Soulframe's business model has not been officially confirmed. The current Preludes phase is invite-only and free to access.
Soulframe is in Preludes, a limited pre–Early Access phase. Access is invite-based: you register on the official site, receive an invitation when slots open, and install the client at no charge for the testing period. Preludes is not a public store launch—availability rolls out in waves—so "free" today means no purchase is required once you are invited, not that everyone can download instantly.
Digital Extremes has not published a final monetization plan for Soulframe at Early Access or full release. The studio has not confirmed a Warframe-style free-to-play model, a premium buy-in, or hybrid cosmetics. Any third-party price leaks should be treated as speculation until an official announcement on soulframe.com or a Devstream.