# Seats vs chatbot agency vs Helixfield install

Buy seats when people will drive a governed assistant. Hire a chatbot shop for a widget. Hire a national SI for board cover. Hire Helixfield when one named loop needs a production agent and a human who can reject the draft.

### Should we just buy ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok seats?

Yes, if people will drive a governed assistant and you do not yet need a shared graph. Seats are access. Most companies that only buy seats get a week of novelty and then drift. A Helixfield install is an operating system: named loop, memory, evaluation, and a human who can reject the draft.

### How is Helixfield different from a chatbot agency?

A chatbot shop sells a widget or a rented bot. Helixfield installs a production agent on one named loop, in tools you already pay for, with institutional memory and a named owner. We will not invent logos or reviews to look like an agency.

### When is a Big Four or national SI the right buy?

When you need board cover and a multi-year program across many units. That commonly runs $150,000–$500,000 and six to twelve months. Helixfield is built for mid-market operating companies that can name one loop and appoint an owner.

### What does a Helixfield first buy cost?

A Field Survey is $9,500 for two to three weeks. Typical next buys are a Single Agent Install at $24,000 or a Loop & Graph System at $36,000. Circuit at $6,800 per month (three-month minimum) is the default retainer after launch. Vendor seats are extra.