> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: /docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stripe Projects

Add Channel3 to your app from the Stripe CLI. One command creates your Channel3 account and writes an API key to your `.env`. No signup form, and your coding agent can run it for you.

## 1. Add Channel3

Install the [Stripe CLI](https://docs.stripe.com/stripe-cli) and the [Stripe Projects](https://projects.dev) plugin, then run:

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects init
stripe projects add channel3/api
```

Choose the Free plan when asked. Channel3 creates an account for your Stripe account's email, or links the account you already have, and writes your key to `.env` as `CHANNEL3_API_KEY`. Run `stripe projects env` to check it.

You get 1,000 free credits each month.

## 2. Search for products

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
curl -X POST https://api.trychannel3.com/v1/search \
  -H "x-api-key: $CHANNEL3_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query": "running shoes under $150"}'
```

See [Make a search](/docs/guides/make-a-search.md) for filters, image search, and the response format. To use Channel3 from a coding agent, install the [Channel3 API skill](/docs/skills/channel3-api.md):

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
npx skills add channel3-ai/skills --skill channel3-api
```

## 3. Open your dashboard

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects open channel3
```

This signs you in to the Channel3 dashboard, where you can see usage and manage keys.

## Manage your key

Rotate it. The new key is written to `.env` and the old one stops working:

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects rotate channel3/api
```

Remove it. The key stops working:

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects remove channel3/api
```

Each project gets its own key. All keys on your Stripe account share one Channel3 account and its credits. Keys created through Stripe Projects can only be rotated or removed from the Stripe CLI.

## Pay as you go

When you run out of free credits, requests return `402`. Upgrade to keep going:

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects upgrade channel3/free channel3/pay_as_you_go
```

You keep 1,000 free credits each month, and extra credits cost \$0.007 each ([pricing](/docs/pricing.md)). Usage is billed monthly to the payment method on your Stripe account. If your Stripe Projects spending limit is lower than your expected usage, raise it in your Stripe settings so charges don't fail.

To go back to the free plan:

```sh theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
stripe projects downgrade channel3/pay_as_you_go channel3/free
```

Downgrading ends the subscription right away and bills any usage so far.

## Existing Channel3 accounts

If your Stripe account's email already has a Channel3 account, Stripe Projects links to it. Your keys, usage, and credits stay in one place. If that email belongs to more than one Channel3 organization, or we can't create an account for it, contact [support@trychannel3.com](mailto:support@trychannel3.com) to link your Stripe account.


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