sboghossian Site — Tools Router
Purpose
The Tools Router governs the /tools landing page and any sub-route under /tools/:slug. Its job is threefold:
- Catalog — present all available free tools in a browsable, filterable grid.
- Gate — enforce per-tool usage limits for anonymous / free-tier users and route over-limit requests to sign-in or upgrade flows.
- Convert — turn high-intent tool users into registered accounts through well-placed, non-intrusive CTAs.
Inputs / signals
| Signal | Source | Used for |
|---|---|---|
user.authStatus |
session / cookie | Determine limit tier |
user.toolUsageCount[toolSlug] |
usage DB | Enforce free cap |
req.params.slug |
URL | Deep-link to specific tool |
req.query.intent |
query string | Pre-fill tool with detected intent |
| Practice-area tag | user profile | Personalise catalog sort order |
Logic
Catalog rendering
- Pull all tools where
status = "active"ordered bypriority ASC, thencategory. - Group into sections: Calculators, Research, Document Tools, Court Search.
- Each card shows: tool name, one-line description, jurisdictions served, and estimated time-to-result.
- Flag tools in beta with a "Preview" badge; hide tools in
status = "disabled".
Usage-limit gate
IF user.authStatus == "anonymous":
allow = toolUsageCount[slug] < ANON_FREE_LIMIT // e.g. 2 per tool per session
ELIF user.tier == "free":
allow = toolUsageCount[slug] < FREE_DAILY_LIMIT // e.g. 10/day across all tools
ELIF user.tier IN ("pro", "firm"):
allow = true
When allow = false:
- Display inline paywall overlay (not a hard redirect).
- CTA primary: "Sign up free — 10 uses/day" (anonymous) or "Upgrade to Pro" (free-tier).
- CTA secondary: "Learn more" →
/pricing. - Preserve tool state so the user can resume immediately after sign-in.
Deep-link handling
/tools/:slug loads the specific tool page directly. The catalog is collapsed to a sidebar nav. If slug is unknown, return a 404 with a suggested similar tool.
Intent pre-fill
If ?intent= is present (e.g., from onboarding or a chat referral), auto-populate the tool's primary input field and scroll to the tool form.
Output
The router emits no JSON — it is a UI routing concern. It should pass to the rendered tool page:
{
"toolSlug": "string",
"userTier": "anonymous | free | pro | firm",
"usageRemaining": "number | unlimited",
"prefillIntent": "string | null"
}
Conversion best practices
- Show usage remaining as a progress indicator ("7 of 10 free uses today"), not a hard warning — creates urgency without friction.
- After a successful tool run, inject a soft CTA: "Save this result to your matter — sign in free."
- Never gate the tool form itself; let the user reach the result, then gate the export/save action. This maximises perceived value before the ask.
- A/B test CTA copy by user cohort (law student vs solo practitioner vs in-house counsel).
Why this matters
Free tools are Louis's primary top-of-funnel acquisition channel in the MENA legal market. The EOSG calculator and deadline calculator in particular have direct everyday utility for solo practitioners and in-house teams who may not otherwise trial a full legal AI platform. The tools router must balance discoverability and conversion without creating a hostile experience that drives users away before they see value.
Related skills
- [[site-use-case-router]]
- [[tool-date-tool-deadline-calculator]]
- [[tool-calculator-end-of-service-gratuity]]
- [[tool-calculator-statutory-interest]]
- [[tool-calculator-stamp-duty-tax]]