Agent Payments Protocol
09 agent-services/Google/ACTIVE/aka AP2, Google AP2
Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) is Google's open spec for agent-initiated payments — signed mandates that prove a user authorized a purchase, riding existing card networks and payment rails instead of inventing new ones.
What it does
- 01Signed intent/cart mandates
- 02Card-network and payment-rail compatible
- 03Verifiable credential chain
- 04Crypto extension via x402 ecosystem
- 05Open protocol
Who it's for
Merchants and platforms that need provable user authorization for agent purchases on the rails they already use.
Pricing
Open protocol (free). List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding.
caveat · before you adopt
A spec, not a service — implementing means integrating with participating rails; still pre-ubiquity.
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Frequently asked
What is Agent Payments Protocol?
Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) is Google's open spec for agent-initiated payments — signed mandates that prove a user authorized a purchase, riding existing card networks and payment rails instead of inventing new ones.
Who is Agent Payments Protocol for?
Merchants and platforms that need provable user authorization for agent purchases on the rails they already use.
How much does Agent Payments Protocol cost?
Open protocol (free). List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding.
Does Agent Payments Protocol run locally or in the cloud?
Agent Payments Protocol runs locally on your machine and in the vendor's cloud. Its interfaces are an API or protocol.
What are alternatives to Agent Payments Protocol?
Other agent service entries in the catalog: AgentMail, x402, Skyfire, Payman, Nevermined, AgentCard, Keycard, Arcade, Scalekit, Composio, E2B, Browserbase, Exa, Mem0. Different categories solve the same problem differently — see the Agent services category page for tradeoffs.
What should I know before adopting Agent Payments Protocol?
A spec, not a service — implementing means integrating with participating rails; still pre-ubiquity.