Show IH: I built a pay-per-call MCP server with 47 Baidu AI endpoints — micropayments via x402 protocol
Hey IH community!
I recently launched GoldBean, a pay-per-call MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that aggregates 47 Baidu AI endpoints behind a single endpoint. Think of it as an API marketplace where you only pay for what you use - starting at $0.01 per call.
The problem: Every time I needed a different AI tool (OCR, TTS, image generation, etc.), I had to create a new account, add a credit card, and manage another billing dashboard. It was exhausting.
The solution: One MCP endpoint that gives your AI assistant (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.) access to 47 endpoints (26 paid + 21 free). No multiple API keys, no multiple dashboards.
How I am monetizing:
- Pay-per-call model: $0.01 to $0.05 per request
- Free tier: 20 credits (no credit card needed)
- Payment via x402 micropayments (Base USDC), PayPal, or Alipay
- No KYC for crypto payments
Current traction:
- Listed on MCPize, Glama, and Smithery
- 8 articles published on Dev.to with consistent organic traffic
- npm SDK published (@goldbean/x402-sdk)
- VPS-hosted with 99% uptime
What I am learning:
- Free tiers are essential for developer tools - most users never need to pay
- MCP is becoming the standard distribution channel for AI tool APIs
- Micropayments work when the payment flow is invisible (x402 handles it automatically)
- Aggregation creates more value than individual APIs
I would love feedback from the IH community on pricing, positioning, and whether you think pay-per-call can work for developer tools.
Links:
- Docs: https://goldbean-api.xyz
- MCP endpoint: https://goldbean-api.xyz/sse
- npm: npm install @goldbean/x402-sdk
The part I'd keep testing isn't the pay-per-call pricing.
It's whether developers start thinking of GoldBean as an API marketplace or as infrastructure they don't have to think about anymore. Once integration becomes the default instead of a decision, the aggregation itself becomes the product rather than the individual endpoints.
Great insight. You're right that the real moat isn't the individual endpoints but the aggregation layer itself. Right now GoldBean is in the 'marketplace' phase — developers browse and pick specific APIs. The next step is making it invisible infrastructure: an MCP server where agents auto-discover and call the right tool without the developer even thinking about which endpoint they're hitting. That's why we're investing in the MCP protocol layer and x402 native payments — once the agent can self-serve (discover, pay, call), the aggregation becomes the default rather than a decision. Still early, but that's the direction.
That makes sense.
The interesting thing I'd keep watching is whether developers consciously choose the aggregation layer, or whether agents naturally route through it because it becomes the easiest path.
The second is usually where infrastructure products become much harder to replace.
Exactly the distinction I am watching. The conscious choice phase is where we are now — developers read the docs, pick an endpoint, wire it up manually. The easiest path phase is when an MCP-aware agent can discover GoldBean, see that it already exposes the tool it needs, handle payment via x402, and just call it — without the developer writing any integration code.
Early signal: when developers stop asking which endpoint to use and start asking can your server handle this task - that is the shift from marketplace to infrastructure. The x402 payment flow removes enough friction that agents can complete the full loop autonomously. Once that loop closes, switching costs come from the routing layer, not the endpoints.
I'm glad it resonated.
Reading your reply gave me one thought about the transition you're trying to create with GoldBean. I'd rather explain it in the context of what you're building than try to compress it into a public thread.
If you're interested, what's the best email to reach you on?
Thanks for the thoughtful exchange. I would genuinely like to hear your idea in depth.
Best email to reach me: wuzenghai616@gmail.com
Happy to jump on a call or async thread, whichever you prefer. Looking forward to it.
Thanks! I’ve just sent it over.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts whenever you have a chance.