Tributary¶
Open-source payment infrastructure for Solana. Automated recurring payments that feel like Web2 but live on Web3.
Why We Built This¶
Recurring payments are the backbone of modern business — subscriptions, retainers, utility billing. Yet in Web3, they're still a mess.
Users have to manually sign a transaction every single billing cycle. Miss one? Service stops. Businesses can't count on predictable revenue when payments depend on someone remembering to click "confirm." And the existing "solutions"? Most require locking funds in a smart contract, which is just a fancy way of saying you give up control.
That's not good enough. Web3 users deserve the same "set it and forget it" experience they already have with Netflix or their gym membership — without sacrificing self-custody.
That's why Tributary exists.
How It Works¶
Tributary uses Solana's native token delegation. You grant permission for specific amounts on a specific schedule. The protocol pulls exactly what you approved, when you approved it — nothing more.
- No deposits. Your tokens stay in your wallet until a payment is due.
- No middleman. Payments go directly from your wallet to the recipient.
- No surprises. You can pause, resume, or cancel anytime.
- No borders. Anyone, anywhere can pay or accept payments.
Payments settle in under a second with fees measured in fractions of a cent — that's Solana, not magic.
| Tributary | Traditional | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Seconds | Days (KYC, bank verification) |
| Fees | starting at 1% | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction |
| Settlement | Instant (400ms) | 2–7 business days |
| Chargebacks | No | Yes |
| Custody | Your wallet, always | Held by a third party |
| Geography | No restrictions | Country-limited |
What You Get¶
Three payment models. One protocol. Pick what fits your business.
Subscriptions¶
The familiar model. Fixed amount, regular interval.
- Pay the same every week, month, or year
- Auto-renew or cap the number of renewals
- Cancel or pause with one click
Great for: SaaS tools, memberships, streaming, recurring donations
Milestone Payments¶
Pay for deliverables, not time. Split a project into up to 4 milestones.
- Different amounts per milestone
- Release on schedule, on approval, or automatically
- Funds committed upfront but released only as work completes
Great for: Freelance projects, consulting, software development, content series
Pay-as-you-go¶
Use first, pay later. Providers claim what you owe within limits you set.
- Set a spending cap per billing period
- Providers claim incrementally as you consume
- Periods reset automatically — hard limits enforced on-chain
Great for: AI APIs, cloud computing, utility services, anything metered
Who Is It For?¶
End Users¶
One-click setup, total transparency, full control. Every payment is on-chain. Your tokens never leave your wallet. Pause or cancel anytime.
Developers¶
Drop in a React component or hook and you're done. Need more control? Use the TypeScript SDK. Going no-code? Generate checkout links in seconds. Everything is open-source.
Businesses¶
Accept recurring payments globally without the KYC bottleneck. Pay ~1% instead of 3%+. Settle instantly. Give your customers a Web2-familiar experience on Web3 rails.
Payment Providers¶
Build your own payment service on top of Tributary. Earn fees by running a Payment Gateway. Focus on UX — the protocol handles the complexity.
What Can You Build?¶
| Idea | Payment Type | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming service | Subscription | $10/month, auto-renew |
| Freelance platform | Milestones | Pay per deliverable phase |
| AI API gateway | Pay-as-you-go | Bill per token, capped daily |
| Newsletter | Subscription | $5/month, cancel anytime |
| Consulting engagement | Milestones | 3-phase project with approval gates |
| Cloud compute | Pay-as-you-go | Metered usage with weekly caps |
More ideas in Use Cases.
Get Started¶
- Pick your integration — React SDK, TypeScript SDK, or Checkout Links
- Choose a payment type — Subscription, Milestone, or Pay-as-you-go
- Go live — deploy on Solana mainnet in minutes
- Monitor — track payments via REST API or WebSocket API
Questions?
Check the FAQ or read the Architecture Overview.
Developer Tools¶
- TypeScript SDK - Complete protocol interaction
- React SDK - Pre-built payment components and React hooks
- Payments SDK - Simple Payments API with hosted checkout page (zero API keys)
- x402 SDK - HTTP 402 middleware for API monetization
- CLI - Protocol management tools
- REST API - Query subscriptions, events, manage webhooks
- WebSocket API - Real-time payment notifications
Tributary provides the foundation. You build the future.