How I built a pay-per-call API using x402 on Base — no subscriptions

📰 Dev.to · RileyCraig14

Learn how to build a pay-per-call API using x402 on Base without subscriptions and understand the benefits of this approach

intermediate Published 8 May 2026

Action Steps

Build a pay-per-call API using x402 on Base
Configure the API to charge per call without subscriptions
Test the API with sample calls to ensure correct billing
Apply the pay-per-call model to existing APIs to reduce costs
Compare the costs of traditional subscription-based APIs with pay-per-call APIs

Who Needs to Know This

Developers and entrepreneurs can benefit from this approach to build cost-effective APIs, and product managers can consider this model for their own products

Key Insight

💡 Pay-per-call APIs can help reduce costs and increase flexibility for developers and businesses