---
title: "Open Media sandbox and test mode"
description: "How agents and developers can exercise the Open Media API without touching live money or real people’s data."
canonical: https://api.openmedia.site/sandbox
last-updated: 2026-10-25
---

# Open Media sandbox and test mode

Use these to build and test an integration without touching live money or other people's data.

## Test mode for payments

Every payment on this server runs in test mode until live payments are approved: cards use Stripe's test mode and USDC uses the Base Sepolia test network, so no real money moves. `GET https://api.openmedia.site/v1/me/payments/setup` returns `available.live: false` while test mode is on. Use Stripe's published test cards and test USDC from a Base Sepolia faucet.

## Read-only exploration

All public endpoints are read-only and need no key, so an agent can explore safely: `GET https://api.openmedia.site/v1/feed`, `GET https://api.openmedia.site/v1/search?q=`, `GET https://api.openmedia.site/v1/events/upcoming`, and the tools on `https://api.openmedia.site/open/mcp`.

## Confirmation before writes

Account tools that publish, send or pay first return a preview. Payments start only when called again with `confirm: true` and the exact amount, and money moves only when the person finishes on Stripe's page or in their own wallet.

## A private sandbox on your machine

The whole stack is open source. Clone https://github.com/mihirkavi/open-media and run `npm run local`: it starts the database, auth, this API and the web app on your computer with test accounts and a local inbox, so you can create accounts, post, message and pay with test data that never leaves your machine.

See the [developer portal](https://api.openmedia.site/developers) and [API documentation](https://api.openmedia.site/docs).