API Keys, Free Tier, and Shared Quota
When building applications or integrating agents, managing authentication and usage limits can quickly become complex. Developers often face a maze of different keys, billing plans, and quotas for each service they want to use. This can lead to fragmented oversight, unexpected charges, and a steep learning curve just to get started.
At ToolYour, we believe in simplicity and clarity. That's why we've streamlined the experience for developers accessing our powerful suite of over 200 tools. Whether you're integrating ToolYour into a web application via our REST API or empowering an AI agent with Model Context Protocol (MCP), you'll use one API key, operate under one unified plan, and manage one transparent usage quota. Our goal is to make it easy for you to focus on building, not on bureaucracy.
This post will walk you through the essential facts about ToolYour's API keys free tier, how to manage your usage, and what to expect as you scale your projects.
Creating an API Key
Your ToolYour API key is the gateway to programmatic access to our tool catalog. It's a unique identifier that authenticates your requests and links them to your account's usage. All ToolYour API keys are easily recognizable by their ty_ prefix.
To generate your API key:
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Sign in or Sign Up: Visit https://www.toolyour.com/signup to create a free account, or log in to your existing one.
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Navigate to the Dashboard: Once logged in, head over to your ToolYour Dashboard.
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Access API Keys Section: Locate and click on the "API Keys" section. You can directly access it here: https://www.toolyour.com/dashboard/api-keys.
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Generate New Key: Follow the prompts to create a new API key. Make sure to copy and store it securely immediately, as it may not be fully retrievable after creation.
Remember, treat your API key like a password. Do not share it publicly or embed it directly into client-side code without appropriate proxying.
If you create multiple keys—for example, for development and production—they all use the same account quota. Extra keys help you organize access; they do not multiply your monthly allowance.
Header Format
To authenticate your requests to the ToolYour API, you'll need to include your API key in a specific HTTP header. This applies to both REST API calls and interactions with the ToolYour MCP endpoint.
The required header is X-Api-Key. You'll set its value to your ty_ prefixed API key.
Here's an example of how this might look in a typical HTTP request:
GET /some/api/resource HTTP/1.1
Host: api.toolyour.com
X-Api-Key: ty_YOUR_API_KEY_HERE
For MCP clients such as Cursor or Claude, use the same header with the remote MCP endpoint at https://api.toolyour.com/mcp. Step-by-step client setup is on our MCP setup page.
This consistent header format ensures a uniform authentication method across all ToolYour API surfaces.
Free Tier Limits
Getting started with ToolYour is designed to be accessible. Every new account comes with a generous API keys free tier to help you prototype and develop without immediate costs.
Specifically, you receive 500 free requests per month. This quota refreshes at the beginning of each calendar month. On the Free plan, there is also a limit of 5 requests per minute, in addition to the monthly cap.
This free tier is perfect for:
- Experimentation: Try out various tools like our AI Video Summarizer or Keyword Checker to see how they fit your workflow.
- Development: Build and test your applications, agents, or integrations using real API calls.
- Low-volume production: For very light usage scenarios, the free tier might even cover your initial production needs.
It's important to differentiate between API usage and browser usage. Many of ToolYour's 200+ tools, such as the Image Compressor or PDF to DOCX Converter, are available for free directly in your browser without requiring a signup or an API key. The free tier limits specifically apply to requests made programmatically via the REST API or MCP.
Only successful tool calls count toward your monthly allowance. Requests that fail because of invalid input generally do not.
To keep track of your current usage against the free tier limit, you can always check your dashboard at https://www.toolyour.com/dashboard.
REST and MCP Share Quota
One of the cornerstones of the ToolYour developer experience is simplicity: your API key and monthly quota are shared across all programmatic access methods. This means the 500 free requests (and any subsequent paid quota) apply collectively to both:
- REST API Calls: Direct HTTP requests to our API endpoints for categories like file converters, SEO and site tools, documents, and text utilities. You can find more details about calling tools via REST in our developer documentation at https://www.toolyour.com/developers/docs/calling-tools.
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) Interactions: Requests made by AI agents (such as Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and other MCP-compatible clients) to our remote MCP server at https://api.toolyour.com/mcp.
