FAQs

DeskIQ is priced per user. Setup is $449/user (one-time), and it scales down at 5+ users ($379) and 10+ users ($299). The Care Plan is $149/month for the first user and $99/month for each additional user, which covers updates, fixes, and async support. The first six months of Care Plan are required, then month-to-month or opt out. You also pay your AI model provider directly for usage, typically $5 to $20 per user per month depending on use. Full pricing breakdown.

The Care Plan covers model and platform updates, bug fixes within 48 business hours, async support via Telegram or email (up to 1 hour per month), and optimization of your model routing to keep model usage costs low. It is required for the first six months, then month-to-month.

Typically $5 to $20 per month for normal business use. You pay your AI model provider directly from your own account. DeskIQ does not bill you for model usage. We configure your setup to route routine background tasks to lighter, cheaper models and reserve heavier models for drafting and research, which keeps costs low.

You can cancel after your six-month commitment with 30 days written notice. Your Hermes installation and all config files remain yours. We just stop providing updates and support. Most clients stay on because AI models update frequently and having someone manage it saves real time. Read the full Care Plan terms.

You can build one yourself, but most small firms hit the same wall: setup takes longer than expected, tools do not connect cleanly, and the result is fragile. DeskIQ handles the install, connects it to your workflow, and gets it running in a day.

Yes. Tailscale is required for Care Plan clients. It allows us to push updates and troubleshoot quickly without scheduling a screen share. You can revoke our access at any time, and we only connect during active support sessions.

For most small business use cases, you do not need a high-end AI workstation. A modern Mac or PC is usually enough for reminders, summaries, meeting prep, follow-ups, and routine admin work. For larger team setups, we can also configure a dedicated server option.

You do not need your own Mac. DeskIQ Desk ships a Mac mini pre-loaded and configured with your assistant. You plug it in and it works.

You own the Mac mini outright. Apple's standard warranty covers the hardware, and you can add AppleCare+ at cost. DeskIQ covers the install and configuration under your Care Plan and setup terms.

No. We come install, configure, and tune it for your practice. You learn how to approve drafts and ask for things in plain language. That is all the technical knowledge required.

It reads your inbox, drafts replies in your voice, reminds you about open threads, and handles recurring tasks like sending engagement letters or follow-up nudges. Nothing sends without your approval.

Yes. DeskIQ sets up a private AI assistant for your business on your own hardware, connected to your email, calendar, and messaging tools.

Not by itself. ChatGPT is a chat tool. An AI assistant in the DeskIQ sense is a working setup that can help with reminders, summaries, follow-ups, and recurring tasks inside your real workflow.

Not in a practical way for real business use. You can test prompts on a phone, but a working assistant setup usually needs a proper computer, tool connections, permissions, and a stable environment.

It stays on your Mac. The assistant runs locally. We do not see your client emails. Your AI model provider receives only what the assistant sends to do its work, such as a drafting request or your scheduled morning brief. It never receives your full mailbox or client files.

No AI setup is magically private by default. Privacy depends on how it is configured and where it runs. DeskIQ is built around a local-first setup, so your business data stays on your own machine instead of being routed through another company's cloud platform. Read more on local vs cloud AI.

DeskIQ Private is a Mac mini that runs an open-source AI model, such as Qwen or Mistral, locally in your office instead of in the cloud. There is no per-token AI bill and no cloud AI account. It is built for firms with confidentiality duties, such as law firms and CPAs.

The AI model runs on the box, not in the cloud. Your email and calendar still sync with your existing providers as normal. Only the AI processing stays local, so we do not claim total privacy for every part of your workflow.

Most fail because they are too abstract, too broad, or never connected to the tools people actually use every day. The best AI setups start small, solve one real problem, and fit into the existing workflow instead of trying to replace everything at once.

Software gives you the tool. DeskIQ gives you the working setup. We install it, connect it, configure it around your workflow, and make sure you leave with something useful instead of another login you never touch.

The Care Plan covers fixes and tuning during the first six months. If it is still not working after that, you can cancel the Care Plan and keep the install, or we will uninstall it cleanly.