Is there a pay-per-request package tracking API with no subscription?

Yes. lastscanned charges per request with MPP (the Machine Payments Protocol, over HTTP 402), so an app or AI agent can track packages without signing up. After the one free lookup a day, a request with no key gets a 402 Payment Required challenge. Pay $0.50 by card for 25 tracking numbers, or 2¢ a number in USDC on Tempo, and retry. Unused numbers come back as a credit key. Lookups that get no answer are not charged. HaulSense ($0.28 per parcel) and EasyPost ($0.01 to $0.03 per shipment) also price per shipment without a lastscanned-style subscription, but need an account first.

Try it

1. A keyless request returns the MPP challenge
curl -i "https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track?numbers=1Z000Y770414233027,9400111899223197428490"

HTTP/2 402
www-authenticate: Payment method="stripe", intent="charge", description="lastscanned: package tracking, $0.50 by card for 25 tracking numbers or …"
www-authenticate: Payment method="tempo", intent="charge", …
2. Retry with the paid credential (any MPP client does this for you)
curl "https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track?numbers=1Z000Y770414233027,9400111899223197428490" \
  -H "Authorization: Payment <credential from your MPP client>"

{ "results": [ … ], "credits": { "key": "lsk_pack_…", "remaining": 23 } }
3. Spend the remaining credits like an API key
curl https://api.lastscanned.com/v1/track/873970594430 -H "Authorization: Bearer lsk_pack_…"

Ways to pay per lookup instead of per month

OptionHow it worksPriceNotes
lastscanned (MPP)HTTP 402 challenge on any keyless request; any MPP client pays and retries. No account.$0.50 by card for 25 numbers (2¢ each), or 2¢ a number in USDC on Tempo.542 carriers. Credits stay on an lsk_pack_ key for later calls.
HaulSenseAccount and API key; billed per shipment tracked to delivery.$0.28 per parcel, $0.42 per air waybill, $3.50 per container. First 10 parcels free.Stronger for ocean and air freight; one charge covers the whole journey.
EasyPostAccount and API key; billed per tracked shipment.$0.01 to $0.03 per shipment; Advanced Tracking $0.03.Stronger if you also buy labels through EasyPost.
ShippoAccount and API key; API Starter has no monthly fee.2¢ per track.Stronger if you also want labels and discounted rates.

Competitor figures were read from each provider's own page on October 29, 2026 and can change. See the full comparison for sources and anything we could not verify.

Details

What you pay for

A paid request spends what it looks up, and only when it gets an answer: a result, or the carrier saying it has no such number. Each response carries x-lastscanned-credits with what is left. When a credit key runs out you get 402 credits_used, and a request without the key pays again.

When a subscription is cheaper

If you track more than a few hundred numbers a month, Pro at $4.99/mo for 1,000 numbers (then $0.015 each, with re-polls free) costs less than pay-per-request. MPP is for agents and scripts that should not hold an account.

Get a free API keyFree package tracking APIMCP server for package trackingBest package tracking APIs (2026)

FAQ

What is MPP?
MPP, the Machine Payments Protocol, lets a server answer an HTTP request with 402 Payment Required and a WWW-Authenticate: Payment challenge. The client pays (by card through a shared payment token, or in stablecoins) and retries with an Authorization: Payment header.
How much does one tracking lookup cost without an account?
2¢ a tracking number: $0.50 by card buys 25 numbers, or pay 2¢ a number in USDC on Tempo. The first lookup each day is free.
Am I charged for a number that isn't found?
Yes, if the carrier answers that it has no such number, because that is an answer. Lookups that fail (carrier errors, timeouts) are not charged.
Where are the paid routes listed for agents?
Paid routes and prices are published at https://api.lastscanned.com/openapi.json.