This unified quota system eliminates the need for separate billing cycles or usage tracking for different programmatic interfaces. You don't need a separate API key for your agent or a separate monthly allowance for REST versus MCP. It's all managed under one roof.
MCP Considerations
When using ToolYour with MCP, it's important to understand which tools are accessible. Our MCP server, detailed on its dedicated setup page at https://www.toolyour.com/developers/mcp, exposes only the API-backed tools from our extensive catalog. Tools that are designed for browser-only use are not available via MCP.
Browsing and exploring the catalog does not use quota. When an agent actually runs a tool through MCP, that successful run counts toward the same monthly allowance as a REST API call.
To get started with agent integrations, visit our developers portal at https://www.toolyour.com/developers and explore the MCP documentation at https://www.toolyour.com/developers/mcp.
Upgrading Plans
The 500 free requests per month provide a great starting point, but as your application or agent scales, you'll likely need more capacity. ToolYour offers paid plans designed to accommodate higher volumes of requests.
Upgrading your plan is a straightforward process. All our plans are structured around increasing your shared monthly quota for API (REST and MCP) usage. There are no separate plans or keys for different access methods.
To explore our available plans and upgrade your account:
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Visit the Pricing Page: Go to https://www.toolyour.com/pricing.
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Choose a Plan: Select the plan that best fits your anticipated usage. Each plan clearly outlines the number of requests included.
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Manage Subscription: Follow the steps to subscribe. Your increased quota will be immediately available.
Upgrading increases your monthly request allowance and gives you higher throughput than the Free plan. If you reach your limit, requests are blocked until you upgrade or your quota resets at the start of the next calendar month. There is no pay-as-you-go overage billing. Learn more in our documentation at https://www.toolyour.com/developers/docs/usage-and-plans.
FAQ
Here are answers to some common questions about ToolYour API keys, free tier, and usage:
Q: What is an API key used for?
A: Your API key authenticates your programmatic requests to ToolYour's REST API and MCP server, linking usage to your account for billing and quota tracking. It's a unique identifier starting with ty_.
Q: How many free requests do I get with the API keys free tier?
A: Every new ToolYour account receives 500 free requests per month. This quota refreshes at the start of each calendar month. The Free plan also includes a limit of 5 requests per minute.
Q: Do REST API and MCP use separate quotas or API keys?
A: No, they share the same API key and the same monthly usage quota. Billable requests from REST and MCP count toward your unified allowance.
Q: Can I use ToolYour tools without an API key?
A: Yes, many of ToolYour's 200+ tools are freely available for direct use in your web browser at https://www.toolyour.com, no signup or API key required. The API key is specifically for programmatic access by applications and agents.
Q: What happens if I exceed my free tier limit?
A: Once you exceed 500 requests in a month on the free tier, or hit the per-minute limit, further requests are blocked until your quota resets or you upgrade to a paid plan at https://www.toolyour.com/pricing.
Q: Do multiple API keys give me more quota?
A: No. Quota is enforced per account, not per key. You can create separate keys for different environments, but they all share one monthly allowance.
Q: Where can I manage and view my API keys?
A: You can manage and generate new API keys from your dashboard at https://www.toolyour.com/dashboard/api-keys.
Q: What is the X-Api-Key header?
A: X-Api-Key is the HTTP header where you must place your ty_ prefixed API key for authentication when making requests to the ToolYour API or MCP endpoint.
Conclusion
ToolYour is built to simplify your development journey, not complicate it. By offering a unified API keys free tier, a single API key for all programmatic access (REST and MCP), and a transparent shared quota, we aim to provide a clear path from experimentation to production. You get 500 free requests per month to explore over 200 tools, authenticated with a simple ty_ prefixed key in the X-Api-Key header. When you're ready to scale, upgrading your plan seamlessly increases your quota for all your applications and agents.
Ready to integrate ToolYour into your next project or empower your AI agent?
- Generate your first API key: https://www.toolyour.com/dashboard/api-keys
- Dive into our comprehensive developer documentation: https://www.toolyour.com/developers
- Explore our pricing plans for expanded usage: https://www.toolyour.com/pricing