Deck Browser
Explore all business model cards
Direct Selling
Sell directly to the customer, bypassing traditional intermediaries.
Examples
- ✦Gymshark
- ✦Allbirds
- ✦Glossier
E-commerce
Primary channel is online selling (often with data-driven optimisation).
Examples
- ✦Zalando
- ✦ASOS
- ✦Ocado
Experience Selling
Differentiate and price up via a signature experience around the product.
Examples
- ✦Disney
- ✦Lush
- ✦Harley-Davidson
Flat Rate
One fixed price regardless of usage volume (simple, predictable).
Examples
- ✦Vodafone
- ✦PureGym
- ✦Tidal
Fractional Ownership
Split ownership of expensive assets into shares/usage rights.
Examples
- ✦Pacaso
- ✦Masterworks
- ✦NetJets
Franchising
Replicate a proven format via franchisees who operate locally under your brand.
Examples
- ✦Five Guys
- ✦Anytime Fitness
- ✦Domino's Pizza
From Push-to-Pull
Shift operations to be more demand-driven and responsive.
Examples
- ✦Zara
- ✦Shein
- ✦Toyota
Guaranteed Availability
Promise near-zero downtime; monetise reliability and scale.
Examples
- ✦Cloudflare
- ✦Datadog
- ✦Fastly
Hidden Revenue
Users don't pay; a third party funds it (often advertising).
Examples
- ✦TikTok
- ✦Snapchat
Ingredient Branding
A branded component increases the appeal of the end product (powered by…).
Examples
- ✦Dolby
- ✦Qualcomm
- ✦Gore-Tex
Integrator
Control more of the value chain in-house to reduce dependency and improve margins.
Examples
- ✦SpaceX
- ✦BYD
- ✦Samsung Electronics
Layer Player
Specialise in one layer (e.g., payments, comms) and sell it across industries.
Examples
- ✦Stripe
- ✦Twilio
- ✦Cloudinary
Leverage Customer Data
Monetise customer data directly or via better targeting/personalisation.
Examples
- ✦Fitbit
- ✦23andMe
- ✦Strava
Lock-in
Make switching costly through ecosystems, data, workflows, or compatibility.
Examples
- ✦Adobe Creative Cloud
- ✦SAP
- ✦Atlassian
Long Tail
Sell many niche items; the sum of niches becomes massive.
Examples
- ✦Etsy
- ✦Steam
- ✦Gumroad
Make More Of It
Productise internal capabilities/assets into new revenue streams.
Examples
- ✦Amazon Web Services
- ✦NVIDIA
- ✦BBC Studios
Mass Customization
Let customers customise while keeping near mass-production efficiency.
Examples
- ✦Nike By You
- ✦Indochino
- ✦M&M's
No Frills
Strip to essentials; compete via simplicity and low price.
Examples
- ✦Aldi
- ✦Primark
- ✦easyJet
Open Business Model
Collaborate with partners/ecosystems as a central value-creation engine.
Examples
- ✦Android
- ✦GitHub
- ✦Salesforce AppExchange
Open Source
Offer core tech openly; monetise via services, enterprise features, hosting, etc.
Examples
- ✦Mozilla
- ✦Red Hat
- ✦Automattic
Orchestrator
Keep the brain in-house; coordinate partners for execution at scale.
Examples
- ✦Flexport
- ✦Instacart
- ✦DoorDash
Pay What You Want
Buyer chooses price (often with suggestions or minimums).
Examples
- ✦Humble Bundle
- ✦itch.io
- ✦Ko-fi
Peer-to-Peer
Platform enables individuals to transact/share assets directly.
Examples
- ✦Airbnb
- ✦BlaBlaCar
- ✦Turo
Performance-based Contracting
Charge for outcomes (uptime, output, savings), not the asset.
Examples
- ✦Rolls-Royce
- ✦Signify
- ✦Kaeser Kompressoren
Razor and Blade
Cheap base product; recurring margin from consumables/add-ons.
Examples
- ✦Nespresso
- ✦HP
- ✦PlayStation
Rent Instead Of Buy
Customers rent access; provider profits from repeated utilisation.
Examples
- ✦Zipcar
- ✦Fat Llama
- ✦Grover
Revenue Sharing
Share revenue with partners/creators to drive supply and growth.
Examples
- ✦YouTube
- ✦Twitch
- ✦Apple App Store
Reverse Innovation
Build for emerging markets first; then bring it upmarket globally.
Examples
- ✦Xiaomi
- ✦Renault Kwid
- ✦GE Healthcare
Robin Hood
Charge wealthy customers more to subsidise affordability for others.
Examples
- ✦Warby Parker
- ✦Aravind Eye Care
- ✦TOMS
Self-service
Shift part of value creation to customers for lower cost / higher speed.
Examples
- ✦IKEA
- ✦McDonald's
- ✦Wizz Air
Shop-in-shop
Store-within-a-store via a host partner to expand cheaply.
Examples
- ✦Deutsche Post
- ✦Tchibo
- ✦Levi's
Solution Provider
Bundle products + services into a full solution with one accountable provider.
