You built an API. People are using it. Now you need to charge for it. That's where things usually start getting complex.
The typical path looks like this: wire up Stripe for subscriptions, build a metering layer to track usage, add some webhook logic to sync billing state back to your gateway, then bolt on rate limiting to enforce plan limits. None of these parts talk to each other cleanly. Your billing provider thinks a customer has quota left. Your gateway has no idea. Your engineers spend every sprint fixing edge cases.
The root cause is simple: nobody has been the system of record.
Today we're opening Private Beta for Zuplo Monetization: a fully integrated, first-party metering solution built directly into your API gateway. No external metering services in the critical path. No state sync between systems you built yourself. One platform for gateway and monetization.
Zuplo API Monetization Beta
Zuplo's API monetization is in private beta. Register for early access and we'll reach out when you can try it.
Some teams have cracked this. AccuWeather has been managing API access with Zuplo for their tiered developer products, serving different request limits and feature sets per subscription level at scale.
Their developer portal shows what a polished, multi-tier API product looks like when billing and gateway are properly connected.
- You're charging (or planning to charge) for API access and want metering and enforcement in the same system
- You've built a DIY Stripe + rate limiter setup that's becoming a maintenance burden
- You're launching an AI API or MCP server and need usage-based billing from day one
- You want Stripe integration that actually knows what your gateway is doing
The system of record problem
When your billing system and your gateway are separate services, you're always playing catch-up. A customer upgrades their plan. Stripe fires a webhook. Your backend processes it. Your gateway (eventually) gets updated. In between, something breaks or gets enforced incorrectly.
The only way to fix this properly is to put metering and enforcement in the same place. When your API gateway is the system of record, it knows the current plan, tracks usage against it, and enforces limits in real time on every request, with no lag.
That's what we built.
What's in the Private Beta
Zuplo Monetization is built from years of collaboration with enterprise customers who needed exactly this. Here's what you get:
Native metering. Track usage directly within Zuplo without external services. Every request through your gateway is measured against meters you define, with no sidecar services or event queues.
Product catalog. Define meters, features, and plans via API. Model flat rate, usage-based, tiered pricing, or a combination. Your catalog lives in Zuplo, not spread across three systems.
Real-time queries. Check usage instantly for billing or quota enforcement. When a request comes in, your gateway knows exactly where that customer stands against their plan, with no async lag or eventual consistency problems.
Simplified architecture. One platform for gateway and monetization. Your API keys, rate limits, quotas, and billing state all live in the same place and stay in sync automatically.
Stripe integration. We've built first-class Stripe support for subscriptions, invoicing, and payment collection. Stripe is our first billing provider; more are coming.
Developer Portal integration. Surface plan details, usage data, and upgrade options directly in your Zuplo Developer Portal.
See it in action
We built a reference implementation using the Rick & Morty API to show the full end-to-end flow: a developer signs up, picks a plan, gets API keys scoped to that plan, and is metered and enforced against their quota in real time.
Try it yourself at rickandmorty.zuplo.io.
Who's already using it
AccuWeather has been managing API access with Zuplo for their tiered developer products, serving different rate limits and feature sets per subscription level at scale.
They're a great example of how far you can take the customization of Zuplo's billing support.
One platform, not three
Because Monetization is built into Zuplo rather than bolted on:
- API keys are scoped to subscription plans automatically
- Quota and rate limits update in real time when plans change
- Stripe billing events flow back into Zuplo to keep access in sync
- Usage data is available via the Monetization API for your own dashboards
Register for Private Beta
We're onboarding a limited number of teams first. If you're actively building an API product and want to be among the first, register below.
Zuplo API Monetization Beta
Zuplo's API monetization is in private beta. Register for early access and we'll reach out when you can try it.
