FAQ's & Support

FAQs
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Rival FAQs & Support

Getting Started

What is the Rival Marketplace? The Rival Marketplace is an ever-growing library of AI tools, agents and workflows. Builders create specialized solutions that anyone can adopt and use instantly, without building them from scratch. Users get access to verified, expert-built AI tools while builders earn 85% of the revenue generated each time their work is used.

Who can use the Rival Marketplace? Anyone with an internet connection over the age of 18. You can browse the marketplace and use various tools. You can also build, publish and profit from your own creations based on your subscription plan.

What’s the difference between a Builder and a User? A builder creates tools, agents, or workflows and profits from them. A user adopts them. You can be both.

How do I create a Rival account? To sign up, find the blue “Get Started” box in the upper-right corner of the homepage. Begin by providing your email address. The system will then guide you through entering your name, organization, and a secure password.

If you’re signing up on behalf of a company, use your business name as the organization. If you’re signing up as an individual, you can use your own name or any organization name you prefer.

Once your account is created, choose the subscription plan that best fits your needs and start building, adopting, and running tools, agents, and workflows.

Is Rival free to use? Browsing the marketplace is free. However, running tools, agents and workflows costs money based on the compute they use and any per-call price the builder has set. When you start on the free plan you have a $2.50 Run Balance plan. Depending on what plan you have determines your monthly Run Balance.

How do subscriptions work? Your subscription gives you a Run Balance to spend on execution. Your Run Balance is prepaid credit that draws down as your workflows run, and it refreshes at the start of each billing cycle. There are four plans:

  • Free ($0/mo): A $2.50 trial Run Balance for your first 30 days, 1 seat, and the ability to build and test workflows.

  • Starter ($20/mo): $10 Run Balance every month, 1 seat, unlimited workflow building, and usage tracking.

  • Pro ($49/mo): $30 Run Balance every month, 1 seat, and priority support. Our best value.

  • Team ($149/mo): $80 shared Run Balance every month pooled across 5 seats, with extra seats at $20 each, a shared workspace with permissions, and centralized billing.

Every paid plan also lets you bring your own LLM keys (BYOK), which stretches your Run Balance further. Want the full breakdown? See pricing.

What’s the difference between a function and an agent? A function is a single tool that does one specific job: you give it an input, it gives you an output. An agent works toward a goal. It decides which steps to take and can call several functions in sequence until the job is done. Think of a function as one reliable power tool, and an agent as the contractor who knows which tools to pick up and in what order.

(See the full glossary.)

Can I use Rival without coding experience? Absolutely, Rival is built to make it easy for anyone to deploy AI tools. Most users start by adopting agents built by others. Simply connect the apps the agent needs and start using it. If you want to build your own agent, RivalBot can help you create one using plain language, no coding required.

Do I need to be a certain age to use Rival? Yes. You need to be 18 or older to use Rival, whether you’re building, adopting, or running tools. This applies to everyone, including builders earning payouts.

For Builders

What is CortexOne? CortexOne is the compute infrastructure that powers Rival. It runs your functions and workflows in real time and automatically routes each job to the right computing power, so your tools run fast and cost less. You never have to manage servers or scaling, and because CortexOne is Rival’s own execution layer, you aren’t tied to any single cloud provider. Want the full picture? Explore CortexOne.

How do I publish a tool? Open the Tool Builder, fill in the basics (name, short description, long description), and click Create Tool. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Before going live, we recommend testing with real-world inputs to ensure your tool performs as expected.

For step-by-step guidance, visit our developers documentation.

How do I publish an agent? Build your agent in the "Build" tab, configure its instructions, tools, connectors, and rituals, test it thoroughly, then click publish. Rival walks you through the publishing flow: strengths and limitations, how it works, suggested prompts, and a review of what will be shared with adopters. You can also build one through a conversation with RivalBot.

How do I set pricing for my function? On the Publish step, enter a price in the “Price per Call” field. If you need help, click “Help Me Calculate” for a pricing estimate based on a few questions about your function to find the best price to

Can I update or unpublish my function after it’s live? Published versions are locked. To make changes, publish a new version. You can also deprecate a function, but it won’t go offline immediately. We use that time to notify users whose agents rely on it so they can swap it out before it disappears. If something is seriously wrong with a live version, contact support and we’ll help. Read more on it here.

How do I create a new version of my agents? When you update an agent, publish it as a new version rather than creating a new listing. A new agent starts at 1.0. Major changes bump the first number, smaller fixes bump the second. Add a short release note so adopters know what changed.

