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

# Quickstart

> Sign up, add cash to your balance, and create your first card

This walks through the full Personal flow — from zero to a working virtual card your agent can use.

## Step 1: Install the CLI and sign in

The `agent-cards` CLI is the fastest way to get started. Install it and sign up — we email you a one-time code to verify your address:

```bash theme={null}
npm install -g agent-cards
agent-cards signup
```

Enter the code from your email to finish signing in. Check who you're signed in as any time with `agent-cards whoami`.

<Note>
  Prefer to drive everything from your agent? Skip to [Connect the MCP server](/personal/mcp/overview) — the same flow works through MCP tools.
</Note>

**Working from a coding agent?** One command teaches Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini to drive Agentcard themselves:

```bash theme={null}
npx -y agent-cards@latest agents add
```

## Step 2: Add cash to your balance

Virtual cards are funded from your **cash balance**. Add funds with Apple Pay or Google Pay via a secure checkout link:

```bash theme={null}
agent-cards fund --amount 50
```

Open the returned URL and finish paying. Check the balance any time with:

```bash theme={null}
agent-cards wallet
```

## Step 3: Create your first card

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="CLI">
    Amounts are in **dollars** (not cents):

    ```bash theme={null}
    agent-cards cards create --amount 25
    ```

    The CLI confirms the amount, then returns the card ID and summary. Pass `--yes` to skip the prompt or `--json` for non-interactive / agent use.

    Show the full number, CVV, and expiry when you need to fill a form:

    ```bash theme={null}
    agent-cards cards details <card-id>
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="MCP">
    Ask your agent to create a card. Under the hood it calls `create_card` with `amount_cents` (so \$25 = `2500`). The first time, it will:

    1. Call `add_funds` if your balance is short (it returns a checkout link to pay with Apple Pay / Google Pay). The first fund asks for a one-time verification code — your agent sends it with `start_phone_verification` and checks it with `verify_phone`; it stays valid for 60 days.
    2. Walk you through one-time identity verification (`start_kyc`) — see [KYC & approvals](/personal/kyc-and-approvals).
    3. Issue the card and return the last 4, balance, and expiry.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Note>
  Cards are **live**: each one draws on your cash balance when used. If a card ever comes back marked TEST (number starting `4242…`), it came from a connection that isn't live, usually a company's test-mode integration. See [Test cards](/personal/concepts/test-mode) for how to fix that.
</Note>

## Step 4: Use the card

* **Manually** — Read the PAN/CVV/expiry from `cards details` and enter them at checkout.
* **Shop end-to-end** — Use the [`buy`](/personal/shopping) surface to order from a linked merchant in natural language.

## Step 5: Monitor and close

```bash theme={null}
agent-cards balance <card-id>          # quick balance check
agent-cards cards transactions <card-id>   # transaction history
agent-cards cards close <card-id>      # close and release held funds
```

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="MCP setup" icon="plug" href="/personal/mcp/overview">
    Connect AgentCard to your agent.
  </Card>

  <Card title="CLI reference" icon="terminal" href="/personal/cli/overview">
    Every `agent-cards` command.
  </Card>

  <Card title="For coding agents" icon="robot" href="/personal/cli/api">
    `agent-cards agents add` wires Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini; `agent-cards api` is the tool catalog.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans" icon="layer-group" href="/personal/plans">
    Raise your limits with Basic or Pro.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shopping" icon="cart-shopping" href="/personal/shopping">
    Let your agent order from merchants.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>