Introduction

CLIMeter is the metering and monetization layer for CLI tools in the AI agent ecosystem. Add 2 lines of Python and start billing your users per API call — no payment infrastructure required.

What is CLIMeter?

The rise of AI agents has created a new distribution channel: CLI tools that agents discover and invoke autonomously. These tools need billing infrastructure — but building it from scratch means Stripe integrations, usage tracking databases, invoice generation, and payout logic. CLIMeter handles all of that.

You decorate your function with @meter.track(), register the tool in the dashboard, and CLIMeter handles every event from invocation to invoice to payout.

The problem CLIMeter solves

Before CLIMeter, monetizing an AI tool required building or integrating: usage tracking, per-call billing logic, Stripe payouts, consumer invoicing, rate limiting, and an API key system. Most builders skip it and leave money on the table. CLIMeter makes it a 5-minute setup.

Architecture overview

  Your CLI Tool                 CLIMeter API               Stripe
  ─────────────                ────────────               ──────

  @meter.track()  ──────────►  POST /v1/events
       │                            │
       │                       Validate key
       │                       Record event          ──►  Invoice consumer
       │                       Increment counter          (automatic)
       │                            │
       ▼                       200 OK (5ms)          ──►  Payout to builder
  Tool executes                     │                     via Stripe Connect
  returns result  ◄─────────────────┘

The @meter.track() decorator fires a metering event after your function executes. Validation and recording happen in under 5ms. CLIMeter invoices consumers and triggers Stripe Connect payouts to builders automatically.

Key concepts

Tools

A Tool is a registered CLI command or Python function. Each tool has a unique slug, a pricing model, and an owner (builder) account. Tools can be private or listed on the CLIMeter marketplace.

Events

An Event is recorded every time a metered tool executes. Events carry metadata: tool ID, caller identity, duration, success status, and optional custom properties.

API keys

Every consumer authenticates with a clmtr_... API key. Keys can be scoped, rate-limited, and revoked instantly from the dashboard without touching your code.

Billing

CLIMeter uses Stripe Connect for payouts. Connect your Stripe account once and receive automatic payouts. Consumers prepay into a wallet — CLIMeter deducts per call. CLIMeter takes 0% on your first $1,000 in developer revenue, then 4% on earnings above that threshold.

Next steps