# Adeli — full text A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. Adeli is the social media publishing API by King's Cross Labs, Inc., at tryadeli.com. It is not affiliated with any other company using the Adeli name. Source: https://www.tryadeli.com Generated from the route manifest; 33 pages. --- # Adeli — Unified Social Media API A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/ Last updated: 2026-09-29 ## About Adeli Adeli is a unified social media API that publishes to X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook through one REST endpoint. A unified social media API to publish, schedule, and measure posts across every major social network. Adeli is the social media publishing API by King's Cross Labs, Inc., at tryadeli.com. It is not affiliated with any other company using the Adeli name. ## Quick facts ### what Adeli owns Adeli maintains the developer app on every supported network, completes each platform's review process, and manages OAuth connections and token refresh cycles — a team integrating with Adeli holds one API key instead of one relationship per platform. ### when a post fails Adeli returns a per-platform status on every publish and fires a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on one network never blocks the others and never has to be reported to a user as a generic error. ### what Adeli charges for Adeli bills per connected account (an Instagram account, TikTok account, YouTube channel, Facebook Page, or X account counts as one), with no per-post fees on any network except X, whose API usage fees Adeli passes through at X's published rates. ### who Adeli is for Adeli is used both by teams building social publishing into their own product and by individual creators, marketers, and founders operating it through an AI agent such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor rather than writing code directly. ## Supported platforms Available today: X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook. Coming soon: LinkedIn, Reddit, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky, Google Business Profile. ## Add social posting to your product in three steps ### Get your API key Sign in with Google and create a key from the dashboard in a few minutes. No procurement, no sales call, no months-long integration project. ### Integrate in minutes A single endpoint to post, schedule, and manage content. Drop it into your product and go. ### Your users post everywhere Your product supports every major social network, and you never maintain an integration for any of them. ## One social media API. Every way to build. Use the API to integrate into your product or handoff to your AI agents. ### One endpoint One predictable endpoint for every network. Connect accounts once, then publish everywhere. ### Agent ready Give Claude, Codex, Cursor, or your own agent a clean way to create and schedule posts or analyze your social channels. ### Live status React to account connections and post status changes the moment they happen. ### Code samples #### TypeScript ```ts const res = await fetch("https://app.tryadeli.com/api/v1/posts", { method: "POST", headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}`, "Content-Type": "application/json", }, body: JSON.stringify({ content: "We shipped it.", platforms: ["instagram", "tiktok"], publishNow: true, }), }); ``` #### Python ```python import requests res = requests.post( "https://app.tryadeli.com/api/v1/posts", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"}, json={ "content": "We shipped it.", "platforms": ["instagram", "tiktok"], "publishNow": True, }, ) ``` #### cURL ```bash curl https://app.tryadeli.com/api/v1/posts \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "content": "We shipped it.", "platforms": ["instagram", "tiktok"], "publishNow": true }' ``` ## Everything you need to ship social features Skip months of integration work. Give your product real publishing, scheduling, and reporting with one API. ### Multi-network publishing One payload fans out to every connected account, with per-network formatting handled for you. ### Built-in scheduling Queue posts for any future time and let the delivery layer worry about retries and timezones. ### No OAuth hassle We hold the developer apps, the token refreshes, and the review processes. You hold one API key. ### Multi-account management Every one of your users connects their own accounts, cleanly scoped and isolated from each other. ### Post analytics Read engagement, reach, and follower metrics back through the same endpoint you published with. ### Instant delivery Publish now or schedule later. Either way you get a status back and a webhook when it lands. ## You don't have to write code to use it Wire social posting into the automation tools your team already runs, or hand the whole thing to an agent. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I try it before paying for anything? Yes. Sign in at app.tryadeli.com and connect up to three accounts for free, with no credit card. You only add a card when you connect a fourth. ### How do I get access? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with your Google account. That creates your Adeli account, and you can create an API key from the dashboard straight away. Your first three connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ### Which social networks are supported? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X are supported today. LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, Reddit, and Threads are coming soon — tell us what else you want to see from us. ### Do I need to create developer apps or go through a review process on each platform? No. We maintain the developer apps on every platform and go through each review process ourselves. We also manage token refresh cycles, platform updates, and any content reviews that need to happen. All you have to manage is one API key — we take care of the rest. ### What happens if a post fails on one platform? The other platforms still go out. You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so you can surface a precise error instead of a generic failure. ### Can I schedule posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it is due. You can list, update, or cancel anything in the queue through the API. ### Is this only for developers or companies building products? No. You can also use it if you are a creator, marketer, founder, or growth person who wants to reach your marketing and social media APIs through Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any other AI agent. ### I have a question that isn't answered here. Email hello@tryadeli.com and a human will get back to you. Billing, rate limits, volume pricing, security review — whatever it is, we would rather answer it before you integrate than after. ## Other pages - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing Last updated: 2026-09-21 ## What Adeli costs Adeli costs nothing for your first 3 connected accounts. After that you pay per connected account per month: $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for accounts 11–50, $2 each for accounts 51–100, and $1 each for accounts 101–2,000. Every account includes unlimited posts, scheduling, post analytics, and full API access. No credit card required until your fourth account. Above 2,000 connected accounts, pricing is custom — email hello@tryadeli.com. Pricing is graduated: crossing into a band reprices only the accounts inside that band, never the ones below it. Billed by the day: an account connected for part of a month costs part of a month. Billing details: https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing There are no per-post fees, except on X: X's API usage fees are passed through at X's published rates (https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing). One X account is one connected account. ## Price per connected account, per month (USD) | Connected accounts | Price per account | Total at the top of the band | | --- | --- | --- | | 1–3 | Free | $0 at 3 accounts | | 4–10 | $5 | $35 at 10 accounts | | 11–50 | $3 | $155 at 50 accounts | | 51–100 | $2 | $255 at 100 accounts | | 101–2,000 | $1 | $2,155 at 2,000 accounts | | 2,000+ | Talk to sales — hello@tryadeli.com | Custom volume pricing and support | ## Worked examples - 10 connected accounts: $35 per month. - 50 connected accounts: $155 per month. - 100 connected accounts: $255 per month. - 500 connected accounts: $655 per month. ## Included on every tier - Unlimited posts - Scheduling - Post analytics - Full API access ## Frequently asked questions ### What counts as a connected account? Each social profile counts as one account: an Instagram account, TikTok account, YouTube channel, Facebook Page, or X account. A user who connects Instagram and TikTok uses two accounts. Each user's accounts stay separate. ### How do pricing tiers work? Each rate applies only to the accounts in that tier. Accounts 4–10 cost $5 each per month; account 11 costs $3. With the first three free, 11 accounts cost $38 a month. ### How long is the free tier available? Your first three connected accounts are free for as long as you use Adeli. They include unlimited posts, scheduling, analytics, and full API access. You only need a card when you connect a fourth account. X API fees still apply. ### When do I add a card, and when am I charged? Add a card through Stripe when you connect your fourth account. We charge it when usage reaches $10. After each successful payment, the threshold doubles ($20, $40, and so on) up to $200. Any remaining balance is charged on the 1st of the next month. [How billing works](https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing) ### What if I add or remove an account mid-month? You pay for the days each account is connected. Ten days in a 30-day month counts as a third of an account. We total those fractions at month-end and apply the pricing tiers, including the first three accounts free. Charges for a removed account stop the next day. [How billing works](https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing) ### What happens if a payment fails? Stripe retries your card for about two weeks. Everything keeps working during that time. If all retries fail, you must pay the balance before connecting new accounts. Existing accounts keep working. [How billing works](https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing) ### How do I stop paying? Disconnect accounts until you have three or fewer. Account charges stop the next day; you still owe any balance already accrued. Your card stays on file if you add more accounts later. X API fees still apply if you use X. [How billing works](https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing) ### Do prices include tax? Prices exclude tax. We add sales tax, VAT, or GST where required, based on your billing address. You can enter your business VAT or GST number when adding a card. [How billing works](https://app.tryadeli.com/docs/billing) ### Do failed posts, retries, or API calls cost extra? Adeli charges per connected account, with unlimited posts and no extra fees for retries or API calls. X API usage is charged separately at X's published rates. ### Does posting to X cost extra? Yes. X charges per API request, including posts and reads of analytics, comments, and messages. We pass those fees through at X's published rates. Your X account also counts toward your connected account total. ### Do I need to choose a plan or upgrade? Pricing adjusts automatically as you add or remove accounts. Every tier includes the same features. ### How do I get an API key? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with Google, then create an API key in the dashboard. ### Still have a question? Email hello@tryadeli.com. Our team will get back to you. