> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.goassay.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.goassay.ai/help/faq.md).
# FAQ
Get short answers about using tools, paying safely and earning as a provider.
Short answers, each with a link to the full guide. Select a question to open it.
## What is Assay?
Assay sits between your AI and paid APIs: it checks what each call returns, so you are not charged for broken results, and providers back their quality with stake. See [What is Assay](/start-here/what-is-assay.md).
## Use tools
Do I need to add money before trying Assay?
No. Create an account, connect your AI app and make a free call before funding anything. Start with [Create your account](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/create-your-account).
What does a tool call cost?
Each tool shows its price before you call it. The price already includes Assay's fee. Deposits and some wallet actions also need a small network fee. See [Find tools](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/find-tools) and [Add funds](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/add-funds).
Is there a free tier?
Some tools are free. Others give each agent an allowance of free calls per day before paid calls begin. The allowance is set per tool, so check the tool's details. See [Make your first free call](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/make-your-first-call).
Can ChatGPT or claude.ai pay for tools?
No. Hosted connectors (claude.ai, ChatGPT, and connectors added in Claude Desktop) make free calls only. For paid calls, install assay-mcp locally. See [Connect your AI app](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/connect-your-ai-app).
Does adding funds turn on payments?
No. You also approve spending permission for your local app in your wallet. Follow [Turn on paid calls](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/turn-on-paid-calls) after funding.
What money and network do I need?
Payments use **USDG** on **Robinhood Chain**. Your wallet needs USDG for the deposit and a little ETH for the network fee. The minimum deposit is $5. See [Add funds](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/add-funds).
Where is my payment key kept, and what can it do?
assay-mcp keeps the payment key in your operating system's keychain. It can sign payments within the limits you approved in your wallet. It cannot withdraw your balance. Any program running as your computer user can use it, so approve limits you are comfortable with. See [Manage agents, connected apps and payment keys](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/manage-agents-apps-and-keys).
Is an API key the same as a payment key?
No. An agent API key lets your own program call tools. A payment key signs payments. An API key alone cannot pay. See [Manage agents, connected apps and payment keys](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/manage-agents-apps-and-keys).
Can I cap or stop my AI's spending?
Yes. Your account ceiling, each agent's limit and the payment key's approved caps all apply; the lowest one wins. See [Set limits and rules](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/set-limits-and-rules).
Why is money held after I received an answer?
The answer can arrive before the checks finish, and the payment is then held for a short time before the provider is paid. The provider does not have your money yet. Open the call's receipt to see where it is. See [Check your spending](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/check-your-spending).
Do I pay for a failed or empty result?
If a check finds that the provider failed, you are not charged, or the payment is refunded automatically. An honest empty answer is still charged. If a bad result got through, see [Get a refund or report a bad result](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/get-a-refund).
How do I ask for a refund, and where does it go?
Open the call's receipt and use **Report a bad result** before the **Refundable until** time. An accepted report refunds the call to your Assay balance. See [Get a refund or report a bad result](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/get-a-refund).
Why are paid calls paused when I have a balance?
A limit, expired payment permission, open withdrawal or owed call can pause payments. The app shows the reason. See [Fix a paused or refused payment](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/fix-a-payment-problem).
Can I take unspent money back?
Yes. Request a withdrawal, wait for the time shown, then claim it to your wallet. Paid calls pause while the request is open; free calls keep working. See [Withdraw funds](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/withdraw-funds).
Who sees my tool-call data?
Assay handles the call's inputs and answer, and the provider receives the request it needs to serve it. Assay stores request and answer bodies as checking evidence and removes them once they expire. A relevance check, when a tool uses one, passes call content to an AI judge. A provider can see the call's evidence when answering a bad-result report. Send only data you are comfortable sharing with that service.
Where are receipts and downloadable records?
Open **Activity → Calls** for receipts. Monthly statements and Spend exports are for your records. See [Check your spending](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/check-your-spending) and [Statements and exports](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/statements-and-exports).
## List your API
Must I invent a new tool to list my API?
No. If a catalogue tool already describes your answer, connect your endpoint to it. Otherwise publish your own tool. Start with [List a catalogue tool](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/list-a-catalogue-tool).
How do I stop people bypassing Assay to call my API?
Require authentication at your endpoint: an API key your service checks, an Assay request signature, or both. See the authentication steps in [List a catalogue tool](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/list-a-catalogue-tool).
Why do I need stake, and how much?
Stake backs your quality promise for paid tools. The publishing screen shows the amount your terms require. Free listings need no stake and earn nothing. See [List a catalogue tool](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/list-a-catalogue-tool) and [Manage your stake](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/manage-your-stake).
Does one failed call take my stake?
No. A penalty needs enough checked calls and a failure rate clearly above your promise. You can dispute a proposed penalty before its deadline. See [Quality and SLA](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/quality-and-sla) and [Penalties and how to dispute them](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/penalties).
When and where do I get paid?
After the checks and the payment hold, your share is sent in USDG to your payout wallet. There is no balance in the app to withdraw. Free calls and listing tests earn nothing. See [Get paid](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/get-paid).
What fee comes out of my earnings?
Assay's fee is 10% of each paid call, already included in the customer's price. Your listing summary and **Money** show the split. See [Get paid](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/get-paid).
Can a customer take back a completed payout?
No. A report accepted in time refunds money that is still held; it does not claw back a completed payout. Repeated quality failures can separately put stake at risk. See [Get paid](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/get-paid) and [Answer a bad-result report](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/answer-a-dispute).
Can I pause a listing or get my stake back?
You can pause new traffic; calls already sent still finish. To get stake back, request it, wait the time shown, then claim it with your wallet. Open penalties can reserve part of it. See [Edit, pause or resume a listing](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/edit-pause-or-resume-a-listing) and [Manage your stake](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/manage-your-stake).
Does stake guarantee a correct answer on every call?
No. Stake backs your quality promise over many calls; any single answer can still fail. A customer's refund depends on that call's checks or an accepted report. See [Quality and SLA](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/quality-and-sla) and [Answer a bad-result report](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/answer-a-dispute).
## Still stuck?
* [Use tools: Troubleshooting](https://docs.goassay.ai/use-tools/troubleshooting) — connections, tool calls, payments and your account.
* [List your API: Troubleshooting](https://docs.goassay.ai/list-your-api/troubleshooting) — setup, listings, earnings, reports and stake.
* [Developers: assay-mcp troubleshooting](https://docs.goassay.ai/developers/use-tools/troubleshooting) — install, sign-in and payment errors.
* Words you don't know? See the [Glossary](/help/glossary.md).
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