SE Ranking's API FAQ

Q I'm getting a 402 "Insufficient Funds" error, but my dashboard shows credits available. What's wrong?

A This error is returned with the message Insufficient funds, API key is temporarily disabled. This is the most common issue new customers hit. It typically means your API key hasn't been fully linked to your credits yet — this can happen right after purchase or after a plan change. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the error persists for more than 10 minutes, contact us and our support team will help resolve the issue.

Q I'm getting a 401 Unauthenticated error. What does it mean?

A 401 is an authentication failure, not a credits problem. The request did not carry a valid API key, so the balance on the account is irrelevant to it — you can hit 401 with a fully funded API Wallet.

What to check:

• the key is sent in the request exactly as it appears in the API Dashboard, with no truncation or extra whitespace;
• the key still exists — a key that was deleted or rotated stops authenticating immediately;
• you are using the key type the endpoint expects (see Can I use the same API key for Data and Project endpoints?).

If the key is correct and current and you still get 401, contact us with the key name and the timestamp of a failing request.

Q I'm getting a 403 error, but my API Wallet shows credits available. What does it mean?

A 403 means the account does not currently hold Data API access, which is a separate question from how much funds is in the wallet. Data API entitlement comes from an active subscription or add-on; a wallet balance on its own is not counted towards that verdict. So an account can hold credits and still be refused.

What to check:

• whether the plan or add-on that grants Data API access is still active, and has not expired or been downgraded;
• whether you are calling from a sub-account or an agency client account rather than the main account that holds the entitlement;
• the API Dashboard, which reports Data API access and the wallet balance as two separate things.

If the add-on looks active and you are still getting 403, contact us and we will check the entitlement on the account.

Q Can I use the same API key for Data and Project endpoints?

A Yes. One API key authenticates calls to both Data and Project endpoints. Both endpoint types are served from api.seranking.com through the Data API gateway, so you don't need a separate Project API key.

Q I hit a rate limit while testing. How do I find out what limits apply to my plan?

A Rate limits vary by plan and can be hit quickly when testing at scale. Your plan's limits are listed in the documentation. We recommend checking them before running any bulk queries so you can pace your requests accordingly.

Q How do I know how many credits each API call costs?

A Credit costs vary by endpoint. Before running large jobs, check the per-endpoint pricing in the documentation to estimate your usage. You can monitor your running credit balance in the API Dashboard at any time.

Q I'm seeing "Your plan does not include API credits. Upgrade your plan or top up your balance to get started." What does it mean?

A It means your current subscription or balance does not include Data API credits yet. To start making calls, either upgrade to a plan that includes Data API credits or top up your account balance, then create/keep your API key. If you believe credits should already be available, contact us.

Q How can I track my API credit usage and see the cost of each request?

A You can monitor your running credit balance at any time in the API Dashboard, and per-endpoint credit costs are listed in the documentation so you can estimate consumption before large jobs.

Q I bought account balance, but the Data API still says "No API access." Why?

A An SE Ranking account balance fund SE Ranking's pay-as-you-go tools (such as the Keyword Grouper and Search Volume Checker). They do not reactivate Data API access on an account whose trial has expired — the Data API requires an active paid plan that includes API credits or dedicated pay-as-you-go API credits. If your trial has ended, adding account balance alone will not restore Data API access; upgrade to a plan that includes Data API credits or purchase a dedicated pay-as-you-go API credits. If you believe API access should already be active, contact us.

Q How do API Wallet (pay-as-you-go) credits work, and in what order are my credits used?

A The API Wallet holds dedicated pay-as-you-go Data API credits and is separate from your general SE Ranking account balance (which funds pay-as-you-go tools like the Keyword Grouper and Search Volume Checker). Unlike that general balance, API Wallet credits do grant Data API access — a first API Wallet top-up can activate Data API even if your plan or trial has expired.

Where to find it: your API Wallet balance appears on the main card of the API Dashboard and in a dedicated Wallet section, where you can top up, set up auto-recharge, enable low-balance alerts, and review your transaction history. Auto-recharge and low-balance alerts are shown on the Wallet page as "Coming soon" and cannot be configured yet.

Order credits are used: the API credits included in your plan and any add-on packages are consumed first; your API Wallet balance is drawn down only after those included credits reach zero.

Just topped up but don't see access yet? Credits are applied asynchronously after a purchase and your balance refreshes within a short delay, so access may not appear instantly. Wait a moment and refresh the API Dashboard. If a purchased balance still isn't reflected, contact us.

Q Do API Wallet credits expire or reset monthly?

A No. API Wallet credits are bought as a one-off pay-as-you-go top-up. They do not expire and they are not reset at the start of a billing period — an unused wallet balance carries forward until you spend it.

This is the opposite of the API credits included in a plan or add-on package, which are renewed on your billing cycle and do not roll over. Because plan and add-on credits are consumed first, your wallet balance is usually only touched once the renewable allowance for that period has run out.

Q Which plans and account types can top up the API Wallet?

A There is no plan-level restriction on buying API Wallet credits. Core and Growth accounts can top up the API Wallet, and so can other paid plans — the check is on the account, not on the plan name.

Topping up is not available when:

• you are signed in to a sub-account — the purchase has to be made from the main account;
• the account is a client account created inside an agency workspace;
• the account has no subscription record attached to it;
• the credits would have nowhere to be delivered — for example, an active plan that includes no Data API quota at all.

If you expect to be able to top up and the option is unavailable, contact us and we will check the account.

Q Why don't my API Wallet credits appear in the /account/subscription response?

A This is expected. The /account/subscription endpoint reports your subscription state only — balance, type and whether it has expired. It does not include API Wallet credits, so a wallet top-up will not change what that endpoint returns. Check your API Wallet balance in the API Dashboard instead. If you bought wallet credits and they are not visible there either, contact us.

Q Can I delete, regenerate or restrict an API key?

A You manage your keys in the API Dashboard, in the API keys table.

• Delete: you can delete a Data API key from the keys table. Your last remaining Data API key cannot be deleted — create a replacement key first, then remove the old one.
• Regenerate: the Project API key can be rotated, which issues a new value and invalidates the old one. Update every integration using it straight after rotating.
• Restrict: API keys cannot currently be scoped or restricted — there is no setting for IP allowlists, endpoint scopes or per-key permissions. A key is created with a type and a name only. If a key may have been exposed, delete or rotate it rather than trying to limit it.

If you need a key revoked urgently, contact us.