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Privacy Policy What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy Last updated: 2026-09-09 ## Full text The complete, authoritative text of this document is published at https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy. It is not mirrored in markdown, and no summary of it appears here: a paraphrased legal document would be a different legal document. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Terms of Service The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/terms Last updated: 2026-09-09 ## Full text The complete, authoritative text of this document is published at https://www.tryadeli.com/terms. It is not mirrored in markdown, and no summary of it appears here: a paraphrased legal document would be a different legal document. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Social Media Posting & Scheduling API Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api Last updated: 2026-09-29 Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes content to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one endpoint, either right away or at a time you set. Adeli holds the developer apps, token refreshes, and platform reviews, so you hold one API key instead of one per network. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get access? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with your Google account. That creates your Adeli account, and you can create an API key from the dashboard straight away. Your first three connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ### Which social networks are supported? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X are supported today. LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, Reddit, and Threads are coming soon — tell us what else you want to see from us. ### Do I need to create developer apps or go through a review process on each platform? No. We maintain the developer apps on every platform and go through each review process ourselves. We also manage token refresh cycles, platform updates, and any content reviews that need to happen. All you have to manage is one API key — we take care of the rest. ### What happens if a post fails on one platform? The other platforms still go out. You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so you can surface a precise error instead of a generic failure. ### Can I schedule posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it is due. You can list, update, or cancel anything in the queue through the API. ### Is this only for developers or companies building products? No. You can also use it if you are a creator, marketer, founder, or growth person who wants to reach your marketing and social media APIs through Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any other AI agent. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Social Media Analytics API Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, and follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, for every network Adeli supports. Included on every pricing tier, with no extra Adeli fee. On X, X's per-request API fees are passed through at X's rates. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get access? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with your Google account. That creates your Adeli account, and you can create an API key from the dashboard straight away. Your first three connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ### Is there a dedicated analytics API with its own endpoints? Not today. Post analytics — engagement, reach, and follower metrics — comes back through the same endpoint you use to publish, rather than through a separate analytics-specific API surface. ### What analytics data does Adeli return? Engagement, reach, and follower metrics for posts published through Adeli, on every network it supports today: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X. ### Does analytics cost extra? No. Post analytics is included in every pricing tier, including the free band that covers your first connected accounts, alongside unlimited posts, scheduling, and full API access. The one exception is X, which charges per API request: Adeli passes X's API usage fees through at X's published rates. ### Can I get analytics for posts I didn't publish through Adeli? No. Post analytics are scoped to posts published through Adeli — pull the same post ID you got back when you published to read its metrics. ### Do I need a separate OAuth connection to read analytics? No. Analytics reads use the same connected accounts as publishing — nothing new to authorize. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Social Media Commenting API Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli reads, replies to, and moderates comments on posts published through Adeli, across every live network — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X — through the same API you publish with. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get access? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with your Google account. That creates your Adeli account, and you can create an API key from the dashboard straight away. Your first three connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ### Can I read, reply to, or moderate comments through Adeli? Yes. Adeli's commenting API lets you read the comments left on a post you published, reply to them, and moderate what shows up — hide or remove comments — across every connected account. ### Which networks support the commenting API? Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X — the same networks Adeli publishes to today, through the same API and the same connected-account pricing. ### Does the commenting API cost extra? No. Comment reading, replying, and moderation are included on every pricing tier, including the free band that covers your first connected accounts, alongside unlimited posts, scheduling, and analytics. The one exception is X, which charges per API request: Adeli passes X's API usage fees through at X's published rates. ### Is comment moderation available across every network, or just some? Every network Adeli publishes to today — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X. There's no network where posting is live but commenting isn't. ### Can I read comments on posts I didn't publish through Adeli? No. Comment reading, replying, and moderation are scoped to posts published through Adeli, the same way post analytics are. ### Do I need a separate OAuth connection for the commenting API? No. Comments use the same connected accounts as publishing and analytics — nothing new to authorize. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Social Media Messaging API Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli reads and replies to direct messages your connected accounts receive, across every live network — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X — through the same API you publish with. Adeli does not send outbound or unsolicited messages. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get access? Sign in at app.tryadeli.com with your Google account. That creates your Adeli account, and you can create an API key from the dashboard straight away. Your first three connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ### Can I read or reply to direct messages through Adeli? Yes. Adeli's messaging API lets you read the messages your connected accounts receive and reply to them, across every live network, through the same API you publish and read analytics with. ### Can I send outbound or unsolicited messages through Adeli? No. Adeli's Terms of Service state that the Service does not allow sending outbound or unsolicited messages. This is a reply-to-inbound feature — there's no cold-DM campaign or message-blast capability. ### Which networks support the messaging API? Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X — the same networks Adeli publishes to today, through the same API and the same connected-account pricing. ### Does the messaging API cost extra? No. Reading and replying to messages is included on every pricing tier, including the free band that covers your first connected accounts, alongside unlimited posts, scheduling, and analytics. The one exception is X, which charges per API request: Adeli passes X's API usage fees through at X's published rates. ### Can I read messages on accounts I haven't connected through Adeli? No. Message reading and replying are scoped to accounts connected through Adeli, the same way posting and analytics are. ### Do I need a separate OAuth connection for the messaging API? No. Messaging uses the same connected accounts as publishing and analytics — nothing new to authorize. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Instagram API for Developers Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli publishes feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels to Instagram through the same endpoint as every other network. No Meta developer app, review process, or token refresh for your team to own. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Adeli support Instagram's content posting requirements? Adeli handles the Instagram developer app and Meta's review process on your behalf and publishes through Instagram's own posting API. We don't restate Instagram's technical requirements here, since Meta sets and changes those — what's true is that you never register your own Instagram app or go through Meta's review to use Adeli. ### Which Instagram post types can Adeli publish? Feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels, all through the same endpoint you use for every other network. ### Do I need my own Meta developer account? No. Adeli maintains the Instagram developer app and carries Meta's review process itself, so you never register your own app or wait on Meta's approval. ### Can my users connect their own Instagram accounts? Yes. Every one of your users connects their own Instagram account through Adeli, cleanly scoped and isolated from your other users' accounts. ### Can I schedule Instagram posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it's due — the same mechanism used for every other connected network. ### What happens if a post to Instagram fails? You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on Instagram doesn't block posts going out to your other connected networks. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # TikTok API for Developers Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli publishes to TikTok through the same endpoint as every other network. No TikTok developer app, review process, or token refresh for your team to own. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Adeli support TikTok's content posting requirements? Adeli handles the TikTok developer app and its review process on your behalf and publishes through TikTok's own posting API. We don't restate TikTok's technical requirements here, since TikTok sets and changes those — what's true is that you never register your own TikTok app or go through TikTok's review to use Adeli. ### Do I need my own TikTok developer account? No. Adeli maintains the TikTok developer app and carries TikTok's review process itself, so you never register your own app or wait on TikTok's approval. ### Can my users connect their own TikTok accounts? Yes. Every one of your users connects their own TikTok account through Adeli, cleanly scoped and isolated from your other users' accounts. ### Can I schedule TikTok posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it's due — the same mechanism used for every other connected network. ### What happens if a post to TikTok fails? You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on TikTok doesn't block posts going out to your other connected networks. