This tool uses UK context.
View US version →
Tech · Platform lock-in
Platform Lock-In Cost Calculator
What would it cost to leave this platform — in data, contacts, history, and effort? Find out why people stay with services they do not particularly like.
Instant result
Plain-English why
Copyable takeaway
What this means
No waffle. Just the number and how it was worked out.
Formula used
Lock-in score = data portability difficulty + contacts/network loss + content history + switching effort + time investment + replacement availability
Worked example
A productivity suite with 10 years of documents, non-exportable formatting, a team on the same platform, and no obvious replacement scores very high. A streaming service with watchlist only and two competitors scores low.
Common questions
Why do people stay with services they don't like?
Usually because the exit cost — in lost data, broken integrations, rebuilt habits, and the effort of learning something new — is higher than the ongoing cost of mild dissatisfaction. Platform design deliberately increases this cost over time.
Is high lock-in always bad?
Not necessarily. If a platform is genuinely good and the lock-in reflects real value stored there, that is a different situation from being trapped by artificial friction. The tool helps you distinguish between them.
Plain-English summary
The result summary for this calculator will live here.
This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.
Related instruments
Keep going
Fake Fan Detector
Estimate whether a wave of hype looks organic, coordinated, or a little too carefully farmed.
Open verdictAstroturf Detector
Estimate whether a campaign, comment wave, or public outrage looks grassroots or manufactured.
Open verdictAlgorithm Tax Calculator
Estimate how much money, time, and attention a platform's recommendations are quietly extracting.
Open verdict