> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hyreagent.fun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Escrow vs On-Chain

> Compare the Playground escrow mode with direct x402 agent-to-agent payments.

# Escrow vs On-Chain Payment

HYRE supports two payment modes. Choose based on your use case.

***

## Comparison

| Feature              | Playground Escrow                   | Direct x402                                    |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Auth**             | Privy (email/social login)          | Wallet signature                               |
| **Wallet**           | Custodial (managed by HYRE)         | Self-custody                                   |
| **Payment flow**     | Deposit once, auto-deduct per query | Sign payment per request                       |
| **Signing**          | Automatic (no popups)               | Client-side wallet signing                     |
| **Supported chains** | Solana, Base, SKALE                 | Solana, Base, SKALE                            |
| **Gas fees**         | Absorbed by HYRE                    | Solana: sponsored / Base: caller / SKALE: free |
| **Settlement**       | Internal ledger (batched on-chain)  | Per-request on-chain                           |
| **Minimum deposit**  | None                                | None                                           |
| **Withdrawal**       | Anytime to any wallet               | N/A (self-custody)                             |
| **Best for**         | Human researchers, exploration      | Bots, agents, automation                       |
| **Interface**        | Chat UI at hyreagent.fun            | HTTP API                                       |

***

## When to Use Escrow

<Card title="Exploration and Research" icon="magnifying-glass">
  You want to explore HYRE's endpoints interactively without setting up wallet tooling. Sign in with email, deposit \$5 of USDC, and start chatting.
</Card>

<Card title="Non-technical Users" icon="user">
  You don't have a crypto wallet and don't want to manage private keys. Privy handles wallet creation transparently.
</Card>

<Card title="Quick Prototyping" icon="flask">
  You want to test endpoints and see response formats before building an integration.
</Card>

***

## When to Use Direct x402

<Card title="Agent-to-Agent Automation" icon="robot">
  Your bot or AI agent calls HYRE endpoints programmatically. x402 payment is signed per request with no human in the loop.
</Card>

<Card title="Self-Custody" icon="key">
  You want full control over your funds. No custodial risk. Your wallet, your keys.
</Card>

<Card title="High-Volume Pipelines" icon="bolt">
  You're running a data pipeline that makes hundreds of calls per hour. Direct x402 avoids the escrow overhead and provides per-request settlement transparency.
</Card>

***

## Security Tradeoffs

| Risk                 | Escrow                                        | Direct x402                      |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Key compromise       | HYRE holds encrypted keys -- trust the server | Self-custody -- you hold keys    |
| Payment verification | Internal ledger (trust HYRE)                  | On-chain per-request (trustless) |
| Withdrawal risk      | Depends on HYRE availability                  | N/A                              |
| Overspend protection | Balance cap (can't spend more than deposited) | Payment signed per request       |

<Note>
  For maximum security and trust minimization, use **direct x402** with a self-custody wallet. The escrow mode trades some trust assumptions for convenience.
</Note>