TikTok API - Research API alternative
Rejected for the TikTok Research API?
The TikTok Research API is for approved academics only. Get the same TikTok data as JSON with one API key, no approval, $0.003 a call.
Live now
If TikTok rejected your Research API application, you are not alone. The Research API is for approved non-commercial academic and non-profit researchers only, in the US, EEA, UK, Switzerland, Canada and Brazil youth-safety research. Commercial users are explicitly not accepted, approval takes weeks to months, and even approved researchers are capped at 1,000 requests a day with data lagging up to 48 hours to 10 days.
This API returns the same public TikTok data as JSON, with no application, no approval and no academic affiliation. Profiles, videos, search and comments, one key, $0.003 a call.
Field for field, the mapping is simple: Research API video data maps to our videos endpoint and search endpoint, user data maps to our profile endpoint, and comment data maps to our comments endpoint.
The call
One API key works for every endpoint below. Send your key in the x-api-key header.
curl -X POST https://social-data-api.chideraezeudu2.workers.dev/v1/tiktok/search \
-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"keyword": "coffee"}'Search takes keyword, count (default 20, max 50) and offset. One call costs 1 credit. The other three endpoints work the same way: profile by uniqueId, videos by secUid, comments by aweme_id.
What you get back
{
"platform": "tiktok",
"endpoint": "tiktok.search",
"credits_used": 1,
"upstream_cost_usd_per_call": 0.001,
"key_id": "...",
"plan_type": "trial",
"result": { "...": "upstream search data" }
}Response shape, example values only, not real data. Every response uses this wrapper. The result field holds the upstream provider's data, in its own shape. credits_used tells you what the call cost.
What it costs
- Pay as you go: $0.003 a call, $3.00 per 1,000 calls.
- Basic $29/mo: 10,000 calls included.
- A real study: 500 videos plus 20,000 comments needs 25 video calls plus 1,000 comment calls, 1,025 calls in total, which is $3.08 on pay as you go, or inside the $29 Basic plan.
- Free trial: 3 days, 100 calls on TikTok, card required, $29/mo after trial unless you cancel.
How it compares
| Option | Price | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Social Data API | $0.003 a call | Anyone. No application, no approval, no academic affiliation. |
| TikTok Research API (official) | Free in dollars | Approved non-commercial academics and non-profits only. Commercial users are not accepted. 1,000 requests a day, data lags 48 hours to 10 days. |
| Scrape Everything | $39 for 25,000 credits, $1.56 per 1,000 (prices verified 22 Oct 2026) | Anyone. Also publishes a Research API alternative guide, 31 Oct 2026. |
How it works
- Get one API key from the Social Data API dashboard. The same key works for TikTok, X, Instagram and Reddit.
- Send the call above with your key in the
x-api-keyheader. - Use the JSON. List endpoints take
count(default 20 results per call, max 50) andcursorfor the next page.
Frequently asked questions
Who can use the TikTok Research API?
Approved non-commercial academic and non-profit researchers in the US, EEA, UK, Switzerland, Canada and Brazil youth-safety research. Commercial users are explicitly not accepted, per TikTok's own FAQ.
Why was I rejected?
The usual reasons are commercial use, a for-profit affiliation, or a research design TikTok does not approve. Rejection is common, and there is no appeal that changes the eligibility rules.
Is this a replacement for the Research API?
For public data, yes. Profiles, videos, search and comments are all available here with no application. If your institution needs a specific data licence or an ethics review, check with them first, this page is not legal advice.
How much does a study cost?
500 videos plus 20,000 comments is 1,025 calls, which is $3.08 on pay as you go, or inside the $29 Basic plan. The 3-day free trial gives you 100 calls to test the data first.
Start the 3-day free trial: 100 calls on TikTok, card required, $29/mo after trial unless you cancel. Get your API key or try it in the Playground.
Prices checked on 2026-11-08. Instagram is next after X, then Reddit, all on the same single API key.