> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trychannel3.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Free Tier

The Channel3 MCP free tier is the quickest way to let an MCP-compatible agent search the catalog. Use this URL:

```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
https://mcp.trychannel3.com/
```

No API key is required, and limits are generous and sized for personal use. Connect it with [MCP setup](/mcp/setup), then try a prompt:

```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
Find in-stock merino wool sweaters under $150 and include buy links.
```

## When to add an API key

Use an API key for unlimited usage, pay-as-you-go, and attributed buy links. Create an account, then copy a key from the [Dashboard](https://trychannel3.com/dashboard/api).

Send it as a header with every request:

```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
X-API-Key: <your-api-key>
```

See [Pricing](/pricing) for API costs and [Commissions](/faq/commissions) for monetization.