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # YouTube API for Developers Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli publishes to YouTube through the same endpoint as every other network. No Google developer app, review process, or token refresh for your team to own. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Adeli support YouTube's content posting requirements? Adeli handles the YouTube developer app and Google's review process on your behalf and publishes through YouTube's own Data API. We don't restate YouTube's technical requirements here, since Google sets and changes those — what's true is that you never register your own YouTube app or go through Google's review to use Adeli. ### Do I need my own Google Cloud / YouTube developer account? No. Adeli maintains the YouTube developer app and carries Google's review process itself, so you never register your own app or wait on Google's approval. ### Can my users connect their own YouTube channels? Yes. Every one of your users connects their own YouTube channel through Adeli, cleanly scoped and isolated from your other users' channels. ### Can I schedule YouTube posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it's due — the same mechanism used for every other connected network. ### What happens if a post to YouTube fails? You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on YouTube doesn't block posts going out to your other connected networks. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Facebook API for Developers Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli publishes to Facebook through the same endpoint as every other network. No Meta developer app, review process, or token refresh for your team to own. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Adeli support Facebook's content posting requirements? Adeli handles the Facebook developer app and Meta's review process on your behalf and publishes through Facebook's own Graph API. We don't restate Facebook's technical requirements here, since Meta sets and changes those — what's true is that you never register your own Facebook app or go through Meta's review to use Adeli. ### Do I need my own Meta developer account? No. Adeli maintains the Facebook developer app and carries Meta's review process itself, so you never register your own app or wait on Meta's approval. ### Can my users connect their own Facebook Pages? Yes. Every one of your users connects their own Facebook Page through Adeli, cleanly scoped and isolated from your other users' Pages. ### Can I schedule Facebook posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it's due — the same mechanism used for every other connected network. ### What happens if a post to Facebook fails? You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on Facebook doesn't block posts going out to your other connected networks. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # X (Twitter) API for Developers Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x Last updated: 2026-09-22 Adeli publishes to X through the same endpoint as every other network. No X developer app, review process, or token refresh for your team to own. X charges per API request, and Adeli passes those fees through at X's published rates. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Adeli support X's posting requirements? Adeli handles the X developer app and X's own review process on your behalf and publishes through X's posting API. We don't restate X's technical requirements here, since X sets and changes those — what's true is that you never register your own X app or go through X's review to use Adeli. ### Do I need my own X developer account? No. Adeli maintains the X developer app and carries its review process itself, so you never register your own app or wait on X's approval. ### Can my users connect their own X accounts? Yes. Every one of your users connects their own X account through Adeli, cleanly scoped and isolated from your other users' accounts. ### How much does it cost to post to X through Adeli? One X account is one connected account on Adeli's pricing, and your first 3 connected accounts are free. On top of that, X charges per API request: $0.015 per post, $0.20 per post with a link, and $0.005 per post read. Adeli passes X's API usage fees through at X's published rates, so check X's pricing page for the current numbers. ### Can I schedule X posts for later? Yes. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post sits in the queue until it's due — the same mechanism used for every other connected network. ### What happens if a post to X fails? You get a per-platform status on the response plus a webhook when anything changes, so a failure on X doesn't block posts going out to your other connected networks. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/compare Last updated: 2026-09-29 Adeli is an API-first social media API, billed per connected account with the first 3 free. These comparisons show, with sourced prices, where it costs less or fits a developer's product better than each alternative. ## Comparisons - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare Last updated: 2026-09-29 Adeli and Ayrshare are both social media publishing APIs. Adeli bills per connected account, with the first 3 free and no monthly minimum. Ayrshare bills per end-customer profile, starting at $149/month. Adeli costs less at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. ## Comparison | | Adeli | Competitor | | --- | --- | --- | | Starting price | Free for the first 3 connected accounts, then $5/account (4–10), down to $1/account at volume | $149/month (Premium) — 1 profile, up to 14 accounts across networks | | Monthly minimum | None. You pay per connected account, so 5 accounts cost $10/month | $149/month, the Premium plan price | | Free to try | 3 connected accounts free for as long as you use Adeli, no credit card required | 28-day free trial, no credit card (Launch plan only) | ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Adeli cheaper than Ayrshare? Yes, at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. 5 connected accounts cost $10/month on Adeli versus Ayrshare's $149/month Premium minimum. At Premium's cap of 14 accounts, Adeli is $47 against $149. At Launch's cap of 140 accounts, Adeli is $295 against $299. Above 140, Ayrshare prices its remaining tiers by profile count without a published account cap, so the comparison stops there. ### Does Adeli have a free plan, or just a trial? A free plan. Your first 3 connected accounts on Adeli are free for as long as you use it, with no credit card required. Ayrshare offers a 28-day free trial on its Launch plan. ### Why do Adeli and Ayrshare price things so differently? Different billing units. A profile on Ayrshare is one end-customer, who can connect several social accounts under it, and plans start at $149/month. Adeli charges per connected social account directly, on a graduated ladder with no monthly minimum, so you pay only for the accounts you actually connect. ### Why pick Adeli over Ayrshare? Adeli costs less at every account cap Ayrshare publishes, has no $149/month minimum, and keeps your first 3 connected accounts free with no time limit. There are no per-post fees on non-X networks. And it's API-first: the API is the product, built for developers and AI agents that publish for their users. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post Last updated: 2026-09-29 Adeli and Upload-Post are both social media publishing APIs. Adeli bills per connected account, with the first 3 free, TikTok included, and no upload cap. Upload-Post bills per end-customer profile, starting at $24/month, and its free tier excludes TikTok and caps uploads at 10 a month. ## Comparison | | Adeli | Competitor | | --- | --- | --- | | Free tier | 3 connected accounts, free for as long as you use Adeli. Includes TikTok. No upload cap, no card required | 2 profiles, 1 seat, 30 video minutes/mo, 10 uploads/mo — excludes TikTok | | First paid step | $5/account for accounts 4–10, so 5 connected accounts cost $10/month | $24/month for 5 profiles (Basic) | | Posting limits | No upload or video-minute cap, free or paid, and no per-post fees on non-X networks | Free tier capped at 10 uploads and 30 video minutes a month | ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Adeli cheaper than Upload-Post? Yes, at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. At 5 connected accounts, Adeli costs $10/month versus Upload-Post's Basic plan at $24/month. At 225 accounts, Adeli costs $380/month versus Upload-Post's Business plan at $438/month for 225 profiles. Both examples assume one connected account per Upload-Post profile, since Upload-Post doesn't publish a ratio. ### Does Upload-Post's free tier cover TikTok? No. Upload-Post's free tier excludes TikTok, and caps you at 30 video minutes and 10 uploads a month. Adeli's free tier, your first 3 connected accounts, includes TikTok along with Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X, with no separate video-minute or upload cap. ### Why do Adeli and Upload-Post price things so differently? Different billing units. A profile on Upload-Post is one end-customer, who can connect more than one social account under it. Adeli charges per connected social account directly. Upload-Post's pricing page doesn't state how many accounts fit in a profile, so every per-account comparison on this page says it's assuming one account per profile. ### Why pick Adeli over Upload-Post? Adeli's free tier gives you 3 connected accounts, including TikTok, with no upload cap, where Upload-Post's free tier gives 2 profiles, no TikTok, and 10 uploads a month. Adeli also costs less at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. And it's API-first: the API is the product, built for developers and AI agents that publish for their users. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late) Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio Last updated: 2026-09-29 Zernio, formerly Late (getlate.dev), and Adeli are both social media APIs priced the same way: per connected account, on a graduated ladder. Adeli costs less at every example bill Zernio publishes, and gives 3 free accounts to Zernio's 2. ## Comparison | | Adeli | Competitor | | --- | --- | --- | | Pricing model | Per connected account, graduated: first 3 free, $5 (4–10), $3 (11–50), $2 (51–100), $1 (101–2,000) | Per connected account, graduated: first 2 free, $6 (3–10), $3 (11–100), $1 (101+) | | Free accounts | 3, no credit card required | 2, no credit card required | | Price per account, accounts 4–10 | $5 | $6 | | Price per account, accounts 51–100 | $2 | $3 | ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Zernio the same company as Late (getlate.dev)? Yes. Late rebranded to Zernio. getlate.dev now permanently redirects to zernio.com, and Zernio's rebrand page says existing Late API keys, webhooks, and integrations keep working. If you're searching for the Late API or a Late API alternative, this is the comparison you want. ### Is Adeli cheaper than Zernio? Yes, at every account count Zernio publishes an example bill for, and both companies bill the same unit, so this is a direct comparison. 10 connected accounts cost $35/month on Adeli and $48 on Zernio. 20 cost $65 against $78. 100 cost $255 against $318. 1,000 cost $1,155 against $1,218. Adeli also gives you 3 free accounts to Zernio's 2. ### Why pick Adeli over Zernio (Late)? Adeli bills the same way Zernio does, per connected account, but costs less at every example bill Zernio publishes, and gives you 3 free accounts instead of 2. It's API-first: the API is the product, built for developers and AI agents that publish for their users. