Every MCP metering solution I've seen requires crypto: x402 with USDC on Base, Lightning Network pre-paid API sats, Solana agent wallets. That's 3-5 steps of friction before your first paying user.
nano-empire-tollbooth takes a different path: Stripe.
from nano_empire_tollbooth import authorize
if authorize(request, cost_usd=0.01):
# serve the MCP tool call
pass
That's it. No wallet, no chain, no pre-paid balance. Your user hits a Stripe checkout once, then every call is $0.01.
What you get:
- PyPI package, Apache 2.0
- Trusted Publishing via GitHub OIDC (zero CI tokens)
- Stripe Connect for multi-tenant revenue splitting
- License-key gating if you prefer subscription over per-call
What you don't need:
- A crypto wallet
- A Lightning node
- An x402 gateway
- A token to manage
pip install nano-empire-tollbooth