name: Art Blocks API FinOps
description: >-
  Art Blocks hosted APIs (Token, Generator, Media Proxy, Hasura GraphQL, and
  MCP Server) are provided free of charge with no published cost model or usage
  billing. The only cost-bearing access path is The Graph Network subgraph,
  where query costs are metered in GRT (Graph tokens) and depend on query
  complexity and indexer fees set on the decentralised network. Developers
  should budget for GRT allocation when using The Graph endpoints at scale.
costModel: mixed
components:
  - name: Token API
    costType: free
    billing: none
    notes: No cost. Operated by Art Blocks as a public good.
  - name: Generator API
    costType: free
    billing: none
    notes: No cost. Operated by Art Blocks as a public good.
  - name: Media Proxy API
    costType: free
    billing: none
    notes: No cost. Operated by Art Blocks as a public good.
  - name: Hasura GraphQL API
    costType: free
    billing: none
    notes: >-
      No cost. JWT authentication required but no usage fees.
      Operated by Art Blocks on Hasura Cloud.
  - name: The Graph Subgraph
    costType: usage-based
    billing: GRT tokens
    notes: >-
      Costs denominated in GRT on The Graph Network. Developers must fund an
      API key in The Graph Studio; query fees are metered per query by
      participating indexers. Pricing varies with network conditions.
    links:
      - title: The Graph Studio — Manage API Keys
        url: https://thegraph.com/docs/en/studio/managing-api-keys/
      - title: The Graph — Querying from Your App
        url: https://thegraph.com/docs/en/developer/querying-from-your-app/
  - name: MCP Server
    costType: free
    billing: none
    notes: >-
      No cost. OAuth 2.1 authentication required. 21 tools available;
      per-user rate limits may apply at high volumes.
recommendations:
  - >-
    For most read-only integrations, use the Hasura GraphQL API
    (data.artblocks.io) — it is free, stable, and covers both on-chain and
    off-chain data.
  - >-
    Use The Graph subgraph only when decentralised infrastructure is a
    requirement or when on-chain-only data is sufficient; factor in GRT
    allocation costs.
  - >-
    For AI agent workflows, the MCP Server at mcp.artblocks.io provides 21
    specialised tools with no usage cost.