# start_subscription

Begin a new Pro or Scale subscription for the project owner. Returns {checkoutUrl, plan} — surface the URL to the human for approval. Errors if the owner is already on an active paid plan (use change_plan instead). Owner-only; requires a token minted with the billing scope.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `start_subscription`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/start-subscription

## Facts

- Tool: `start_subscription`
- Server: EchoRelay (`https://mcp.echorelay.dev`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/https://mcp.echorelay.dev
- Risk category: Financial (Critical risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 1 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Approval-gated

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `plan` | string | yes |  |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "start_subscription",
    "arguments": {
      "plan": "<plan>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why start_subscription is rated Critical

This tool initiates a paid subscription, directly committing a financial obligation on behalf of the project owner. Starting a subscription is a financial action that results in recurring charges. The severity is critical because an AI agent misusing this could enroll users in expensive plans without explicit consent.

From the tool's own definition: "Begin a new Pro or Scale subscription for the project owner... billing scope"

## Use case

AI agents use start_subscription to commit financial operations through EchoRelay, usually the final step of a payment, billing, or trading workflow. A call moves real money.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Approval-gated**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches EchoRelay:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "start_subscription": {
      "deny_if": [
        {
          "conditions": [],
          "on_deny": "Requires human approval."
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on EchoRelay (77)

- `cancel_line_publish` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/cancel-line-publish.md
- `delete_credential` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/delete-credential.md
- `delete_endpoint` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/delete-endpoint.md
- `delete_line` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/delete-line.md
- `discard_dlq_entry` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/discard-dlq-entry.md
- `discard_draft_endpoint` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/discard-draft-endpoint.md
- `discard_line_draft` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/discard-line-draft.md
- `remove_member` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/remove-member.md
- `revoke_api_key` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/revoke-api-key.md
- `revoke_project_token` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/revoke-project-token.md
- `rollback_config` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/rollback-config.md
- `dry_run_endpoint` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/dry-run-endpoint.md
- `duplicate_line` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/duplicate-line.md
- `cancel_subscription` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/cancel-subscription.md
- `change_plan` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/change-plan.md
- `downgrade_addon` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/downgrade-addon.md
- `retry_dlq_entry` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/retry-dlq-entry.md
- `start_topup` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/start-topup.md
- `subscribe_addon` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/subscribe-addon.md
- `unsubscribe_addon` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/unsubscribe-addon.md
- `default_endpoint_template` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/default-endpoint-template.md
- `get_billing` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-billing.md
- `get_config` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-config.md
- `get_dlq_entry` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-dlq-entry.md
- `get_endpoint` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-endpoint.md
- `get_key_policy` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-key-policy.md
- `get_line_draft` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-line-draft.md
- `get_metrics` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-metrics.md
- `get_project` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-project.md
- `get_receipts` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management/get-receipts.md
- …and 47 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/dev-echorelay-management.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=dev-echorelay-management · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/dev-echorelay-management