How long does the publishing review process take for functions? Every function goes through automated review before going live. Most pass automatically. If yours needs a closer look, it’s routed to our team and we’ll reach out if we have questions or need anything from you.

How do I test my function or agent before publishing? Use the preview page for testing your function’s output and the chat interface for testing your agent. Try real inputs, edge cases, and the scenarios users will run.

How do I view my tools’ analytics and performance? The “My Tools” tabs show stats on usage, performance, and earnings. You can read more here on how the analytics are built.

Can I collaborate with another builder? Team members from the same organization can see all functions and agents on the account. Direct collaboration on a single function or agent isn’t supported yet, but is coming.

What happens if a buyer reports an issue with my tool? Support will contact you directly and may also re-test the tool. If multiple reports come in and you don’t respond, your tool may be temporarily removed for safety until you update it.

For Users

How do I find tools and agents on the marketplace? Browse on the marketplace homepage or ask Rivalbot. For browsing directly on the marketplace, use filters to narrow by category, popularity, or price.

How do I adopt an agent? Click “Adopt” on the agent’s listing. The agent walks you through a setup flow: connecting any services it needs (calendar, email, etc.), confirming preferences, and turning on any rituals you want. After setup, you can interact with the agent directly and let its recurring tasks run automatically.

How do I know if a tool is reliable? Rival sorts tools and agents into tiers so you know what you’re using:

  • Private: Built by your team, not visible to others.

  • Public: Available to anyone. Each public tool runs in a secure, isolated environment, protecting your data from other tools and unauthorized access.

  • Verified: Tested by our automated compliance systems and passing all checks

  • Rival-Verified: Tested by a human on the Rival team and passing all checks

How do I use a function? Click the function, provide the inputs it asks for, and run it. The cost is deducted from your Run balance.

Can I test before paying? Yes. New accounts get a $2.50 Run Balance to test functions and agents. You can also test agents and their capabilities in a sandbox environment on each agent’s page before adopting.

What if a tool doesn’t work as expected? If it fails, you aren’t charged. Only successful runs cost money. If something seems wrong with a tool, contact support (help@rival.io).

How do I contact the builder of a tool? Open the tool’s overview and click the builder’s profile. You can message them directly or contact Rival support to assist with outreach.

What happens to me if a tool I use gets retired? If a builder deprecates a tool you rely on, it won’t disappear right away. We’ll notify you so you have time to swap in a replacement before it goes offline.

Can I view my purchase and run history? Yes. Click on the settings gear and “Billing” in settings and then go over to the “Usage & Consumption” tab to view your recent run history.

Agents and Rituals

What is an agent? An agent is a configurable helper that combines functions, connectors, and instructions to do real work. Agents can run on demand when you chat with them or run automatically on a schedule.

What is a ritual? A ritual is something your agent does on a schedule, like an alarm. Daily morning briefings, Monday check-ins, weekly summaries. You can turn rituals on, off, edit their timing, or pause them at any time.

How do I set up a ritual? There are two ways to set up a ritual. You can tell your agent in chat: “set up a ritual to send me a daily briefing every morning at 8 am ET.” Or you can open the agent’s settings, go to the Rituals tab, and configure it manually. Read more on running an agent here.

Can I turn rituals off? Yes. Every ritual has an on/off toggle so you can pause it without deleting it. This matters because some rituals run paid functions, so you want to stay in control of when they run.

What are connectors? Connectors link your agent to outside services like Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Drive. The agent uses connectors to read or send data on your behalf. You decide which connectors to enable and what permissions to grant.

Will my data be shared with other users when I adopt an agent? No. Rival keeps public and private memory separate. When you adopt an agent, your data (calendar events, emails, documents, preferences) stays private to your account and never carries over to other users. The builder who created the tool can’t see it either. They don’t see who you are, what you put in, or how you use what they built.

Billing & Payments

What payment methods are supported? Major credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, PayPal, and Link.

Does my $2.50 Run Balance expire? Yes, the Run Balance expires after 30 days.

Does my Run Balance expire if I am a paid subscriber? No, if you are on a paid subscription plan your Run Balance does not expire.

How do I link my bank account for payouts? In your account settings, connect your bank account through Stripe. Once verified, payouts go to your default account.

How do builder payouts work? Earnings accumulate throughout the month. Payment accumulation closes on the 23rd of each month. Earnings after that date roll over to the next month’s payout. If your balance meets the payout threshold of $10, your payout processes automatically at the end of the month.

