MCP Pay Gate

Name: MCP Pay Gate
Author: zekebuilds-lab

by zekebuilds-labversion 0.2.0i★ 0iRuns on your computer

Registry nameio.github.zekebuilds-lab/mcp-pay-gate

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Dual-rail Lightning paywall for MCP servers: accepts L402 and x402 bip122/exact, one LNBits backend.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi1 of 2 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiVery new↓ 38/wk · ★ 0

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Runs on your computer
Transport: stdio
Category: Other

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 1 of 2 passed
Runs on your computer with your user’s permissions (files, network, apps).
You fill in yourself: POW_GATE_URL

You need

npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pay-gate": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@powforge/mcp-pay-gate"
      ],
      "env": {
        "POW_GATE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add pay-gate --env POW_GATE_URL=your-value -- npx -y @powforge/mcp-pay-gate

Fill in the empty values before running it.

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pay-gate": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@powforge/mcp-pay-gate"
      ],
      "env": {
        "POW_GATE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "pay-gate": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@powforge/mcp-pay-gate"
      ],
      "env": {
        "POW_GATE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

This one runs on your computer, and ChatGPT can only connect to servers on the internet. Pick another app.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

POW_GATE_URL env
PowForge L402 gate base URL used by the default verifyL402Fn. Override for self-hosted deployments.

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

Which apps can use it

Based on how this server connects and on each app’s own docs, checked Nov 10, 2026.

Run on your computer in

Claude Goose LM Studio Msty Studio Cherry Studio Cursor VS Code + GitHub Copilot Visual Studio Windsurf (Devin Desktop)Zed Kiro Cline Continue JetBrains AI Assistant Claude Code Codex CLI Gemini CLI OpenCode nodecode Warp LibreChat Raycast

All apps, with pros and cons →

What it can do

Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 11, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account zekebuilds-lab, which owns the repo
! Caution
Still maintained
Code last changed 6 months ago, more than 6 months ago
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
– Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
… Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints

Compared with others in Otheri

More stars than 0% of the other 19107 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 7% of the other 19107 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 13% of the other 19107 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is MCP Pay Gate safe?

It passed 1 of 2 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed 6 months ago, and the latest version (0.2.0) reached the registry 6 months ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: World Monitor, Claude Flow, Tldraw

Alternatives

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README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

@powforge/mcp-pay-gate

Drop-in Express middleware for MCP servers. Accepts L402 Lightning (legacy clients) and x402 bip122/exact (forward-compat clients) with a real 10-step verifier behind both rails. One LNBits backend serves both. v0.2.0 ships full x402 verification (BOLT11 decode, replay protection, LNBits paid-check) — no stubs.

Why dual-rail

The pay-per-call MCP space is converging. Coinbase's x402 spec has an open PR (coinbase/x402 #2258) adding bip122/exact, which moves Bitcoin Lightning settlement inside x402. That means the rail choice for paid MCP endpoints collapses into a wallet-capability decision over the next 30 to 60 days.

If you ship today and pick one rail, half your future clients break. If you ship two services, you carry double the operational surface for the same revenue.

This middleware is the third option. It advertises both rails in the 402 challenge, accepts whichever the caller sends, and settles both into the same LNBits Lightning wallet. Existing L402 clients keep working. New x402 clients also work. You ship once.

Status

As of v0.2.0 both rails are live.

L402 rail: verification forwards to ${POW_GATE_URL}/v1/verify by default. Production verify via @powforge/mcp-l402-gate in-process is recommended for full fidelity (this package does not duplicate the macaroon mint or HMAC code).
x402 rail: full 10-step bip122/exact verifier per the x402-foundation/x402 PR #1311 spec, cross-checked against the Python reference impl in PR #1873. Mints a real BOLT11 invoice via the configured LNBits backend, decodes it with light-bolt11-decoder, validates scheme / network / asset / payTo / paymentMethod / invoice consistency / expiry / exact msat amount, short-circuits replays via an in-memory settlement cache, and confirms payment via LNBits paid-check. On success, returns a base64 SettlementResponse in the PAYMENT-RESPONSE header. 29 tests passing (12 middleware + 17 verifier-unit).

Deferred to v0.3.0: in-flight HTLC detection, BOLT12 offers, multi-instance settlement cache (Redis backend).

