Pay-per-call over Bitcoin Lightning
Paywall vs L402 (Lightning)
L402 is an open pay-per-request scheme built on Bitcoin Lightning and macaroon-based tokens — also a 402-driven flow. Paywall builds on x402 with USDC on Base, a dollar-denominated stablecoin unit and official SDKs across nine languages.
| Paywall (x402) | L402 (Lightning) | |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement | USDC on Base | Bitcoin Lightning |
| Unit of account | USD-denominated stablecoin | BTC (volatile) |
| Token model | Signed 402 + payment proof | Macaroons / LSAT |
| SDKs | 9 official, one frozen contract | Varies by implementation |
| Edge enforcement | Cloudflare Worker option | DIY |
- Open standard, also uses HTTP 402
- Bitcoin Lightning settlement with very low fees
- Token (macaroon) model supports capability-style access
- Established in the Lightning ecosystem
- Prices in USDC — a stable, dollar-denominated unit rather than BTC
- Nine official SDKs with one frozen, byte-identical wire contract
- Edge (Cloudflare) path as well as in-app SDKs
- Built-in test mode and a managed dashboard for routes, balances, payouts
You’re already in the Bitcoin/Lightning ecosystem and want BTC-native settlement.
You want dollar-denominated pricing in USDC, official SDKs across many languages, and an optional edge path — without running Lightning infrastructure.
FAQ
Both are open, 402-driven pay-per-request schemes, but they differ in settlement: L402 uses Bitcoin Lightning, x402 uses USDC. Paywall implements x402.
A dollar-denominated stablecoin makes per-call prices predictable — “$0.01 per call” stays a cent — which suits API pricing.