Are there any CLI-only tools that are monetized, no web UI at all?

1•las_nish•1h ago

Hey folks,

I’m curious if there exist any command-line tools (CLI) that allow users to sign up, log in/out, manage subscription / billing, etc, entirely via terminal, without relying on any web UI or browser flow.

I’ve seen many tools that support CLI logins or actions post-login, but still use the web for checkout, payment, plan comparisons, account settings, etc. I’m wondering:

- Does anyone know a tool (open source or commercial) that handles full subscription lifecycle strictly via CLI?

- What are the technical or practical challenges people encountered in trying to build one?

- If this doesn’t exist widely, why do you think that is?

Thanks in advance for pointers or experiences you can share!

Comments

kjmr•1h ago

I wouldn't want to give my credit card info to a CLI. When it's on the web I can see if the connection is encrypted, I can (usually) see who the payment processor is (like Stripe). What happens with my credit card number that I enter into the CLI? How is it sent, where does it get stored, etc.

You also wouldn't be able to support Apple Pay or Google Pay, or international payment methods (like iDEAL in The Netherlands).

Payments seem like a huge problem to go pure CLI without a web UI.

las_nish•1h ago

I agree with you. What if the CLI tool used a Stripe payment link for the subscription? Let’s assume the app is called ABC. When a user enters ABC in the terminal, they would see options like accessing the customer portal, deleting their account, etc. Since it’s a developer-focused tool, what are your thoughts?

kjmr•1h ago

Yeah, you'd have to outsource the payment processing completely to a third party, which handles everything like updating payment methods etc. Stripe payment links might work well, although I have no experience with them.

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