Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the API Services

• Q1: Do all API calls count towards my daily limits?
• Q2: What is the maximum number of requests per second my client can issue?
• Q3: What is the maximum number of API keys I can have in my account?
• Q4: What happens if I don't have enough prepaid credit in my account?
• Q5: Why do I get this error? ‘The API key you specified is not valid for the version of the API you are invoking’
• Q6: I have a question that isn't answered in the FAQ. Can you help?

Q1: Do all API calls count towards my daily limits?

No, only requests that actually generate random values are counted towards your key's daily request limit. This means you can invoke the following methods from the Basic and Signed APIs for free:

• getUsage
• getResult
• verifySignature

If you use the ticketing features available in Release 3 and later, the following methods are also free:

• createTickets
• listTickets
• getTicket

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Q2: What is the maximum number of requests per second my client can issue?

We have DoS protection in place that will kick in if you issue more than 10 requests/second from the same IP address. If this happens, your IP address will be blocked for 24 hours.

If your applications requires a higher rate, please get in touch and we will help. Please do not distribute your traffic across several IP addresses to try and circumvent our DoS protection.

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Q3: What is the maximum number of API keys I can have in my account?

You can have up to 10 API keys in a regular RANDOM.ORG account. If you need more, please let us know.

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Q4: What happens if I don't have enough prepaid credit in my account?

Your API key usage is billed on a calendar month basis and happens retroactively on the 1st of every month. For example, billing for your API use in February will happen on March 1st.

If you don't have sufficient credit in your account on the 1st of the month, your RANDOM.ORG account will go into a negative balance. This will be flagged in the billing summary email you receive on the 1st of the month. We will not stop your keys at this point, but if it happens, you should add credit as soon as possible to make sure your API keys continue working.

If your account is still in a negative balance on the 3rd of the month, we will send you an additional warning email to remind you that your keys are at risk of being stopped.

If your account is still in a negative balance on the 5th of the month, we will stop your API keys and send you an email to inform you that we have done so. If you wish to start your keys again, you will need to add credit to your RANDOM.ORG account, such that it no longer has a negative balance.

For more information, please see the Billing Page.

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Q5: Why do I get this error? ‘The API key you specified is not valid for the version of the API you are invoking’

You can get this error if you're using the URL for the Release 1 endpoint of the API where you should be using a newer endpoint. Release 1 of the API should no longer be used.

Have a look at the documentation for the Basic API or the Signed API to find the correct URL for the endpoint.

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Q6: I have a question that isn't answered in the FAQ. Can you help?

We are happy to take additional questions! Just drop us an email.

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