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Reader uses API key authentication. Every request to https://api.reader.dev/v1/* must include a valid key in the x-api-key header.

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Get an API key

Open Dashboard →

Sign up free at app.reader.dev. You get 1,000 credits every month on the free tier - no credit card required.
Inside the dashboard:
  1. Click API Keys in the sidebar
  2. Click Create API Key and give it a name
  3. Copy the key - it starts with rdr_ and is shown only once
API keys are shown once at creation time. Store them securely (environment variables, a secrets manager) - never commit them to version control or expose them in client-side code.

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Using your key

Pass the key in the x-api-key header on every request: 
curl -X POST https://api.reader.dev/v1/read \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-key: rdr_your_api_key" \
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com"}'

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Managing keys

All key management happens in the dashboard - not through the API. This is intentional: rotating, revoking, and creating keys is a privileged operation that shouldn’t be scriptable from a compromised key.
  • List keys - API Keys page in the dashboard
  • Create a new key - Click “Create API Key”
  • Revoke a key - Click the trash icon next to any key
  • Rotate a key - Create a new one, update your app, then revoke the old one
You can have up to 10 active keys per workspace. Use separate keys for development, staging, and production so you can rotate them independently.

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Error responses

StatusMeaning
401 UnauthorizedMissing, invalid, or revoked x-api-key header
402 Payment RequiredKey is valid but the workspace has run out of credits
403 ForbiddenKey doesn’t have permission for the requested resource
See the full Errors reference for status code details and retry guidance.

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Where to go next

Make your first request

60-second walkthrough from key creation to first scrape.

POST /v1/read

Full reference for the unified scrape/crawl/batch endpoint.