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer Last updated: 2026-09-29 Buffer is a social media management app, and its API is a feature of that app: it automates a Buffer account, with daily request limits of 100 to 500 depending on plan. Adeli is built API-first for developers embedding social features in their own product, where your users connect their own Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X accounts and you pay per connected account, with the first 3 free. ## Comparison | | Adeli | Competitor | | --- | --- | --- | | Core product | The API. Adeli is built API-first for developers embedding social publishing in their own product, or running it from an AI agent | A social media management app for creators, small businesses, and teams. The API is one feature of it, for “actions against your own Buffer account and organization” | | Whose accounts it posts to | Your users' accounts: each user connects their own to your product, scoped and isolated from each other. No Buffer account needed | Channels connected inside a Buffer account. A personal key reaches your account only. OAuth apps act on your users' Buffer accounts | | API request limits | Will be published alongside the API documentation | Per key: 100 requests per 15 minutes, and 100 a day on Free, 250 on Essentials, 500 on Team | | Analytics and community through the API | Analytics, comments, and DMs through the same API you publish with | Posts, ideas, channels, and post metrics. Buffer says it plans to add analytics and community features “for personal use cases” | | API history | The API is the product, not an add-on to an app | Legacy REST API closed to new apps in October 2019 and retires February 1, 2027. A GraphQL API replaces it | | Pricing | Per connected account: first 3 free, then $5 (4–10), $3 (11–50), $2 (51–100), $1 (101–2,000). No per-post fees on non-X networks | Per channel: Free for 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each, then Essentials $5 or Team $10 per channel/month billed yearly | ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Buffer API built for developers? It's built for automating Buffer. Buffer's main product is a social media management app for creators, small businesses, agencies, and other teams posting to their own channels. Its API takes actions against your own Buffer account and organization: posts, ideas, accounts, and channels. Buffer says it plans to add analytics and community features to the API for personal use cases. Adeli works the other way round: the API is the product, built for developers embedding social features in their own product. ### What happens to the legacy Buffer REST API? Buffer closed registration for new apps on its legacy REST API in October 2019, and says the legacy API will be fully retired on February 1, 2027, after which legacy endpoints stop returning data. Its replacement is a GraphQL API. If you're migrating anyway, it's a good moment to decide whether you want to build on top of Buffer accounts or on a social media API your own users connect to directly. ### Can I use the Buffer API to post to my users' accounts? Only through their Buffer accounts. Buffer's OAuth lets your app act on behalf of users who have a Buffer account, with scopes for posts, ideas, and account. The social channels themselves are connected inside Buffer. With Adeli, your users connect their social accounts to your product directly, each one scoped and isolated, and nobody needs a Buffer account. ### What are the Buffer API rate limits? Per API key: 100 requests per 15 minutes on every plan, and 100 requests a day on Free, 250 on Essentials, and 500 on Team. That fits automating your own posting. It's tight as the backend for a product with many users. Adeli's rate limits will be published alongside its API documentation. ### Is Adeli cheaper than Buffer? Yes, once you pass the free tier. Both bill per connected account, which Buffer calls a channel, and both start free for 3. Buffer's free plan caps you at 10 scheduled posts per channel; Adeli's free accounts have no post cap. At 5 connected accounts, Adeli is $10/month and Buffer Essentials is $25/month billed yearly. At 10, Adeli is $35 and Buffer Essentials is $50. Buffer discounts channels above 10 but doesn't publish the rate, so the comparison stops there. ### Why pick Adeli over the Buffer API? Adeli is built API-first for developers putting social publishing inside their own product: your users connect their own accounts, nobody needs a Buffer account, and analytics, comments, and DMs come through the same API you publish with. It also costs less than Buffer Essentials at every channel count Buffer prices outright. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # The Adeli Blog Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog Last updated: 2026-10-05 Guides, explainers, and changelogs from the team building Adeli. ## Posts - [How to Get TikTok API Access (Step by Step)](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/how-to-get-tiktok-api-access.md) (How-to, 2026-10-05): How to get TikTok API access: pick a portal, register as a developer, create an app, add scopes, pass app review, then the audit for public posting. - [Instagram API Access Blocked? Causes and Fixes by Error](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-access-blocked.md) (How-to, 2026-10-05): Why Instagram Graph API access gets blocked or restricted: app enforcement, missing Advanced Access, verification, renewals, dead tokens, and rate limits. - [Is the TikTok API Free? What It Actually Costs](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-tiktok-api-free.md) (Explainer, 2026-10-05): TikTok charges no fee for its posting API, but you pay in app review, the Content Posting API audit, daily caps, and token upkeep. Here's the full cost. - [Post to Instagram via API: Images, Reels, Stories, Carousels](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-instagram-via-api.md) (How-to, 2026-10-05): How to post to Instagram via the Graph API: prerequisites, the container, status, and publish calls, and curl for images, Reels, Stories, and carousels. - [How to Post to TikTok via API (Content Posting API)](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-tiktok-via-api.md) (How-to, 2026-10-05): Post to TikTok via API with the Content Posting API: scopes, creator info, FILE_UPLOAD vs PULL_FROM_URL, status checks, privacy rules, and the audit. - [Facebook Graph API: Access, Tokens, Posting, Review](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/facebook-graph-api.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): What the Facebook Graph API is, how an app gets access (Meta app, permissions, tokens, App Review), how to post and read insights, and where it breaks. - [Instagram API: A Developer's Guide to the Graph API](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): The Instagram API explained: Instagram Login vs. Facebook Login, account types, permissions, access tokens, app review, and what you can build with it. - [Instagram and TikTok MCP Servers for Claude](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-mcp-for-claude.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): Five kinds of Instagram and TikTok MCP servers work with Claude. Compare what each can post, whose developer app it runs on, and who does the app review. - [Is the Instagram API Free? What It Actually Costs](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): The Instagram API has no fees, but it costs weeks of time: app review, account limits, token refresh, and setup. Here's where the time goes. - [How Long Does Meta App Review Take? (Instagram API)](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): How long Meta app review takes for Instagram API permissions, why rejections stretch it to weeks, and what the screencast and use case need to pass. - [TikTok API for Business vs TikTok for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): TikTok has two developer portals with different APIs, review gates, and limits. What each one offers, what the other lacks, and which one you need. - [X API Pricing: What It Costs to Post to X](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/x-api-pricing.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-29): X API pricing is pay-per-use: $0.015 per post, $0.20 per post with a link, $0.005 per post read. What that costs at SaaS and AI-agent scale. - [What Is a Unified Social Media API?](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/what-is-a-unified-social-media-api.md) (Explainer, 2026-09-22): A unified social media API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one integration. Here's how it works and when to use one. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. --- # Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/agents Last updated: 2026-09-22 Publish posts, schedule content, and read back analytics across Adeli's live networks by talking to an AI assistant instead of writing an integration, through our MCP server, an agent skill, or the API directly. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does this work with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini and other LLMs? Yes. Adeli's MCP server and agent skill are built for exactly this: give Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini, GrokBot, Instinct, Meta Muse, or any other AI assistant a clean way to create and schedule posts or analyze your social channels. ### Do I need to write code to use Adeli with an agent? No. Point your agent at Adeli through the MCP server or an agent skill and direct it in plain language. Writing code against the API directly is only necessary if you're building your own agent. ### What's the difference between the MCP server and the API? The MCP server and the agent skill are both ways for an AI assistant to use Adeli on your behalf without you writing an integration. The API is the same underlying capability exposed directly, for a developer building their own agent or product. ### Which social networks can my agent post to? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X are supported today. LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, Reddit, and Threads are coming soon. The list is the same whether you're publishing through an agent or the API directly. ### Is this only for developers? No. It's for creators, marketers, founders, or growth people who want to reach Adeli through Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any other AI agent, as well as developers building their own agent. ## Other pages - [Adeli — Unified Social Media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/index.md): A unified social media API: publish, schedule, and measure posts across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X with a single request. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.tryadeli.com/privacy-policy.md): What personal information King's Cross Labs collects through Adeli, why, and what you can do about it. - [Terms of Service](https://www.tryadeli.com/terms.md): The binding agreement between you and King's Cross Labs governing your use of Adeli. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Social Media Analytics API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-analytics-api.md): Adeli returns post analytics — engagement, reach, follower metrics — through the same endpoint you publish with, not a separate, dedicated analytics API. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Messaging API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-messaging-api.md): Read and reply to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X DMs through the same API you publish with. No outbound or unsolicited messaging. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [YouTube API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/youtube.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for YouTube through one API. Adeli owns the YouTube developer app, token refresh, and Google review. