Kernel is a Stripe Projects provider. Use the Stripe CLI to link your Kernel account, choose a plan, and provision per-project API keys without using the dashboard for setup.
This page is the provider-level LLM context for agents (stripe projects llm-context). Service-specific guidance for cloud browser API keys is in Stripe Projects — browser API access.
Service catalog
Stripe service slugs are prefixed with kernel/ (from the app manifest name).
| Service ID | Kind | Scope | Summary |
|---|
kernel/plan:developer | plan | account | Free tier — $5/mo credits, 5 concurrent browsers |
kernel/plan:hobbyist | plan | account | $30/mo, $10/mo credits, 10 concurrent browsers (email KYC) |
kernel/plan:startup | plan | account | $200/mo, $50/mo credits, 150 concurrent browsers (email KYC) |
kernel/browser:api-access | deployable | project | API key for launching browsers in a Stripe Project |
- Only one plan can be active per Kernel org at a time (
allowed_updates defines upgrade/downgrade paths).
browser:api-access is free when any active plan is provisioned; otherwise it is usage-based ($0.01/min standard, $0.02/min stealth).
Common CLI flows
# Link Kernel to your Stripe Projects workspace
stripe projects link kernel
# Browse the catalog (confirm exact slugs before provisioning)
stripe projects services list
# Provision a paid plan (requires verified email / KYC)
stripe projects add kernel/plan:hobbyist
stripe projects add kernel/plan:startup
# Provision a project-scoped API key (configuration: {"name": "production"})
stripe projects add kernel/browser:api-access --config '{"name":"production"}'
# Sync credentials into .env
stripe projects env --pull
# Rotate API key credentials
stripe projects rotate kernel/browser:api-access
# Open the Kernel dashboard
stripe projects open kernel --purpose dashboard
stripe projects services list and copy the exact service slug from the output before stripe projects add — do not guess slugs.
Account and project mapping
| Stripe | Kernel |
|---|
| Stripe account | Kernel organization (billing + linking) |
| Stripe Project | Kernel project (API keys, sessions, pools, etc.) |
| Plan resources | Org-wide subscription tier |
browser:api-access | Project-scoped API key |
project_id create a Kernel project if needed.
Authentication
New accounts use the agentic credentials flow: after stripe projects link / account request, Kernel returns bearer access and refresh tokens. Use stripe projects env --pull to load credentials locally.
- Dashboard (humans): https://dashboard.onkernel.com
- Existing Kernel customers with billing already on file may receive
payment_credentials: "provider" when linking to avoid double-billing.
Billing and Shared Payment Tokens (SPT)
Paid plans are charged through Stripe Shared Payment Tokens on the Metronome-managed Stripe customer.
The default SPT monthly spending limit is often $50. The Start-Up plan is $200/mo. Before upgrading to Start-Up, confirm the developer’s SPT limit covers the plan (stripe projects billing show) or ask them to raise the limit. Charges above the limit will fail.
Full documentation
