Paywalls.ai

What is Paywalls.ai?

Paywalls.ai is a monetization platform for people who build AI apps, agents and automations. Instead of writing token counters, payment webhooks and ledgers yourself, you point an OpenAI-compatible client at the Paywalls proxy and include a stable user id. The proxy meters prompt and completion tokens, applies the per-model price and optional markup you set in the dashboard, and records each charge in a ledger. When a user has no balance, it returns a message with a top-up or authorization link, so unpaid usage is blocked. You can run it in a Default mode, where balances live in your app and you collect payments through your own Stripe account or other rails, or a Shared mode with a cross-app wallet hosted by Paywalls. It suits no-code builders working in tools like Zapier and n8n as well as developers using Node or Python. The documentation does not list a price for Paywalls itself, so check the vendor site for current terms.

Use cases

• Charge users for AI usage
• Meter tokens per model
• Gate access behind a paywall
• Offer trial credits and promos
• Bill for tool or agent actions
• Track top-ups in a ledger

Who it's for

• AI app developers
• No-code builders
• Agent builders
• Indie founders

Why use Paywalls.ai

• You skip building billing, reconciliation and reporting, and can start charging in minutes.
• Prices can differ per model, so users choose between cost and capability while you protect margins.
• Pricing changes are made in the dashboard and need no code changes in your app.
• The same paywall settings work whether you start in a no-code tool or move to Node or Python.

Paywalls.ai features

• OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions proxy with real-time token metering
• Per-model pricing with optional markup percentage set in the dashboard
• Blocks unpaid usage and returns authorize or top-up links
• Default (app-scoped) and Shared (cross-app) wallet modes
• Deposit API and Charge API for manual credits and one-off charges
• Trial credits and promo balances to reduce onboarding friction
• Ledger of every top-up and charge for audit and exports
• Spend caps and balance checks to limit runaway costs
• Works with official OpenAI SDKs by changing the base URL

Paywalls.ai integrations

• Stripe
• OpenAI
• OpenRouter
• TogetherAI
• Zapier
• n8n

How to get started with Paywalls.ai

1. Create a paywall in the dashboard and choose Default or Shared mode.
2. Connect a model provider with your own key, or use the built-in provider in Shared mode.
3. Connect Stripe with a restricted key, or call the Deposit API from your own payment flow.
4. Copy your paywall API key and set your OpenAI client's base URL to the Paywalls address.
5. Send requests with a stable user id and set per-model prices and markup in the dashboard.

Paywalls.ai limitations

• Per-request fees and hybrid pricing are marked as coming soon in the docs
• The Default or Shared mode is chosen when you create a paywall and cannot be changed later
• Today the proxy covers chat completions; images, audio, video and embeddings are planned

Paywalls.ai pricing

We couldn't confirm pricing on the official site. Check paywalls.ai for current prices.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Paywalls.ai alternatives

The main Paywalls.ai alternatives listed on Debuly are Helicone, Credyt, Kong AI Gateway, Runlayer, Arcade and nRouter. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   Arcade

   Actions runtime that lets AI agents call tools in Gmail, Slack, Salesforce and more under each user's own permissions.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit Arcade (official site)
2. 

   Credyt

   Real-time billing infrastructure for AI products, with prepaid customer wallets, usage authorization and per-customer profitability tracking.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   FreemiumVisit Credyt (official site)
3. 

   Helicone

   Open-source LLM observability and AI gateway that logs requests, tracks cost and latency, and routes to 100+ models through one API.

   Developer platformsCoding
   FreemiumVisit Helicone (official site)
4. 

   Kong AI Gateway

   Gateway and control layer for LLM, MCP and agent traffic, with usage metering, billing and cost limits built in.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   Contact salesVisit Kong AI Gateway (official site)
5. 

   nRouter

   LLM gateway with one OpenAI-compatible API key, budgets, guardrails and pay-as-you-go credits at list price.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   PaidVisit nRouter (official site)
6. 

   Runlayer

   Control plane for enterprise AI that governs MCP servers, skills and agents, with discovery of unsanctioned AI use.

   Developer platformsAutomation and agents
   Contact salesVisit Runlayer (official site)

Paywalls.ai FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

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