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [Ayrshare Alternative: Adeli vs. Ayrshare API Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/ayrshare.md): Adeli vs. Ayrshare: 3 connected accounts free, no $149/month minimum, and a lower bill at every account cap Ayrshare publishes. Sourced pricing. - [Upload-Post Alternative: Adeli vs. Upload-Post Pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/upload-post.md): Adeli vs. Upload-Post: 3 free connected accounts with TikTok and no upload cap, and a lower bill at both of Upload-Post's published tier caps. - [Late API Alternative: Adeli vs. Zernio (formerly Late)](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/zernio.md): Zernio is the rebranded Late (getlate.dev). Adeli bills per connected account too, but costs less at every Zernio example bill and gives 3 free accounts. - [Buffer API Alternative for Developers: Adeli vs. Buffer](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare/buffer.md): Buffer is a social media app; its API automates a Buffer account, with small daily limits. Adeli is API-first, for developers embedding social in their product. - [The Adeli Blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md): Guides, explainers, and changelogs on publishing to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one social media API. --- # How to Get TikTok API Access (Step by Step) How to get TikTok API access: pick a portal, register as a developer, create an app, add scopes, pass app review, then the audit for public posting. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/how-to-get-tiktok-api-access Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-10-05. ## The short answer To get TikTok API access, pick a portal (TikTok for Developers or TikTok API for Business), register as a developer, create an app, add the products and scopes you need, record a demo video, and submit for app review. Public posting through the Content Posting API needs a second audit after that. Adeli maintains its own TikTok developer app and goes through TikTok's review, so you can publish through one API instead. **You get TikTok API access by registering an app in one of TikTok's two developer portals, getting each scope approved in app review, and, if you want public posts, passing a separate Content Posting API audit.** Signing up takes minutes. The reviews take days to weeks each. ## Does TikTok have an API? **Yes. TikTok has several official APIs, split across two developer portals.** [TikTok for Developers](https://developers.tiktok.com/products/) has Login Kit and the Content Posting API. [TikTok API for Business](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/get-started-guide/v1.3) has the Accounts API, Marketing API, and Business Messaging API. Each portal has its own developer accounts, apps, and reviews. Access in one doesn't carry over to the other. | | TikTok for Developers | TikTok API for Business | | --- | --- | --- | | Portal | developers.tiktok.com | business-api.tiktok.com | | Posting product | Content Posting API | Accounts API | | Who can register | Anyone with an email | Companies only, with a company email and website | | Gates before public posting | App review, then the Content Posting API audit | Developer profile review, Accounts API Access Application Form, then app review | | Can you build before approval? | Yes, in sandbox and as an unaudited client | No | ## What do you need before you start? TikTok reviews your business as well as your code. Have these ready before you register: - **A real company website.** TikTok's [app review guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/app-review-guidelines) reject landing pages and login pages. The site needs to describe your product and company. - **Visible legal pages.** Put working links to your privacy policy and terms of service where visitors can see them without opening a menu. - **A company email on that domain.** The business portal rejects personal and temporary email addresses. - **A working product.** TikTok won't approve apps that are still in development or testing, or that are only for private or personal use. - **A redirect URI.** Web apps that use Login Kit must provide a valid one. ## Step 1: Pick your portal **Choose the portal by what your product does with the accounts it connects.** If users sign in with TikTok and post their own content, use TikTok for Developers. If you manage accounts for brands or clients, use TikTok API for Business. We compared the two in detail, including what each API can and can't do, in [TikTok API for Business vs TikTok for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers). The steps below cover both. ## Step 2: Register as a developer **On TikTok for Developers, you [sign up](https://developers.tiktok.com/signup) with an email and can create an app right away.** TikTok recommends creating or joining an organization to own the app, though it isn't required. **On TikTok API for Business, registration is reviewed.** The [registration guide](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/register-as-a-developer/v1.3) asks for: - **A verified company email.** TikTok suggests a shared alias such as developers+tiktok@yourcompany.com, so your whole team can get into the account. - **A user type.** Technology Company, Direct Advertiser, or Agency. It has to match the rest of your profile. - **Your company name and website.** The website must be public, fully built, owned by your company, and on the same domain as your email. TikTok can't onboard personal websites or individual developers. - **A detailed use case.** Explain how you plan to use TikTok data and the API. Vague answers get profiles rejected. TikTok says you'll hear back **within three business days**. When we went through it, the profile review was also where domain checks came in, before anyone looked at an app. We covered [why business developer profiles get rejected](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers#why-do-tiktok-business-developer-profiles-get-rejected) and how to fix it. ## Step 3: Create a developer app **The app is what TikTok reviews.** It holds your client key and secret, and its name is what users see on the authorization screen. On TikTok for Developers ([create an app](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/getting-started-create-an-app)), you fill in: 1. **App icon.** 1024 × 1024 px, JPEG or PNG, up to 5 MB. 2. **Name, category, and description.** The name must be your product's name. It can't reference a social media company, so "TikTok scheduler" fails. 3. **Terms of service and privacy policy URLs.** You verify them under URL properties before submitting. 4. **Platforms.** Web, desktop, Android, or iOS. Mobile apps must already be live in the App Store or Google Play. On TikTok API for Business ([create a developer app](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/create-a-developer-app/v1.3)), you give the app a name, a description of its intended uses and who can access it, up to 10 redirect URLs, and the permission scopes it needs. Each developer can have up to five apps. ## Step 4: Add products and scopes **Request only the scopes your app uses, because every one of them has to appear in your demo video.** TikTok asks you to remove any scope you don't use before you submit. These are the TikTok for Developers scopes that matter for posting and analytics, from TikTok's [scopes reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/tiktok-api-scopes): | Scope | What it allows | Needs review? | | --- | --- | --- | | `user.info.basic` | Open ID, avatar, display name | No, granted by default | | `user.info.profile` | Bio, verification status, profile links | Yes | | `user.info.stats` | Follower, following, like, and video counts | Yes | | `video.list` | The user's public videos | Yes | | `video.publish` | Post directly to the user's profile | Yes | | `video.upload` | Send content to the user's drafts | Yes | To post, add the **Content Posting API** product and turn on its **Direct Post** configuration, as TikTok's [Content Posting API guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) describes. If TikTok will pull videos from your URLs, verify that domain or URL prefix too. On TikTok API for Business, posting, comments, and insights all sit under one scope, **TikTok Accounts**. Since March 20, 2026, you have to complete the **Accounts API Access Application Form**, linked from the [Accounts API overview](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api/v1.3), before you submit an app or request a scope increase that includes it. ## Step 5: Build in sandbox and record your demo **TikTok for Developers requires a sandbox demo if your app has never been approved.** [Sandbox mode](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/add-a-sandbox) lets you test without review: up to 5 sandboxes per app and 10 target users per sandbox. It doesn't support public posting through the Content Posting API. Reviewers grade the demo video. TikTok's guidelines ask for: - **The full flow.** At least one video, up to 5, each under 50 MB, showing the integration end to end. - **Every scope in use.** Each product and scope you selected has to appear on screen. - **Your real domain.** The website in the video has to match the URL you submitted. - **The app opening.** Mobile apps show it launching. What helped when we recorded TikTok demos: show TikTok's real authorization screen with your app's name on it, use a connected account with real data instead of empty states, and keep the video to what your written use case claims. ## Step 6: Submit for app review **Submit once the app details, scopes, and demo are in place, then wait.** TikTok for Developers says app review [may take several days to two weeks](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/getting-started-faq). TikTok API for Business says its app review may take **2 to 3 business days**. If TikTok for Developers rejects the app, the reviewer's comments show up in the app's History section. On TikTok API for Business, the result shows under Verification Status in My Apps, and you can edit the request and submit it again. For what review took in practice, and what happened when we added APIs later, see [how long TikTok app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers#how-long-does-tiktok-app-review-take). ## Step 7: Pass the Content Posting API audit for public posts **App approval on TikTok for Developers doesn't make your posts public.** Until your app passes a separate audit, TikTok's [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) limit it to: - **5 posting users per 24 hours.** - **Private accounts only.** Every account posting through your app has to be set to private. - **`SELF_ONLY` posts.** Only the creator can see what you publish. You apply through the [audit application](https://developers.tiktok.com/application/content-posting-api). The audit checks that your posting screen meets the guidelines: the creator's nickname, a privacy selector with no default, unchecked comment, Duet, and Stitch toggles, a commercial content disclosure option, the Music Usage Confirmation line, a content preview, and a notice that the post may take a few minutes to appear. Passing doesn't remove every limit. TikTok sets a **daily cap on active creators** for each app based on the usage estimates in your audit application, and each creator account can post **around 15 times a day** through Direct Post. The Accounts API on the business side has no separate posting audit, but it only publishes videos as public. How to make the actual calls once you're approved is in [how to post to TikTok via API](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-tiktok-via-api). ## How long does it take to get TikTok API access? **If you need public posting, plan for several weeks.