# Save a Payment Method

Source: https://recoupable.dev/docs/api-reference/accounts/payment-method-create

Create a $0 card-on-file checkout session for an account. Stripe `setup` mode saves a payment method without charging anything or starting a subscription; the saved card becomes the account's default and is what credit purchases and auto top-up charge. The account's Stripe customer is created (and tagged with the account id) if it does not exist yet. Returns a hosted checkout URL that the client should redirect to. `id` may be the authenticated account or an organization the caller belongs to.

## POST /api/accounts/{id}/payment-method

Full OpenAPI specification: https://recoupable.dev/docs/spec/accounts.json

## Authentication

This operation requires one of the security alternatives in the specification below. Security scheme definitions are included where present in the published specification.

[Authentication guide](https://recoupable.dev/docs/authentication)

## Operation and referenced schemas

```json
{
  "openapi": "3.1.0",
  "info": {
    "title": "Recoup API - Accounts",
    "description": "API documentation for the Recoup platform - an AI agent platform for the music industry",
    "license": {
      "name": "MIT"
    },
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "servers": [
    {
      "url": "https://api.recoupable.dev"
    }
  ],
  "paths": {
    "/api/accounts/{id}/payment-method": {
      "post": {
        "description": "Create a $0 card-on-file checkout session for an account. Stripe `setup` mode saves a payment method without charging anything or starting a subscription; the saved card becomes the account's default and is what credit purchases and auto top-up charge. The account's Stripe customer is created (and tagged with the account id) if it does not exist yet. Returns a hosted checkout URL that the client should redirect to. `id` may be the authenticated account or an organization the caller belongs to.",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "name": "id",
            "in": "path",
            "description": "The unique identifier (UUID) of the account. Must be the authenticated account or another accessible via organization membership.",
            "required": true,
            "schema": {
              "type": "string",
              "format": "uuid"
            }
          }
        ],
        "security": [
          {
            "apiKeyAuth": []
          },
          {
            "bearerAuth": []
          }
        ],
        "requestBody": {
          "description": "Card-on-file session parameters",
          "required": true,
          "content": {
            "application/json": {
              "schema": {
                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/CreateCardOnFileSessionRequest"
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "responses": {
          "200": {
            "description": "Card-on-file session created successfully",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/CreateSubscriptionSessionResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "400": {
            "description": "Bad request - missing or invalid parameters",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                },
                "example": {
                  "error": "successUrl must be a valid URL"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "401": {
            "description": "Unauthorized - invalid or missing authentication",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                },
                "example": {
                  "error": "Unauthorized"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "403": {
            "description": "Forbidden - the account is not the caller's and not an organization they belong to (an unknown id also returns 403, never 404)",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "500": {
            "description": "Internal server error",
            "content": {
              "application/json": {
                "schema": {
                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse"
                },
                "example": {
                  "error": "Internal server error"
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "components": {
    "schemas": {
      "CreateCardOnFileSessionRequest": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "successUrl"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "successUrl": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "uri",
            "description": "The URL Stripe redirects to after the card is saved.",
            "example": "https://chat.recoupable.dev?card=saved"
          }
        }
      },
      "CreateSubscriptionSessionResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "id",
          "url"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "id": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "The checkout session ID.",
            "example": "cs_test_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0"
          },
          "url": {
            "type": "string",
            "format": "uri",
            "description": "The hosted checkout URL. Redirect to this URL to complete Checkout.",
            "example": "https://checkout.stripe.com/pay/cs_test_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0"
          }
        }
      },
      "AccountPaymentMethodErrorResponse": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "error"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "error": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Human-readable error message.",
            "example": "Unauthorized"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "securitySchemes": {
      "apiKeyAuth": {
        "type": "apiKey",
        "in": "header",
        "name": "x-api-key",
        "description": "Your Recoup API key. [Learn more](/quickstart#api-keys)."
      },
      "bearerAuth": {
        "type": "http",
        "scheme": "bearer"
      }
    }
  }
}
```