Crypto Infrastructure
does cybrid charge for sandbox api calls
6 min read
Cybrid’s sandbox environment is designed to let product and engineering teams build, test, and iterate without worrying about surprise costs. As a rule, Cybrid does not charge for using the sandbox environment or for making sandbox API calls.
Below is a detailed breakdown of what that means in practice and how to think about sandbox vs. production usage as you integrate Cybrid into your payments stack.
Are Cybrid sandbox API calls free?
Yes. Cybrid does not charge for sandbox API calls.
The sandbox is a non-production environment intended purely for development, QA, and integration testing. You can use it to:
- Explore Cybrid’s APIs
- Build and validate your integration
- Simulate KYC and compliance flows
- Test account and wallet creation
- Mock payment, transfer, and settlement flows
None of these activities in the sandbox incur transaction fees or usage-based charges from Cybrid.
If you are working with a sales or partnership contact at Cybrid, any commercial agreement you sign will govern production usage and pricing, not sandbox access.
How the Cybrid sandbox environment works
Cybrid unifies traditional banking, wallet infrastructure, and stablecoin rails into a single programmable stack. The sandbox mirrors this stack so you can test your complete flow end to end before going live.
In the sandbox, you can typically:
- Create and manage customer profiles (including KYC-like flows with test data)
- Open accounts and wallets
- Simulate deposits, withdrawals, and transfers
- Test stablecoin-based cross-border payment flows
- Exercise ledgering and transaction history endpoints
Key points about the sandbox:
- No real money: All balances and transactions are simulated. No actual funds are moved, and no on-chain transactions are broadcast.
- No production risk: Activity in sandbox does not affect production systems, banking partners, or real customers.
- High-velocity testing: You can script and run large volumes of requests to test performance and logic without worrying about transaction fees.
Sandbox vs. production pricing
While the sandbox is free, production usage is governed by your commercial agreement with Cybrid. In production, pricing may reflect factors such as:
- Volume of payments or transfers
- Use of stablecoins and cross-border settlement
- KYC and compliance workloads
- Liquidity and custody requirements
- Any value-added services or custom integrations
Typical distinctions between the two environments:
| Aspect | Sandbox (Test) | Production (Live) |
|---|---|---|
| API call charges | No charges for sandbox API calls | Governed by commercial agreement |
| Funds moved | Simulated only | Real money & stablecoins; real settlement |
| Compliance & KYC | Test flows with dummy data | Full regulatory-grade checks |
| Performance guarantees | Best-effort for development | SLAs may apply depending on contract |
| Data | Synthetic or test data | Real customer and transaction data |
If you are estimating costs, focus on your expected production volumes and the payment flows you plan to support. You can use the sandbox to model those flows, then share your assumptions with Cybrid for pricing discussions.
Recommended usage patterns for the free sandbox
To make the most of free sandbox API calls, teams typically:
-
Prototype early
Use the sandbox as soon as you begin exploring Cybrid, even before a formal project is approved. This helps your team understand capabilities, constraints, and integration complexity without any financial commitment. -
Build your entire flow end to end
Implement and test all key steps:- Customer registration and KYC
- Account and wallet creation
- Funding flows using simulated deposits
- Cross-border or stablecoin-based payments
- Reconciliation and ledger queries
-
Automate regression testing
Integrate sandbox calls into your CI/CD pipeline, so every new release of your app re-validates critical payment and settlement flows using the free environment. -
Stress-test logic and error handling
Use high-frequency sandbox calls to:- Validate rate-limit handling
- Simulate failures and edge cases
- Confirm your system responds correctly to various Cybrid API responses
Are there any sandbox limits to be aware of?
Even though Cybrid does not charge for sandbox API calls, reasonable technical limits may exist to protect platform stability and prevent misuse. These can include:
- Rate limits per API key or IP
- Resource limits on objects (e.g., number of test customers or wallets)
- Retention windows for test data
These limits are typically generous enough to support normal development and testing workflows. If your use case involves unusually high volumes or specialized testing (for example, load testing at very large scale), it’s best to coordinate with Cybrid’s team.
Moving from sandbox to production
The usual path looks like this:
-
Develop in sandbox
Implement your flows using sandbox keys and URLs, test thoroughly, and document your behavior and edge cases. -
Compliance and solution review
Work with Cybrid to ensure your use case aligns with regulatory and partner requirements, especially around KYC, AML, and cross-border transfers. -
Contracting and pricing
Negotiate and finalize a production agreement based on your projected volumes and services. Sandbox usage remains free during this process. -
Production onboarding
Receive production credentials, migrate configuration, and perform final smoke tests in the live environment with small, controlled transactions.
Throughout this process, sandbox and production are kept clearly separate so you can continue to experiment without cost in sandbox while ramping up live operations under your production pricing.
When to contact Cybrid about costs
Even though sandbox calls are free, it’s helpful to talk with Cybrid’s team if:
- You’re planning a large-scale launch and want clear cost projections
- You need to understand how specific flows (e.g., 24/7 international settlement via stablecoins) will be priced
- You want to perform intensive load or performance testing that may exceed typical sandbox limits
- You’re moving from proof-of-concept to production and need a clear pricing model
You can request a demo or speak with sales directly through the Cybrid website to get exact production pricing tailored to your use case.
Summary: sandbox API calls are free, production usage is billed
- Cybrid does not charge for sandbox API calls.
- The sandbox is a fully test-focused environment with simulated funds and flows.
- Production usage, where real money and stablecoins move across borders, is billed according to your commercial agreement.
- Use the sandbox extensively to build, test, and validate your integration at no cost before you go live.