** Each gate has its own wait, and a rejection at any of them sends you back to the queue. | Gate | Portal | TikTok's stated wait | | --- | --- | --- | | Developer registration | TikTok for Developers | None, immediate | | Developer profile review | TikTok API for Business | Within 3 business days | | Accounts API Access Application Form | TikTok API for Business | Not stated | | App review | TikTok for Developers | Several days to two weeks | | App review | TikTok API for Business | 2 to 3 business days | | Content Posting API audit | TikTok for Developers | Not stated | ## Why do TikTok API applications get rejected? **Most of the rejection reasons in TikTok's docs are about your company and website.** These are the ones TikTok names: - **Personal or unfinished apps.** Apps for private use, or still in development or testing. - **A thin website.** A landing page, a login page, or legal links hidden in a menu. - **A name that references TikTok** or another social media company. - **Scope mismatch.** Scopes you requested but don't show in the demo. - **Profile mismatch.** On the business portal, a personal email, a website that doesn't match your email domain, or a vague use case. ## Is there a faster way to get TikTok API access? **Yes, if you build on an API that already has TikTok access.** Adeli maintains the TikTok developer app, goes through TikTok's review process, and handles token refresh for every connected account. Your team doesn't register an app on either portal. - **Your users' own accounts.** Each user connects their own TikTok account, isolated from everyone else's. - **One endpoint for every network.** TikTok posts go through the same [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X. - **Clear failures.** Every publish returns a per-platform status plus a webhook when anything changes. Your first 3 connected accounts are free. See the [TikTok API page](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) for what's supported. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get the TikTok API for posting? On TikTok for Developers, add the Content Posting API product to your app, turn on Direct Post, request the video.publish scope, and pass app review. Your posts stay private until you also pass the Content Posting API audit. On TikTok API for Business, posting comes with the TikTok Accounts scope, which needs the Accounts API Access Application Form before app review. ### How do I get the TikTok business API? Create a TikTok for Business account, register as a developer at business-api.tiktok.com with a company email and company website, and wait for the profile review. Then complete the Accounts API Access Application Form, create a developer app with the TikTok Accounts scope, and submit it for review. ### Can an individual developer get TikTok API access? Mostly not. TikTok API for Business says it can't onboard personal accounts or individual developers and asks for a company website. TikTok for Developers lets you sign up with any email, but its review guidelines reject apps built for private or personal use. ### Does adding a new TikTok scope mean another review? In our experience, yes. When we added APIs to an approved TikTok app, it went through another review round. On TikTok API for Business, a scope increase that includes TikTok Accounts also needs the Accounts API Access Application Form first. ## Related Adeli pages - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Instagram API Access Blocked? Causes and Fixes by Error Why Instagram Graph API access gets blocked or restricted: app enforcement, missing Advanced Access, verification, renewals, dead tokens, and rate limits. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-access-blocked Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-10-05. ## The short answer Instagram API access usually gets blocked for one of eight reasons: Meta restricted or disabled the app, a permission lacks Advanced Access, Business Verification is missing, the annual data access renewal lapsed, a token expired or was revoked, the account isn't Business or Creator, Instagram restricted the account, or a rate limit hit. The error code tells you which. Adeli owns the Meta app, review, and token refresh. When your Instagram API access is blocked, the cause is almost always one of **eight things**: Meta restricted or disabled your app, a permission lacks Advanced Access, Business Verification is missing, your annual data access renewal lapsed, a token expired or was revoked, the account isn't a Business or Creator account, Instagram restricted the account itself, or you hit a rate limit. Each one returns a different **error code**, so start with the code, then apply the fix for that cause. App review and token basics have their own posts: [how long Meta app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time) and the [Instagram API guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide). ## Why is my Instagram API access blocked? Most blocks come from Meta's rules, and they fall into **three groups**: - **App-level blocks.** Meta has restricted or deactivated the app, the app only has Standard Access, Business Verification isn't done, or the data access renewal deadline passed. These hit every connected account at once. - **Account-level blocks.** One user's token expired or was revoked, the account is personal rather than professional, or Instagram restricted that account. These hit one account at a time. - **Throttling.** The app, a user, or an Instagram account went over a rate limit or the daily publishing cap. These clear on their own after a wait. **Start by checking whether every account fails or only one.** If all of them fail, look at the app. If one fails, look at that account and its token. ## How do I tell which block I hit? **Read the `code` and `error_subcode` fields in the error response.** The table maps the codes Meta documents to their causes and fixes. Sources: Meta's [Graph API error handling](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/guides/error-handling), [Instagram error codes](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/error-codes), and [rate limiting](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/rate-limiting) docs. | Error or symptom | Likely cause | Fix | |---|---|---| | **Code 190**, or subcodes 458, 460, 463, 467 | Token expired, invalid, password changed, or the user removed your app | Have the user log in again; refresh tokens before expiry | | **Code 10** or **200–299** | Missing permission, or the permission lacks Advanced Access | Request the permission; get Advanced Access through App Review | | Other businesses can't grant permissions, and features are inactive | Business Verification not complete | Verify the business connected to the app | | **Code 24 / 2207006** or **36001 / 2207005** | Missing permission or expired token (Instagram) | Check the token's scopes, then reconnect the account | | **Code 25 / 2207050** | "The Instagram account is restricted" | The account owner resolves it in Instagram | | **Code 4 / 2207051** | Instagram flagged the activity as possible spam | Slow down and retry later | | **Code 368** | Temporarily blocked for policy violations | Wait, then fix the behavior that triggered it | | **Code 4, 17, or 80002** | App, user, or Instagram rate limit reached | Back off; read the usage headers | | **Code 9 / 2207042** | 100-post daily publishing cap reached | Wait for the rolling 24-hour window | | Every call fails, plus an email or developer alert from Meta | App restricted or deactivated by enforcement | Fix the violation, then appeal | | Every call fails after a renewal notice went unanswered | Data access renewal deadline missed | Complete the renewal in the App Dashboard | If you're stuck on the app-level rows, [Adeli's Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) moves them off your plate: Adeli holds the Meta developer app and goes through its review. ## Is my Meta app restricted or disabled? **If every account fails at once and Meta has emailed you, the app has probably been enforced on.** It's the most serious kind of Meta API access block. Meta's [enforcement page](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/terms-and-policies/enforcement) lists the actions it can take for a Platform Terms or Developer Policies violation: - **A warning**, sometimes with a deadline to fix the issue. - **A temporary restriction** on certain actions, such as posting content. - **Revoked permissions and features.** - **Deactivation and removal of the app.** - **Deactivation and deletion of the developer account.** **Meta notifies you in two places:** the contact email in your app's **Settings > Basic** panel, and the developer alerts inbox. Meta says developer alerts have to be turned on in your developer settings, so check that they are. **To fix it:** 1. **Read the violation.** The [developer appeals page](https://developers.facebook.com/appeal) lists every app Meta has enforced on and the terms or policies it says you broke. 2. **Fix the behavior.** Meta says you may need to debug your app, update its integration, or stop the behavior that isn't compliant. 3. **Appeal.** Submit the appeal from the appeals page. If you got a warning, you can ask for an extension by replying to the warning email from the app's contact email address. ## Why can only my own accounts connect? **Your permissions probably have Standard Access only.** Meta's [access levels doc](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/access-levels) says Standard Access permissions "can only be requested from app users who have a role on the requesting app." Your own test accounts work. Your customers' accounts don't. **The fix is Advanced Access**, which requires Business Verification and, for most Instagram permissions, App Review. That's the step people search as "Instagram API approval." There's no separate Instagram process: every permission, such as `instagram_business_content_publish`, goes through Meta App Review. Our post on [how long Meta app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time) covers the timeline and the rejections to expect. ## Does missing Business Verification block API access? **Yes, for any app that serves other businesses.** Meta's [Business Verification doc](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/release/business-verification) says apps that request Advanced Access, or let other businesses access their own data, must be connected to a verified business. Until then, "app users from other Businesses will be unable to grant these apps permissions and all features will be inactive." **To fix it,** go to **Settings > Basic > Verification** in the App Dashboard and select **Start Verification**. An admin of the business finishes the process in Business Manager. ## Did my data use checkup or annual renewal lapse? **If you ignored a renewal notice, your app may be deactivated.** Meta's Data Use Checkup is an annual certification that your use of Meta APIs still complies with its terms. Meta is folding it into a single **data access renewal**, together with data handling questions, App Review, and the Data Protection Assessment. The rules from Meta's [data access renewal FAQ](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/resp-plat-initiatives/data-access-renewal/faqs/): - **The deadline is 60 calendar days** from the first notification. - **Missing it deactivates the app** "until data access renewal is completed." - **Extensions will not be provided.** **To fix it,** complete the renewal from the App Dashboard. In the [Data Use Checkup doc](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/maintaining-data-access/data-use-checkup), that means reviewing your approved permissions, certifying compliance, answering data handling questions, and giving testing instructions. ## Why did a working Instagram access token stop working? **The token expired or was invalidated, and error code 190 tells you so.