Examples
- ✦IBM
- ✦Accenture
- ✦Siemens
Trash-to-cash
Turn used products/waste streams into resale or new products.
Examples
- ✦Back Market
- ✦TerraCycle
- ✦Patagonia Worn Wear
Two-sided Market
Platform connects two interdependent groups; value rises with participation.
Examples
- ✦Vinted
- ✦Deliveroo
- ✦Bumble
User Designed
Users create designs/content; the platform curates, produces, and sells.
Examples
- ✦Roblox
- ✦Threadless
- ✦Redbubble
Whitelabel
Provide a product others rebrand and sell as their own.
Examples
- ✦Foxconn
- ✦Marqeta
- ✦Checkout.com
Add-on
Low base price, then charge for extras that increase the final bill.
Examples
- ✦Ryanair
- ✦Booking.com
- ✦Shopify
Cash Machine
Customer pays upfront; costs happen later (cash-flow advantage).
Examples
- ✦Groupon
- ✦Tesla
- ✦ClassPass
Cross Selling
Add unexpected extra categories to your offer to capture more wallet share.
Examples
- ✦Uber
- ✦Monzo
- ✦Peloton
Crowdfunding
Finance a product/project via many small backers online.
Examples
- ✦Kickstarter
- ✦Crowdcube
- ✦Seedrs
Customer Loyalty
Drive repeat purchases via points, tiers, perks, and retention loops.
Examples
- ✦Tesco Clubcard
- ✦Sephora
- ✦Marriott Bonvoy
Digitalisation
Replace/transform a physical offering into a digital one (scale + distribution).
Examples
- ✦Zoom
- ✦Duolingo
- ✦The Economist
Subscription
Recurring revenue from customers paying regularly for continuous access to products or services.
Examples
- ✦Netflix
- ✦Spotify
- ✦Adobe Creative Cloud
Marketplace
Platform connecting buyers and sellers, taking a commission on each transaction.
Examples
- ✦Airbnb
- ✦Etsy
- ✦Uber
Aggregator
Consolidate fragmented supply, own customer relationship, and control distribution.
Examples
- ✦Netflix (content)
- ✦Booking.com
- ✦Spotify
Franchise
License your business model to others who run local operations under your brand.
Examples
- ✦McDonald's
- ✦7-Eleven
- ✦Anytime Fitness
Crowdsourcing
Leverage community contributions for content, labor, or ideas at minimal cost.
Examples
- ✦Wikipedia
- ✦Waze
- ✦Kickstarter
Data Monetization
Collect user data and insights to sell to third parties or improve targeting.
Examples
- ✦Google Analytics
- ✦Nielsen
- ✦Credit bureaus
Network Effects
Product becomes more valuable as more people use it, creating exponential growth.
Examples
- ✦Visa/Mastercard
Affiliate
Earn commission by promoting other companies' products to your audience.
Examples
- ✦Amazon Associates
- ✦Wirecutter
- ✦NerdWallet
Auction
Enable competitive bidding where price is determined by what buyers will pay.
Examples
- ✦eBay
- ✦Sotheby's
- ✦Google Ads auction
Licensing
Grant rights to use intellectual property, brand, or technology in exchange for royalties.
Examples
- ✦Disney characters
- ✦Microsoft Windows OEM
- ✦Qualcomm chips
Pay-Per-Use
Charge customers based on actual usage rather than fixed subscription fees.
Examples
- ✦AWS cloud services
- ✦Utility bills
- ✦Pay-as-you-go phones
SaaS
Software delivered as a cloud service, eliminating installation and maintenance for users.
Examples
- ✦Salesforce
- ✦Zoom
- ✦Shopify
Direct-to-Consumer
Manufacture and sell products directly to customers, bypassing traditional retail middlemen.
Examples
- ✦Warby Parker
- ✦Casper
- ✦Dollar Shave Club
Platform Ecosystem
Create a platform where third-party developers build value, taking a cut of their revenue.
Examples
- ✦Apple App Store
- ✦Shopify App Store
- ✦AWS Marketplace
Freemium
Free basic service with premium features available through paid upgrades.
Examples
- ✦Dropbox
- ✦Slack
On-Demand
Instantly connect supply with demand through a digital platform, earning per transaction.
Examples
- ✦Uber
- ✦DoorDash
- ✦TaskRabbit
Ad-Supported
Free content or services funded entirely by advertising revenue from third parties.
Examples
- ✦Google Search
- ✦YouTube
Razor & Blades
Sell the initial product cheaply, make profit on recurring consumables or accessories.
Examples
- ✦Gillette razors
- ✦Nespresso
- ✦Gaming consoles
Open Source + Support
Free open-source software funded by enterprise support, hosting, or premium features.
Examples
- ✦Red Hat
- ✦MongoDB
- ✦GitLab
White Label
Build products that other companies rebrand and sell as their own.
Examples
- ✦Private label groceries
- ✦White label SaaS
- ✦Generic pharmaceuticals