js (React, TypeScript) applications with Supabase for the database and authentication, Stripe for payments, Tailwind CSS for styling, and Vercel for deployment. This stack is chosen because it is modern, well-documented, secure, and maintainable by any competent engineer. If you need a different stack (e.g., Laravel, Django, or Rails), contact us — custom stack builds are available for Production-tier clients.

Yes. Once you have paid in full, you own all intellectual property rights to the generated application code, database schemas, and assets produced for your project. You can modify, distribute, sell, or commercialize your application without restriction. Spectra retains no claim over your deliverables. See the Terms of Service for the full IP assignment.

If the delivered application does not reasonably match the accepted project brief, you may file a quality dispute within 14 days of delivery. Our team will compare the deliverable against your agreed scope. Resolution options include a targeted rebuild of specific features, a partial account credit, or in cases of significant shortfall, a partial refund. We want you to have a working application — quality disputes are taken seriously. See our Refund Policy for details.

All Deploy plans include Vercel hosting, a Supabase database, SSL certificates, daily automated backups, and uptime monitoring. Managed and Premium plans add monthly security patches, performance monitoring, email support, and monthly status reports. Premium adds 4 hours per month of developer time for changes, priority support with a 24-hour response SLA, quarterly security audits, and a dedicated Slack channel.

Yes. All Deploy plans support custom domains. You point your domain's DNS records to Spectra's infrastructure, and we handle SSL certificate provisioning and renewal automatically. We support apex domains (yourbrand.com) and subdomains (app.yourbrand.com). Domain registration itself is not included — you purchase the domain through a registrar of your choice (e.g., Cloudflare, Namecheap, Google Domains).

Your application and all hosted services remain active through the end of your current paid billing period. After that period ends, the application is taken offline and your hosted data is retained for 30 days. During those 30 days you can export your database and files. After 30 days, hosted data is deleted. We recommend using the 30-day window to migrate to your own hosting if you choose not to continue with Spectra Deploy.

Spectra Forge is a free AI viability analysis tool. You describe your software idea in a few sentences, and Forge evaluates it across four dimensions: market fit (is there demand for this?), technical feasibility (can this be built?), monetization potential (can this make money?), and competitive landscape (what are you up against?). You get a score, a written analysis, and a set of key questions to answer before you commit to building.

The Forge score is an informed estimate based on the information you provide, not a guarantee. AI analysis is useful for quickly identifying blind spots, stress-testing assumptions, and structuring your thinking — but it cannot substitute for real market research, customer interviews, or domain expertise. Treat the score as a structured second opinion, not a definitive verdict. We display the score as a range to communicate this inherent uncertainty.

Yes. Your Forge submissions are stored in your account and are not visible to other users. We do not share, publish, or disclose your idea descriptions with any third party. We use your submission only to run the analysis and return results to you. See our Privacy Policy for the full data handling details.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) through Stripe. We do not currently accept PayPal, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, or invoicing for individual purchases. Enterprise clients with a signed contract may arrange invoiced payment — contact sales@spectra.app.

Spectra enforces a zero-tolerance security standard. All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256). Database access uses row-level security (RLS) so no query can return another user's data. All mutations are written to an immutable audit log. We do not store payment card numbers — that is handled by Stripe under PCI-DSS compliance. Generated code is scanned for security vulnerabilities before delivery. We run periodic security reviews of the platform infrastructure.

Yes. Email privacy@spectra.app with the subject line 'Account Deletion Request.' We will delete your account and personal data from active systems within 30 days. Billing records are retained for 7 years as required by tax law, but are not linked to any active account after deletion. If you have an active Deploy subscription, cancel it first to avoid further charges.

All Spectra data is stored in Supabase's us-east-1 region (AWS Northern Virginia, USA). Application files and static assets are served through Vercel's global edge network. Payments are processed by Stripe on their own PCI-compliant infrastructure. We do not store data in the EU by default. If you are an EEA customer with specific data residency requirements, contact us to discuss options.