Identity checks cost money to run. We priced ours at cost plus a small margin, one time, so it is a check and not a subscription.
We had three options for identity verification: make it free and eat the cost, bundle it into a paid plan, or charge for it directly. We chose the third, and this post explains why.
Each check has a hard cost with the provider that runs it. Free verification would force us to limit who can verify or when, which defeats the purpose.
If the blue check came with KONNOVA Pro, it would start to look like a badge you buy. Our rules say paid status is never a trust signal. Bundling would break that rule quietly.
A one-time $4.99 covers the check with a small margin. It is not recurring, it does not scale with your plan, and it does not change how you rank or how far you reach. It buys one thing: the check.
Government ID plus a live selfie, matched by a specialist provider. The blue check on your profile when it clears. Documents stored privately and never shown to other members. And, if the check fails, a written reason and the option to resubmit.
It is a small fee. We think it is the right one.
