diff --git a/src/account-manager/credentials.js b/src/account-manager/credentials.js
index c37db23..6e366fa 100644
--- a/src/account-manager/credentials.js
+++ b/src/account-manager/credentials.js
@@ -186,10 +186,19 @@ export async function discoverProject(token) {
             tierSource = 'allowedTiers';
         }
 
-        tierId = tierId || 'FREE';
+        tierId = tierId || 'free-tier';
         logger.info(`[AccountManager] Onboarding user with tier: ${tierId} (source: ${tierSource})`);
 
-        const onboardedProject = await onboardUser(token, tierId);
+        // Check if this is a free tier (raw API values contain 'free')
+        const isFree = tierId.toLowerCase().includes('free');
+
+        // For non-free tiers, pass DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID as the GCP project
+        // The API requires a project for paid tier onboarding
+        const onboardedProject = await onboardUser(
+            token,
+            tierId,
+            isFree ? null : DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID
+        );
         if (onboardedProject) {
             logger.success(`[AccountManager] Successfully onboarded, project: ${onboardedProject}`);
             return onboardedProject;
diff --git a/src/account-manager/onboarding.js b/src/account-manager/onboarding.js
index c4d8d70..fc2033e 100644
--- a/src/account-manager/onboarding.js
+++ b/src/account-manager/onboarding.js
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ export function getDefaultTierId(allowedTiers) {
  * Onboard a user to get a managed project
  *
  * @param {string} token - OAuth access token
- * @param {string} tierId - Tier ID (e.g., 'FREE', 'PRO', 'ULTRA')
- * @param {string} [projectId] - Optional GCP project ID (required for non-FREE tiers)
+ * @param {string} tierId - Tier ID (raw API value, e.g., 'free-tier', 'standard-tier', 'g1-pro-tier')
+ * @param {string} [projectId] - Optional GCP project ID (required for non-free tiers)
  * @param {number} [maxAttempts=10] - Maximum polling attempts
  * @param {number} [delayMs=5000] - Delay between polling attempts
  * @returns {Promise<string|null>} Managed project ID or null if failed
@@ -59,11 +59,16 @@ export async function onboardUser(token, tierId, projectId = null, maxAttempts =
         metadata
     };
 
-    // Non-FREE tiers require a cloudaicompanionProject
-    if (tierId !== 'FREE' && projectId) {
+    // Check if this is a free tier (handles raw API values like 'free-tier')
+    const isFree = tierId.toLowerCase().includes('free');
+
+    // Non-free tiers require a cloudaicompanionProject
+    if (!isFree && projectId) {
         requestBody.cloudaicompanionProject = projectId;
     }
 
+    logger.debug(`[Onboarding] Starting onboard with tierId: ${tierId}, projectId: ${projectId}, isFree: ${isFree}`);
+
     for (const endpoint of ONBOARD_USER_ENDPOINTS) {
         for (let attempt = 0; attempt < maxAttempts; attempt++) {
             try {
@@ -79,7 +84,7 @@ export async function onboardUser(token, tierId, projectId = null, maxAttempts =
 
                 if (!response.ok) {
                     const errorText = await response.text();
-                    logger.debug(`[Onboarding] onboardUser failed at ${endpoint}: ${response.status} - ${errorText}`);
+                    logger.warn(`[Onboarding] onboardUser failed at ${endpoint}: ${response.status} - ${errorText}`);
                     break; // Try next endpoint
                 }
 
@@ -101,11 +106,12 @@ export async function onboardUser(token, tierId, projectId = null, maxAttempts =
                     await sleep(delayMs);
                 }
             } catch (error) {
-                logger.debug(`[Onboarding] onboardUser error at ${endpoint}:`, error.message);
+                logger.warn(`[Onboarding] onboardUser error at ${endpoint}:`, error.message);
                 break; // Try next endpoint
             }
         }
     }
 
+    logger.warn(`[Onboarding] All onboarding attempts failed for tierId: ${tierId}`);
     return null;
 }