Guides

Monetize Your MCP Server: Complete Guide to Earning from AI Tools

By DeployContext Team

Your MCP server solves a real problem. It's time to get paid for it.

Why Monetize?

  • Sustainable development - Revenue funds improvements
  • Quality signal - Paid products are taken more seriously
  • Community support - Subscribers become advocates
  • Recurring revenue - Monthly subscriptions build predictable income

Pricing Strategies

Free Tier + Paid Plans

Offer a free tier with limited features, then charge for:

  • Higher rate limits
  • Advanced features
  • Priority support
  • Commercial use

Usage-Based Pricing

Charge based on:

  • API calls per month
  • Data processed
  • Storage used
  • Compute time

Flat Monthly Subscription

Simple and predictable:

  • One price, all features
  • Easy to understand
  • Predictable revenue

Setting Your Price

Research Competitors

  • Check similar MCPs in the marketplace
  • Look at API pricing for comparable services
  • Consider your unique value proposition

Start Low, Scale Up

  • Launch with competitive pricing
  • Increase as you add features
  • Grandfather existing subscribers

Test Different Tiers

  • Free tier for discovery
  • Pro tier ($5-25/month) for individuals
  • Scale tier ($50-100/month) for teams

Payment Setup

With DeployContext, payment setup is automatic:

  1. Enable monetization - Toggle in your MCP settings
  2. Set your price - Choose monthly subscription amount
  3. Stripe handles the rest - Payments, invoices, subscriptions

You keep 85% of revenue. No setup fees, no hidden costs.

Maximizing Revenue

Market Your MCP

  • Publish to our marketplace
  • Write documentation
  • Create tutorials
  • Share on social media

Provide Value

  • Regular updates
  • Responsive support
  • Clear documentation
  • Active community

Optimize Conversion

  • Clear pricing page
  • Free trial or tier
  • Social proof (testimonials)
  • Easy onboarding

Common Mistakes

  1. Pricing too low - Undervalues your work
  2. No free tier - Limits discovery
  3. Poor documentation - Reduces trust
  4. No updates - Subscribers churn

Getting Started

Ready to monetize? Deploy your MCP and enable monetization in settings. Set your price, publish to the marketplace, and start earning.

Questions? Check our monetization docs or contact support.