What “sync to Stripe” means
UsageFlow is AI runtime billing infrastructure: it meters AI and API usage in your app runtime, enforces spend limits before costly work executes, and syncs usage to Stripe Meters so you can run usage-based billing without a custom metering stack. See AI payment infrastructure and AI usage metering for the product pillars.
You keep Stripe as the system of record for invoices and charges. UsageFlow owns the hard part: identifying who used what, matching that usage to the right Stripe customer, and reporting meter events as traffic happens.
Why DIY metering fails
Most teams start with logs, cron jobs, and ad-hoc Stripe API calls. That path usually breaks in the same places:
- Wrong customer match — usage lands on the wrong Stripe customer when IDs diverge across services.
- Late batches — nightly aggregations miss mid-period spikes and make invoices feel unreliable.
- No enforcement — you bill after the fact but cannot block overages before expensive AI work runs.
- Pricing changes require code — every new meter or plan tweak touches your pipeline.
Founders want dynamic pricing into Stripe. Engineers refuse to own another billing subsystem. UsageFlow is built for both.
How the sync works
Create a Meter in Stripe, then add your Stripe API key in UsageFlow (Console → Integrations) so we can fire meter events to your account. Tell UsageFlow which event name to report and how to identify the user on each request. Your app runtime never talks to Stripe directly — UsageFlow does, using the key you configure.
1. Define the endpoint
Examples:
- POST /v1/chat/completions
- GET /users/:id/profile
2. Choose how to identify the user
Point UsageFlow at whatever your API already uses: request header, API key, JWT, query params, path params, body fields, or custom metadata.
3. Map to a Stripe customer metadata field
Tell UsageFlow the field name you store on the Stripe customer — for example account_id, user_id, tenant, or workspace. Every matched request reports to the correct customer.
4. Set the Stripe event name
Examples: api_request, token_used, message_generated. From then on, UsageFlow identifies the customer and reports the meter event in real time. Stripe handles invoices and charges.
Meter · enforce · bill
Syncing usage is only half the job. UsageFlow also enforces limits before execution, so overages do not become surprise provider spend you reconcile later.
- Meter — capture AI and API usage in runtime
- Enforce — block costly work when policy says stop
- Bill — ship billing-ready events to Stripe Meters
Change pricing models in Stripe without rewriting metering code. Focus on the product; UsageFlow meters, enforces, and syncs.
Setup
- Install a UsageFlow agent in your API runtime
- Create a Stripe Meter for the usage event you want to track
- Add your Stripe API key in UsageFlow (Console → Integrations)
- Create a Policy: endpoint, user identification, customer metadata field
- Set the Stripe event name
- Start reporting usage — and billing — automatically
Related: Meter your first request · Meter AI agents · API docs.
FAQ
How does UsageFlow sync AI usage to Stripe?
UsageFlow meters requests in your runtime, matches each request to a Stripe customer via metadata you configure, and reports events to Stripe Meters in real time so Stripe can invoice and charge.
Do I need to build a custom usage pipeline for Stripe billing?
No. Define a Policy (endpoint + identity + metadata field), set the meter event name, and UsageFlow reports usage. You keep Stripe for pricing, invoices, and charges.
Can UsageFlow enforce spend before AI calls execute?
Yes. UsageFlow is runtime billing infrastructure: it can block overages before costly work runs, then sync allowed usage to Stripe — not observe-only after the fact.
How do I connect Stripe?
Add a Stripe API key (sk_test_… or sk_live_…) in UsageFlow Console → Integrations. UsageFlow uses that key to fire meter events to your Stripe meters. You keep customers, pricing, and invoices in Stripe.