** Meta's subcodes narrow it down: | Subcode | Meaning | What the user does | |---|---|---| | **458** | App not installed (the user removed your app) | Reconnect | | **460** | Password changed | Log in again | | **463** | Expired | Log in again | | **467** | Invalid access token | Log in again | **Long-lived Instagram Login tokens last 60 days**, and a token nobody refreshes is gone for good. Run a refresh job for every connected account. A 190 on one account means that user has to reconnect; your other accounts keep working. The [Instagram API guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide) walks through the refresh call. For Facebook Login tokens, the [`debug_token` endpoint](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/debug_token/) shows whether a token is valid, when it expires, and which scopes it carries. ## Why won't the Instagram account itself work? **The account is either the wrong type or restricted by Instagram.** - **Personal accounts never work.** The Instagram API only supports **Business and Creator** accounts. The user can [switch to a professional account](https://help.instagram.com/502981923235522) for free, then reconnect. - **Facebook Login needs a linked Page.** If you build with Facebook Login, the professional account also has to be linked to a Facebook Page the user manages. - **Restricted accounts return code 25 / 2207050.** Meta describes this as an inactive or checkpointed account. Your app can't fix it; the owner has to clear it inside Instagram. - **Spam flags return code 4 / 2207051.** Meta's message reads "We restrict certain activity to protect our community." ## Am I being rate limited? **Codes 4, 17, 80002, and 9 / 2207042 mean throttling, which lifts after a wait.** Meta's [rate limiting doc](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/rate-limiting) separates them: | Code | Limit hit | |---|---| | **4** | The app's platform rate limit | | **17** | One user's rate limit | | **80002** | Instagram's business use case limit: 4,800 × the account's impressions per 24 hours | | **9 / 2207042** | 100 API-published posts per account per rolling 24 hours | **Read the headers before you retry.** `X-App-Usage` shows the app's usage as percentages. `X-Business-Use-Case-Usage` includes `estimated_time_to_regain_access` in minutes. For publishing, query `GET //content_publishing_limit` before you post. Our [Instagram API pricing and limits post](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free) has the full list. ## How do I keep Instagram API access from getting blocked again? **Most of it is upkeep on the app and the tokens.** - **Keep the contact email current.** Enforcement and renewal notices go there. - **Turn on developer alerts.** They're the other place Meta notifies you. - **Request only what you use.** Every extra permission is another one you have to justify to Meta. - **Refresh every token on a schedule.** Alert on 190s per account. - **Log error codes and subcodes.** "Access blocked" in your logs tells you nothing; `25 / 2207050` tells you exactly who to email. - **Watch the usage headers.** Slow down before you reach 100%. ## Is there a way to avoid managing Meta access yourself? **Yes. Build on an API that already holds the Meta app.** [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) maintains the developer app on every supported network, completes each platform's review process, and manages OAuth connections and token refresh, so your team never registers its own Meta app. - **One API key.** Your team holds one key instead of a Meta developer app. - **Your users' own accounts.** Each user connects their own Instagram account through Adeli. - **Clear failures.** Account-level problems, like a personal account or an Instagram restriction, still belong to the account. Adeli returns a per-platform status and fires a webhook when anything changes, so you can show the user the actual problem. - **More than Instagram.** The same [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X. On [Adeli's pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing), your first 3 connected accounts are free, with no credit card. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I get my Meta app unblocked after a policy violation? Often, yes. Meta's enforcement page says you can request a review of an enforcement action on the developer appeals page, after you fix the behavior that caused it. Reply from the contact email listed in your app's Settings > Basic panel, because Meta says replies from other addresses don't reach the right team. ### Why does my Instagram API work for my account but not my users'? Your app most likely has Standard Access only. Meta's docs say Standard Access permissions can only be requested from people who have a role on your app. To serve Instagram accounts you don't own or manage, each permission needs Advanced Access, which requires Business Verification and App Review. ### Does a 190 error mean my app is blocked? No. Error code 190 means the access token has expired or is invalid. The app is fine, but that one connected account has to log in again. Refresh Instagram Login tokens before their 60-day expiry so this happens less. ### How long does an Instagram API rate limit block last? It depends on the limit. For business use case limits, Meta returns an estimated_time_to_regain_access value in the X-Business-Use-Case-Usage header, in minutes. The publishing cap of 100 API-published posts per account works on a rolling 24-hour window. ## Related Adeli pages - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Is the TikTok API Free? What It Actually Costs TikTok charges no fee for its posting API, but you pay in app review, the Content Posting API audit, daily caps, and token upkeep. Here's the full cost. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-tiktok-api-free Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-10-05. ## The short answer Yes, the TikTok API is free to use: TikTok publishes no fee for Login Kit, the Content Posting API, or its user and video endpoints. The cost is time. Public posting needs app review plus a separate Content Posting API audit, posts are capped per creator per day, and access tokens expire every 24 hours. Adeli handles the TikTok developer app, review, and tokens behind one API key. TikTok doesn't charge for its developer APIs. TikTok for Developers has **no per-call fees and no paid tier**. What the TikTok API costs is **time**: app review, a second audit before anything you post can be public, a daily cap on posts, and a token refresh job that runs for as long as you have users. For a product that posts on its users' behalf, most of that time comes before the first public post. ## Is the TikTok API free to use? **Yes.** TikTok's documentation for [Login Kit](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/login-kit-overview), the [Content Posting API](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started), and the user and video endpoints lists no usage fee. You register an app on [TikTok for Developers](https://developers.tiktok.com/products/), request scopes, and call the API for free. Here's what's free, and what you pay for in other ways: | | Free | What it costs you | Source | |---|---|---|---| | **API calls** | $0, no paid tier | Nothing in fees | [Content Posting API guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) | | **App review** | Free to submit | "Several days to two weeks" of waiting, per round | [Getting-started FAQ](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/getting-started-faq) | | **Public posting** | Free to apply | A separate Content Posting API audit. Until you pass, every post is private. | [Content Posting API guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) | | **Posting volume** | Free | Around **15 posts per day per creator account**, plus a daily cap on active posting users per app | [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) | | **Tokens** | Free | Access tokens **expire after 24 hours**, so you run a refresh job for every account | [Token management](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/oauth-user-access-token-management) | | **Video hosting** | Free to verify | To pull videos from a URL, you verify ownership of the domain or URL prefix and host the files there | [Media transfer guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-media-transfer-guide) | | **Ads (Marketing API)** | Free to integrate | The ad budget you spend in TikTok Ads Manager | [Marketing API](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/marketing-api?lang=en) | ## Where does the cost of the TikTok API come from? **Most of it lands before your first public post**, and the token and limit work continues every day after. Here's where the hours go when you build on the TikTok API yourself: | Work | What it involves | When it happens | |---|---|---| | **App review** | A written explanation of every product and scope, a demo video of the full flow, then waiting on a decision | Before launch, and again for each new scope | | **Content Posting API audit** | A second review of your posting flow. Until it passes, posts are `SELF_ONLY` and only 5 users can post per 24 hours. | Before any public post | | **Posting UX rules** | Show the creator's nickname, make users pick a privacy level with no default, leave Comment, Duet, and Stitch unchecked, add a commercial content toggle, show a preview, and get express consent | Before the audit, and kept in place after | | **Media handling** | Verified domains for pulled videos, or chunked uploads (5–64 MB chunks) for direct file uploads | Before launch, then ongoing | | **Token lifecycle** | Refreshing 24-hour access tokens for every account, and re-authorizing when the 365-day refresh token runs out | Ongoing, for every connected account | | **Limit handling** | Backing off on HTTP 429s, catching the daily post cap and the active-user cap, and telling users which one they hit | Ongoing | | **Other networks** | All of the above again for Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X | Every network you add | **The audit is the part you control least.** When we went through TikTok's reviews for our clients, each new set of APIs meant another review round, so plan for every added scope to restart the clock. In the demo video, reviewers want to see: - **The consent screen.** TikTok's real authorization screen, not a mockup. - **Every scope in use.** Each permission you request, working in your app. - **The posting UX rules.** The privacy picker with no default, the interaction toggles off, and the preview before upload. If you'd rather skip that queue, [Adeli's TikTok API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) already holds the developer app and has been through TikTok's review. ## How much does the TikTok business API cost? **TikTok API for Business doesn't list a fee for organic posting either. You pay in review time.** "TikTok business API" covers two different things: - **The Accounts API.** Publishing, comments, and insights for Business and Personal accounts. You fill in TikTok's Accounts API Access Application Form, then go through app review. It's a separate portal from TikTok for Developers, with its own app and its own review. - **The Marketing API.