If you need an L402-only gate today, @powforge/mcp-l402-gate is the focused product — full L402 verify, replay protection, DoI score gating. This package is the dual-rail option for operators serving both legacy L402 and forward-compat x402 clients from one LNBits wallet.

Requirements

Node >= 18
An LNBits wallet (URL + invoice/read API key) for actual settlement
A reachable POW_GATE_URL if you use the default L402 verify forwarder

Five-line integration (Express)

const express = require('express');

const { mcpPayGateMiddleware } = require('@powforge/mcp-pay-gate');

const app = express(); app.use('/tools/expensive', mcpPayGateMiddleware({ satsAmount: 10, }));

app.post('/tools/expensive', (req, res) => { // Reached only when the caller settled via L402 or x402. res.json({ ok: true, rail: req.payAuth.rail }); });

Behavior

Caller sends	Middleware does
No `Authorization` header	402 with two `WWW-Authenticate` headers (one L402, one x402) and a JSON body listing both rails
`Authorization: L402`	Calls `verifyL402Fn(token)`. On success: `req.payAuth = { rail: 'l402', payload }` and `next()`. On failure: 401
`Authorization: x402` or `X-PAYMENT:`	Decodes the base64 `PaymentPayload`, runs the 10-step `bip122/exact` verifier (scheme / network / asset / payTo / paymentMethod / invoice consistency / BOLT11 decode / expiry / exact msat amount / replay-cache + LNBits paid-check). On success: `req.payAuth = { rail: 'x402-bip122-exact', paymentHash, amountMsat, payload }`, sets `PAYMENT-RESPONSE` header, and `next()`. On failure: 402 with both challenges so the caller can retry or fall back
Unknown scheme	402 with both challenges

Config reference

Field	Default	Notes
`gateUrl`	`process.env.POW_GATE_URL` or `https://gate.powforge.dev`	Used by default L402 verify forwarder
`priceMsat`	3000 (3 sats)	Exact amount in millisatoshis advertised in the x402 PaymentRequirements
`network`	`bip122:000000000019d6689c085ae165831e93` (mainnet CAIP-2)	x402 challenge network
`scheme`	`exact`	x402 challenge scheme (per PR #1311)
`payTo`	`anonymous`	x402 PaymentRequirements payTo (Lightning has no on-chain destination at challenge time)
`lnbits.url`, `lnbits.apiKey`	none	Required for the default x402 invoice mint and paid-check; can be replaced by passing custom `invoiceFn` and `checkPaidFn` seams
`verifyL402Fn`	forwards to gate `/v1/verify`	Override to plug `@powforge/mcp-l402-gate`'s in-process verify
`verifyX402Fn`	full 10-step `bip122/exact` verifier (BOLT11 decode + replay cache + LNBits paid-check)	Override only if you need to substitute a non-LNBits backend
`settlementCache`	in-memory `Map` with 24h TTL and opportunistic prune	Override with a Redis-backed cache for multi-instance deployments (deferred to v0.3.0)

What this is not

This is not a macaroon mint. Pair it with @powforge/mcp-l402-gate if you want PowForge to mint and verify L402 in-process.
This is not an LNBits client. It does not create invoices or check payment status itself; the verify functions own that.
This is not a DoI score gate. If you want identity-scored access on top of payment, compose this with @powforge/mcp-l402-gate or @powforge/mcp-identity.

The point of this package is the dual-rail challenge response and the request-routing shape. Plug your real verify in.

Roadmap

v0.1 (shipped): scaffold. Dual-rail challenge, L402 verify forwarder, x402 stub.
v0.2 (current): full x402 bip122/exact verification per PR #1311 spec. Real LNBits invoice mint, BOLT11 decode, in-memory replay cache, 10-step verifier, 29 tests.
v0.3 (planned): in-flight HTLC detection (Retry-After), BOLT12 offers, Redis-backed settlement cache for multi-instance deployments.

License

MIT.

MCP Pay Gate

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Values you fill in

Which apps can use it

Related guides

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Otheri

Common questions

Alternatives

World Monitor

Claude Flow

Tldraw

README from the maker

@powforge/mcp-pay-gate

Why dual-rail

Status

Requirements

Five-line integration (Express)

Behavior

Config reference

What this is not

Roadmap

License