Blog
Essays and guides on monetizing MCP servers, from the team building Vend.
What Is MCP and Why It Matters for Developers
An introduction to the Model Context Protocol, how it works, and why it’s creating a new ecosystem for developer tools.
How to Monetize Your MCP Server in 5 Minutes
A step-by-step guide to adding license keys, tier gating, and billing to any MCP server using Vend.
Free vs. Paid MCP Tools: How to Decide What to Gate
A practical framework for deciding which MCP tools to offer for free and which to put behind a paid tier.
The MCP Server Marketplace Is Coming — Here’s How to Get Ahead
MCP servers are the next app store. Here’s why the marketplace is inevitable and how to position your tools to win.
Usage Metering for MCP Servers: Track Every Tool Invocation
How to track tool usage across license keys, enforce rate limits, and use analytics to improve your MCP server.
Offline-First License Validation: How Vend Keeps Your MCP Server Running
How Vend’s SDK handles network failures, caching, and offline fallback so your MCP server never blocks users unnecessarily.
Stripe Connect Payouts: How MCP Creators Get Paid
A transparent breakdown of how Vend handles payments, fees, and payouts for MCP server creators via Stripe Connect.
Webhooks and Observability for MCP Billing
How to use Vend webhooks and SDK hooks to monitor license events, track billing, and integrate with your existing observability stack.