What if I do not reach the $10 payout threshold? Your earnings will remain in your Rival Wallet and continue to accumulate until you reach the $10 minimum payout.

When will I receive my payout? At the end of each month, processed through Stripe.

  • You need at least $10.00 USD in your available balance.

  • Funds go to your default payout account.

  • Bank processing times vary.

My payout looks wrong. What should I do? Email us at help@rival.io with the subject line “Payout Dispute” and we’ll investigate. Just send it within 60 days of the payout date so we can dig into the right cycle.

Are there transaction fees? Stripe handles payment processing and may apply fees depending on the transaction. Any applicable fees are deducted before your payout is calculated.

Are runs refundable? Failed runs are always free, you’re only charged for successful ones. Successful runs aren’t refundable, since the compute has already been used. If something seems wrong with a tool, reach out to support (help@rival.io) and we’ll help sort it out.

How do I update my payment or payout method? In your account payment settings. Changes apply to future transactions and payouts.

How do I view invoices or receipts? Under “Billing” found in “Settings”, you can see Invoice Tab where you can view, download, or save them.

What happens if a payment fails? The transaction doesn’t complete and no funds transfer. You’ll be prompted to update your payment information or try a different method, and we’ll also send you an email so you know it didn’t go through.

Trust, Safety & Security

How does Rival review tools before they go live? Every tool goes through automated review at publish time. If it needs further evaluation, our team will review it as well. We also monitor live tools for safety issues and respond to user reports.

Are tools scanned for malicious code? Yes. Automated checks and manual reviews look for malware, security risks, and policy violations.

Are my runs and data private? ALWAYS! Your inputs, outputs, and any data you connect to an agent stay private to your account. Builders only see aggregate usage data on their own tools, never your personal data, conversations, or credentials.

What data do builders see about my usage? Aggregate metrics on how their tool is performing (how often it runs, how often it succeeds). They don’t see your inputs, outputs, identity, or any data from your connectors.

How does Rival protect my personal information? We encrypt data in transit and at rest, limit internal access, and monitor for unauthorized access. We don’t sell or share personal data.

What happens if a builder violates marketplace policies? We investigate based on user reports and internal monitoring. Depending on severity, response can range from a warning to permanent removal from the platform.

How do I report a suspicious tool or user? Submit a support ticket with as much detail as possible: links, screenshots, what happened to help@rival.io.

Integrations & Technical

How do I integrate Rival tools into my own project? Generate an API key in your profile settings, then use the Test page to get a code snippet (CURL). Paste it into your application and call the function.

Can I use Rival functions through an API? Yes. Every function exposes its own API endpoint. You can combine or chain functions in your own code.

How do I authenticate API calls? Create a personal API key in your profile. Name it, set an expiration, and use it for secure calls. Treat your API key like a password and never share it publicly. Read more on how to connect your API here.

Do functions chain or run in sequence automatically? Not automatically. You orchestrate the order in your own code or in an agent’s workflow.

What programming languages are supported? The programming languages that we currently support include Python 3.13, Lua, and JavaScript V8.

How do I monitor performance and usage? In the section named “Usage Analytics”, you can see a detailed overview that shows real-time deductions, alerts for low balance, and options for auto-replenish. Test page logs show timing, errors, and run results.

Can I host my own tools instead of using Rival’s infrastructure? Right now, all tools run on Rival’s managed infrastructure, so there’s nothing for you to set up or maintain. If you have specific deployment needs, we’d love to hear them. Reach out (help@rival.io) and tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll talk through the options together.

What happens if a tool times out or fails? You aren’t charged for failed runs. Errors return a message so you can troubleshoot. For persistent issues, contact the builder or Rival support (help@rival.io).

Community & Support

How do I contact Rival Support? Click “Support” in your settings or the main page dropdown and fill out our form. We will be in touch within 24 hours.

Is there a community or forum for builders? Yes, at https://rival.discourse.group. Post questions, share ideas, or connect with other builders.

How can I report bugs or request new features? Submit a ticket through “Support” in your settings. We review and respond within 24 hours.

Where can I find documentation and developer guides?

  • Our Documentation: Our team of developers built this for users and builders as they navigate Rival.

  • Discourse forum: We created this forum for our community to ask questions, submit roadblocks or discuss creations.

  • YouTube channel: On our channel, you can meet some of our team as they give context on Rival’s specialities and do step-by-step how-to’s.

How do I get updates about new features or releases? Please reach out to us at help@rival.io and we would be happy to add you to our community for all upcoming information.