Pay-Per-Use vs Subscription Scraping APIs:
Which Model Saves Money in 2026?

// Subscription model: Requires pre-provisioned API key
const SCRAPERAPI_KEY = process.env.SCRAPERAPI_KEY; // Human must set up

async function scrapeWithSubscription(url: string) {
  // Check remaining credits (another API call)
  const usage = await fetch(
    `https://api.scraperapi.com/account?api_key=${SCRAPERAPI_KEY}`
  );
  const { requestCount, requestLimit } = await usage.json();

  if (requestCount >= requestLimit) {
    throw new Error("Monthly credit limit reached. Must upgrade plan.");
  }

  // Make the scraping request
  const res = await fetch(
    `https://api.scraperapi.com?api_key=${SCRAPERAPI_KEY}&url=${encodeURIComponent(url)}`
  );

  if (res.status === 403) {
    throw new Error("API key invalid or expired");
  }

  return await res.text();
}

// Problems:
// - Agent cannot create its own account
// - Credit limit = hard stop mid-pipeline
// - Key rotation = human intervention
// - Monthly bill regardless of usage

import { Connection, Keypair, Transaction } from "@solana/web3.js";
import { getAssociatedTokenAddress, createTransferInstruction } from "@solana/spl-token";

const USDC_MINT = "EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v";
const SOLANA_RPC = "https://api.mainnet-beta.solana.com";

async function scrapeWithX402(targetUrl: string) {
  // Step 1: Request scrape — no API key needed
  const res = await fetch("https://api.proxies.sx/v1/x402/scrape", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
    body: JSON.stringify({ url: targetUrl, render_js: true }),
  });

  if (res.status === 402) {
    // Step 2: Server tells us the price
    const terms = await res.json();
    console.log(`Price: ${terms.amount} ${terms.currency} on ${terms.network}`);
    // => "Price: 0.005 USDC on solana"

    // Step 3: Agent pays autonomously
    const wallet = Keypair.fromSecretKey(
      Buffer.from(process.env.AGENT_WALLET_KEY!, "base64")
    );
    const connection = new Connection(SOLANA_RPC);
    const txHash = await payUSDC(
      connection, wallet, terms.address, terms.amount
    );

    // Step 4: Retry with payment proof
    const paidRes = await fetch("https://api.proxies.sx/v1/x402/scrape", {
      method: "POST",
      headers: {
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "X-PAYMENT-PROOF": txHash,
        "X-PAYMENT-NETWORK": "solana",
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ url: targetUrl, render_js: true }),
    });

    return await paidRes.json(); // Scraped data
  }

  return await res.json();
}

// Advantages:
// - Zero account setup; wallet IS identity
// - Agent discovers price at runtime
// - No credit limits; pays per request
// - Works across ANY x402-enabled provider
// - 400ms payment settlement on Solana