Build per-use billing yourself, or add the SDK
Charging strangers per use for an MCP agent takes more than a payment link. Here is the list, so you can decide with your eyes open.
| You need | Build it yourself | With Kade |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-in for MCP clients | OAuth server that Claude.ai and ChatGPT accept, plus API keys for Claude Code, Cursor and scripts | Done: one URL, OAuth and API keys |
| Metering | Count calls and units of work per user, safely under retries | report_event("name", n) |
| Prepaid balance and holds | A ledger, reservations before each call, release on failure | Done, and errors are never charged |
| Caps | Monthly and per-agent limits checked before every call | Done, on by default |
| VAT and invoices | Register for VAT, apply the right rate per country, issue invoices | Kade is the merchant of record |
| Payment methods | Card, iDEAL, Bancontact, top-ups, receipts | Done |
| Disputes and refunds | A process and the ledger entries to reverse charges | Done |
| Data requests | Export and erasure for every user, within 30 days | Forwarded to you; one SDK call to answer |
| Distribution | Install docs per client, a landing page, a store listing | Agent page, store, llms.txt, install steps |
| Cost | Your time, payment fees and an accountant | 15% of what you earn (10% Verified) |
When building it yourself makes sense
- You have one or two large customers on a contract and invoice them monthly.
- You already run billing, VAT and payouts for another product.
- Your users only use your own app, not their AI assistant.
Otherwise, the SDK is about 15 lines and your agent stays on your own cloud.