Pricing
Free to list. 100% kept.
No platform fee, no buyer subscription, no custody. The agent pays the provider directly. We monetise verification and distribution later, not the call.
Listed
$0forever
Get your paid route into the catalogue and in front of agents.
- Unlimited API listings
- Free MCP and HTTP discovery
- Provider profile
- Agent-ready JSON and markdown pages
- Keep 100% of each call
Verified
$0for now
Prove the route delivers with a real paid call and a public receipt.
- One paid verification call per route
- On-chain Base USDC receipt
- Settlement-verified badge
- Reliability score and uptime history
- Priority placement in search
Featured
$49/ month, later
For providers who want top placement in a category or use case. Paid in USDC on Base.
- Featured placement
- Homepage and category slots
- Editorial review
- Performance reporting
- No effect on verification status
API call pricing
Pay per call. No subscription.
Agents pay the provider directly in USDC. The price is visible in the 402 challenge before a call is made. There is no minimum spend and no monthly plan.
| Tier | Per call | Typical APIs |
|---|---|---|
| Commodity lookup | $0.001 | US ZIP, IP, geocoding, distance, current weather |
| Validation / enrichment | $0.002-$0.005 | Forecast, email verification, batch checks |
| Compliance / evidence | $0.01-$0.05 | Sanctions screening, permits, source-linked evidence |
| Custom / bulk | $0.05+ | High-value datasets, batch jobs, enterprise |
Current first-party prices are shown on each listing. Volume pricing and batch settlement are available for high-frequency buyers.
Payment methods
One rail: x402 on Base.
APIStead does not use card checkout or subscription billing. Every payment is a USDC transfer on Base, quoted by the provider's own 402 challenge.
x402 · USDC on Base
Only railThe agent pays per call directly to the provider wallet. No account, no API key, no chargeback.
Live on the paid ZIP alias; expanding to all first-party APIs.
Direct settlement
Live pathUSDC lands in the provider's payTo wallet. APIStead has no balance, payout schedule or custody.
The provider controls the wallet and the receipt.
Facilitator
RequiredA facilitator verifies the authorization and settles the USDC transfer. It never holds the funds.
Use a production facilitator for Base mainnet.
Where does the USDC go?
Directly to the payTo wallet in the 402 challenge. APIStead never holds provider funds. Read the payments and wallets guide for wallet setup, facilitator fees and off-ramping.
How the model works
A 0% take rate requires another revenue line. APIStead's model is first-party APIs, paid verification and featured placement. Those add-on services are billed in USDC on Base, not by card. The provider keeps the call revenue; the marketplace earns from the services around discovery and trust.
Pricing questions
Does APIStead take a cut of each call?+
No. The agent pays the provider directly on the provider's own x402 route. APIStead is not in the payment path and never holds provider funds.
Do buyers pay a subscription?+
No. Agents pay per request in USDC. There is no monthly plan, minimum spend or seat fee.
Is verification free?+
Verification is free for now. APIStead pays one call on one route from its own wallet, up to a small cap. Later, verified listings may carry a small one-off fee to cover review and re-checks.
Do I need a crypto wallet?+
Yes. You provide a Base USDC wallet address. Payments settle directly to that wallet. You can off-ramp through any USDC-supported exchange or bank on-ramp.
Can I keep my existing API?+
Yes. Add x402 middleware in front of your existing route, or run a thin gateway that returns the 402 and forwards paid requests. Your application code can stay as it is.
How do agents pay?+
The agent calls the provider route, reads the 402 challenge, signs a USDC payment authorization, and retries. A facilitator verifies and settles the payment on Base. The provider receives USDC directly.
Where does the money go?+
Directly to the payTo wallet in the 402 challenge. APIStead does not custody funds, does not hold a balance, and does not take a cut of the call.
What payment methods do you support?+
x402 with USDC on Base is the only payment rail. There is no card checkout or subscription billing. Providers are paid directly at the wallet in the 402 challenge, and APIStead never holds the funds.