> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.paywalls.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Paywalls.ai is an AI‑first monetization platform for no‑code builders and developers alike.

<Note>
  Build AI products, not a billing system. You focus on UX and features;
  Paywalls handles pricing, metering, and getting paid.
</Note>

It’s not just another billing tool—it’s purpose‑built for AI apps, agents, and automations. Today it provides an OpenAI‑compatible Chat Completions proxy with real‑time metering, dynamic pricing, billing, and payment integrations; next, it’s expanding to images, audio, video, embeddings, MCP tools, agent‑to‑agent payments, and more.

## What you get (at a glance)

* Monetization in minutes — launch with working checkout and usage metering without building billing, reconciliation, and reporting.
* Dynamic, AI‑native pricing — per request, per token, or hybrid; per‑model rates; promos and trial credits.
* Instant paywalls — block unpaid usage and surface prebuilt authorize/top‑up links exactly when needed.
* In-app credits — choose Default (app‑scoped) or Shared (cross‑app) balances.
* A real ledger — every top‑up and charge recorded for exports, audit, and analytics.

## Why this matters

* AI usage is spiky and granular. Prices differ by model, input/output tokens, and capability tiers. Paywalls gives you a usage‑based foundation that matches how AI is billed.
* You’ll iterate pricing. Experiment with minimum fee + per‑token, per‑tool charges, trials, and bundles — without refactoring your app.
* Guardrails + cash flow. Built‑in balance checks and spend controls stop runaway costs; a clear ledger helps finance and support.

## Common outcomes for builders

* Launch paid apps fast — gate AI usage and start charging in minutes.
* Freemium that converts — e.g., 100 free messages or \$5 in trial credits, then prompt for top‑ups or subscription.
* Predictable margins — enforce a minimum fee plus per‑token per model; change rates centrally.
* Per‑model dynamic pricing — users pick a model; you apply the right rate while protecting margins.
* Scale from no‑code to prod — start in Zapier/n8n; graduate to Node/Python/Edge using the same paywall settings.

## What Paywalls replaces

* Metering hacks — custom token counters hooked on every request.
* Patchwork payments — scattered Stripe calls/webhooks; manual reconciliation.
* DIY ledgers — custom tables/scripts for balances, top‑ups, refunds.
* Inconsistent paywalls — error messages that don’t reflect real auth/balance state.

## What stays yours

* Your product experience, UI, data flows, and model choices.
* Your pricing strategy — Paywalls makes it easy to implement and change.

## Next steps

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" href="quickstart" icon="rocket">
    Make your first paid request in minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect Stripe" href="how-to-guides/connect-stripe" icon="credit-card">
    Collect payments to your Stripe account.
  </Card>

  <Card title="SDKs" href="sdk-integrations/client-sdks" icon="code">
    Use official OpenAI and other SDKs by changing baseURL.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API reference" href="api-reference/introduction" icon="book-open">
    Endpoint details, parameters, and examples.
  </Card>
</Columns>