Frequently Asked Questions

Arch Tools is a pay-per-use API platform offering 64 developer tools and AI agent utilities. It includes web scraping, AI text generation, image generation, audio transcription, text-to-speech, crypto data, and more — all accessible via a single API key.

Arch Tools is the first API platform to natively support x402 crypto payments, enabling AI agents to autonomously pay for API access without human intervention.

Sign up at archtools.dev/signup with your email address. You'll receive an API key immediately. Every new account comes with 100 free credits — 25 usable instantly, 75 more on email verification.

Pass your key in the x-api-key header with every request, or use x402 payments for keyless access.

Yes. Every account receives 100 free credits — 25 usable instantly on signup, 75 more on email verification; no credit card required. This is enough to try dozens of API calls across different tools.

Free tier rate limits: 30 requests/minute, 500 requests/day.

Arch Tools uses a credit-based system. Each tool costs a specific number of credits per call (1–30 credits depending on the tool). You can get credits three ways:

• Free: 100 credits on signup (25 instant, 75 on email verification)
• Subscriptions: Starter ($19/mo), Pro ($49/mo), Growth ($99/mo), Business ($199/mo), Enterprise (custom)
• One-time packs: 3,000 credits ($9), 25,000 credits ($49), 125,000 credits ($199)
• x402 crypto: Pay per request with USDC — no subscription needed

See the pricing section on our homepage for full details.

Credits and subscription payments are non-refundable except where required by applicable law. Crypto payments via x402 are final once confirmed on-chain — blockchain transactions cannot be reversed.

See our Refund Policy for full details.

x402 is an open payment protocol that enables machines and AI agents to pay for internet resources using cryptocurrency. It's named after HTTP status code 402 ("Payment Required").

When an AI agent hits an x402-enabled API, it receives a 402 response with payment instructions. The agent sends a crypto payment, includes the transaction proof in a retry, and gets access — all automatically, with no human in the loop.

Arch Tools is the first API platform with native x402 support, meaning your agents can pay for any of our 63 tools with USDC.

Two options:

• x402 auto-pay: Your AI agent handles it automatically. When it gets a 402 response, it signs a USDC payment and retries. No human action needed.
• Fund your account: Visit the Fund page to send USDC to your account wallet. Credits are added automatically upon confirmation.

Both methods use USDC stablecoin (pegged 1:1 to USD) so there's no price volatility.

Arch Tools supports USDC payments on 9 blockchain networks:

• Primary: Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon
• Also supported: Avalanche, Solana, Unichain, and Monad

We recommend Base for the lowest fees (typically < $0.01 per transaction). See the Fund page for network-specific details.

Only if you want to pay with crypto. You can also pay with a credit card via Stripe for subscriptions and credit packs.

If you do want to use x402 payments, our Fund page includes a guided wallet onboarding flow to help you get set up.

Agent Identity (Know Your Agent) is a reputation and verification system for AI agents. It works like a credit score for machines:

• Identity: Link your API key to a wallet address for verifiable on-chain identity
• Reputation: Build a score based on payment history, usage patterns, error rates, and account age
• Trust tiers: Higher reputation unlocks better rate limits and access to premium services in the directory

Learn more on the Agent Identity page.

Yes. If you believe your score is inaccurate, email [email protected] with details. We'll review the underlying metrics and respond within 14 business days.

Reputation scores are computed algorithmically from objective data — they are not manually adjusted or biased.

If you run your own API, Arch Tools can handle x402 payment processing for you. We act as the payment facilitator — verifying transactions, managing wallets, and settling funds — so you can focus on building your service.

Visit the Facilitator page for integration details and pricing.

We offer official SDKs for 5 platforms:

• JavaScript/TypeScript: @archtools/sdk — full client with retry logic and TypeScript types
• Python: archtools — complete client with type hints and exponential backoff
• LangChain: Drop-in tool provider for LangChain agents
• CrewAI: Native integration for CrewAI multi-agent workflows
• OpenAI Agents: Compatible with the OpenAI Agents SDK function-calling interface

See the Integrations page for installation guides and code examples.

BYOK lets you provide your own API keys for supported third-party providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, Google, Brave Search, Tavily, Exa). Requests are routed through your accounts, giving you more control over costs and rate limits.

BYOK usage is still subject to Arch Tools' acceptable use policies.

Reach us at:

• General support: [email protected]
• Privacy/data requests: [email protected]
• Abuse reports: [email protected]