API keys provide a simple, long-lived way to authenticate with the Keyword Insights public API. Unlike Bearer tokens (which expire), API keys remain valid until you delete them — making them ideal for scripts, integrations, and automated workflows.
API key access is available on Professional and Premium plans. If you’re on a different plan, you’ll be prompted to upgrade when attempting to create an API key.
Creating an API Key
- Log in to your Keyword Insights dashboard.
- Navigate to API Keys from the left sidebar menu.
- Click the Create API key button.
- Enter a descriptive name for the key (e.g. “Python scripts”, “N8N integration”).
- Click Create.
Once created, your API key will be displayed once. Copy it immediately and store it in a secure location — you will not be able to see the full key again.
Your key will look like this:
kwi_sk_aBcDeFgHiJkLmNoPqRsTuVwXyZ1234567890abc
kwi_sk_aBcDe...) along with the creation date and last used date.
Using the API Key
Pass your API key in the X-API-Key header with every request:
import requests
API_KEY = "kwi_sk_your_api_key_here"
BASE_URL = "https://api.keywordinsights.ai"
response = requests.get(
f"{BASE_URL}/api/user/",
headers={"X-API-Key": API_KEY},
)
print(response.json())
Treat your API key like a password. Do not commit it to version control or share it publicly. Use environment variables to store it securely.
Storing the Key Securely
We recommend loading your API key from an environment variable:
export KWI_API_KEY="kwi_sk_your_api_key_here"
import os
API_KEY = os.environ["KWI_API_KEY"]
Example: Create a Clustering Order
import os
import requests
API_KEY = os.environ["KWI_API_KEY"]
BASE_URL = "https://api.keywordinsights.ai"
payload = {
"project_name": "My clustering project",
"keywords": [
"keyword clustering",
"keyword research",
"topical authority",
],
"search_volumes": [2300, 3210, 5500],
"language": "en",
"location": "United States",
"device": "desktop",
"clustering_method": "volume",
"grouping_accuracy": 4,
"hub_creation_method": "medium",
"insights": ["cluster", "rank", "context"],
"url": "https://example.com",
"folder_id": "<your_folder_id>",
}
response = requests.post(
f"{BASE_URL}/api/keywords-insights/order/",
headers={"X-API-Key": API_KEY},
json=payload,
)
order = response.json()
print(order)
order_id that you’ll use to retrieve results once the order is processed.
Managing API Keys
You can manage your API keys from the dashboard at any time:
- View keys — see all active keys with their prefix, creation date, and last used date.
- Delete keys — revoke a key immediately. Any application using that key will lose access.
To delete a key, click the trash icon next to the key and confirm the deletion.
Deleting an API key is immediate and permanent. Make sure no active integrations depend on the key before deleting it.
API Key vs. Bearer Token (Deprecated)
| API Key (Recommended) | Bearer Token (Deprecated) |
|---|
| How to obtain | Dashboard → API Keys | Login endpoint or browser dev tools |
| Header | X-API-Key: kwi_sk_... | Authorization: Bearer eyJ... |
| Expires | Never (until deleted) | After a set period |
| Best for | Scripts, integrations, automation | — |
Bearer token authentication is deprecated. If you are currently using Bearer tokens, we strongly recommend migrating to API keys. Bearer tokens will continue to work for now, but may be removed in a future update.
Migrating from Bearer Tokens
If you have existing code using Bearer tokens, switching to API keys is a one-line change — replace the Authorization header with X-API-Key:
# Before (deprecated)
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {JWT_TOKEN}"}
# After (recommended)
headers = {"X-API-Key": API_KEY}