** It works with [TikTok Ads Manager](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/marketing-api?lang=en) to create and manage ads and query their data. Integrating it is free. The money goes to the ads you run. Which portal you need depends on what your product does with the accounts it connects. We compare the two in [TikTok API for Business vs TikTok for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers). ## What are the TikTok API rate limits? The TikTok API has **three kinds of limits**: per-minute request limits, a daily post cap per creator, and a daily cap on how many users can post through your app. | Limit | TikTok's rule | Source | |---|---|---| | **User info and video endpoints** | 600 requests per minute for `/v2/user/info/`, `/v2/video/list/`, and `/v2/video/query/`, on a one-minute sliding window | [v2 rate limits](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/tiktok-api-v2-rate-limit) | | **Starting a post** | 6 requests per minute per user access token | [Direct Post reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-direct-post) | | **Posts per creator** | "Typically around 15 posts per day/creator account," and it varies by creator | [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) | | **Active posting users** | A 24-hour cap per app, set from the usage estimates in your audit application | [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) | | **Unaudited apps** | 5 users can post per 24 hours, private only | [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) | | **Accounts API (business portal)** | 40 requests per minute per account per endpoint, and 600 per minute app-wide at the Basic tier. | [Accounts API rate limits](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api-rate-limits/v1.3) | What follows from those rules: - **The daily caps hit before the per-minute limit.** At 6 post requests a minute and around 15 posts a day, a creator reaches the daily cap long before the rate limit. TikTok returns `spam_risk_too_many_posts` for the post cap and `reached_active_user_cap` for the user cap. - **Your customers share the active-user cap.** Every account posting through your app counts toward one daily quota, so a product can hit it as it signs up customers, even if no single account posts much. - **Higher limits are possible.** TikTok says you can request higher rate limits through its support page, and it reviews each request. ## Why do "TikTok API pricing" pages show monthly prices? Many priced "TikTok APIs" in search results are **third-party data or scraper APIs**, not TikTok's own. They sell read access to public TikTok data per request or by subscription, and **they can't publish to your users' accounts**. | | Official TikTok API | Third-party data APIs | |---|---|---| | Cost | Free | Paid, per request or monthly | | Publishes posts | Yes, after review and the audit | No | | Account owner's consent | Yes, through TikTok's login | No | If your product posts on your users' behalf, **the official API, or a service built on it**, is the only route. ## How much does Adeli cost for TikTok? **Your first 3 connected accounts are free**, with no credit card. After that, Adeli charges per connected account per month, and one TikTok account is one connected account. There are **no per-post fees on TikTok**. | Connected accounts | Price per account, per month | |---|---| | 1–3 | Free | | 4–10 | $5 | | 11–50 | $3 | | 51–100 | $2 | | 101–2,000 | $1 | | 2,000+ | Custom, talk to us | Pricing is graduated: crossing into a band reprices only the accounts inside it. Every tier includes unlimited posts, scheduling, post analytics, and full API access. See [Adeli's pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing) for worked examples. ## Should I build on the TikTok API directly? It depends on how many networks you need and how soon. - **Build directly** if TikTok is your only network, you have engineering time, and a few weeks of review and audit won't hold up your launch. The API is free, and the docs are clear about the rules. - **Use a unified API** if TikTok is one of several networks or you need to launch soon. [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) maintains the TikTok developer app, has been through TikTok's review, and refreshes every connected account's tokens, so your team holds **one API key**. The same request publishes to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X through the [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api). To get started, [sign in](https://app.tryadeli.com/sign-in) and create your API key. If you're weighing a direct build, **add up the review rounds, the audit, the token job, and the next network your users will ask for** before you commit. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does TikTok app review take? TikTok's getting-started FAQ says app review may take several days to two weeks after submission. Public posting through the Content Posting API needs a second, separate audit, and until your app passes it, every post is private. ### Do TikTok API access tokens expire? Yes. A TikTok access token is valid for 24 hours, and the refresh token that renews it is valid for 365 days. Your backend has to refresh every connected account's token before it expires, or posting to that account stops working. ### Can I use the TikTok API without an audit? Yes, for testing. An unaudited app can let up to 5 users post in a 24-hour window, every post is limited to private (SELF_ONLY) viewing, and the posting account has to be set to private. Public posting needs the audit. ### Is the Instagram API free too? Yes. Meta charges no fees for the Instagram API either. As with TikTok, the cost is the time it takes to pass app review and keep every account's tokens fresh. ## Related Adeli pages - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Post to Instagram via API: Images, Reels, Stories, Carousels How to post to Instagram via the Graph API: prerequisites, the container, status, and publish calls, and curl for images, Reels, Stories, and carousels. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-instagram-via-api Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-10-05. ## The short answer You can post to Instagram via API with Meta's Instagram Graph API, for Business and Creator accounts only. Every format takes three calls: create a media container from a public URL, wait for its status to read FINISHED, then call media_publish. Reels use media_type=REELS, Stories use STORIES, and carousels combine child containers. Each account can publish 100 posts per 24 hours. Adeli publishes all four formats through one API key. To post to Instagram via API, you use Meta's **Instagram Graph API** and its content publishing flow: **create a media container, check that it's ready, then publish it**. It works for **Business and Creator accounts**, and the same three calls cover single images, Reels, Stories, and carousels. Below are the curl requests from Meta's docs for each format, then the posting limit and the errors you're most likely to hit. For app setup, logins, and access tokens, start with our [Instagram API guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide). This post picks up where that one leaves off, at the first publish call. ## Can you post to Instagram via API? **Yes.** Meta's [content publishing API](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing) lets an approved app publish to Instagram professional accounts. It supports four formats: | Format | How you create it | Media | |---|---|---| | **Single image** | `image_url` | JPEG | | **Reel** | `media_type=REELS` + `video_url` | MOV or MP4 | | **Story** | `media_type=STORIES` + `image_url` or `video_url` | JPEG, MOV, or MP4 | | **Carousel** | `media_type=CAROUSEL` + `children` | 2 to 10 images, videos, or a mix | A few things can't be published through the API: **shopping tags, filters, and Story stickers** (link, poll, and location stickers). Meta lists these in the [content publishing limitations](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing) and the [IG User media reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media). ## What do you need before you start? You need four things in place before the first call works: - **A professional account.** Business or Creator. Personal accounts can't be published to. - **A token with the publishing permission.** The permission name depends on the login your app uses (table below). - **Publicly hosted media.** Meta fetches the file from your URL, so it has to be "hosted on a publicly accessible server at the time of the attempt," [per the docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing). A signed URL that expires in seconds, or a file behind auth, fails. - **The account's Instagram user ID** (`IG_ID` in the examples), which you get back after login. | | Instagram API with Instagram Login | Instagram API with Facebook Login | |---|---|---| | **Host** | `graph.instagram.com` | `graph.facebook.com` | | **Token** | Instagram User access token | Facebook Page access token | | **Permissions** | `instagram_business_basic`, `instagram_business_content_publish` | `instagram_basic`, `instagram_content_publish`, `pages_read_engagement` | Source: [Content publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing). The examples below use Instagram Login and API version v25.0, as Meta's docs do. For Facebook Login, swap the host to `graph.facebook.com`. **Testing on your own account needs only Standard Access.** Publishing to your customers' accounts needs **Advanced Access**, which means App Review. Our post on [how long Meta app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time) covers the timeline. ## How does the Instagram content publishing API work? **Every format follows the same three steps.** You describe the post in a container, Meta downloads and processes the media, and you publish the container once it's ready. 1. **Create a container** with `POST //media`. You get back a container ID. 2. **Check its status** with `GET /?fields=status_code` until it reads `FINISHED`. 3. **Publish it** with `POST //media_publish` and the container ID. You get back the published media ID. Containers **expire after 24 hours**, and an account can create **400 containers per rolling 24 hours** ([IG User media reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media)). Create the container close to when you plan to publish. ## Step 1: Create a media container For a single image, send the public JPEG URL and an optional caption: ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//media" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{"image_url":"https://www.example.com/images/photo.jpg","caption":"Posted via the API"}' ``` The response is the container ID: ```json { "id": "" } ``` Feed images have to match Meta's [image spec](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media): - **Format:** JPEG only. Convert PNG and WebP before you send them. - **Size:** 8 MB maximum, 320 to 1440 pixels wide. - **Aspect ratio:** between 4:5 and 1.91:1. - **Caption:** up to 2,200 characters, 30 hashtags, and 20 @ tags. The same call accepts optional fields such as `alt_text`, `user_tags`, `location_id`, `collaborators` (up to 3 usernames), and `is_ai_generated` to apply Instagram's AI label. ## Step 2: Check the container status Meta processes the media after you create the container, so **don't publish right away**. Query the status: ```bash curl "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/?fields=status_code" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " ``` | `status_code` | What it means | What to do | |---|---|---| | `IN_PROGRESS` | Meta is still processing the media | Wait and check again | | `FINISHED` | Ready to publish | Call `media_publish` | | `ERROR` | Processing failed | Read the error subcode in `status`, fix the media, make a new container | | `EXPIRED` | Not published within 24 hours | Make a new container | | `PUBLISHED` | Already published | Nothing; don't publish it twice | Meta recommends checking **once per minute, for no more than 5 minutes** ([content publishing guide](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing)). The status values are listed in the [container reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-container). ## Step 3: Publish with media_publish Once the status is `FINISHED`, publish the container: ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//media_publish" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{"creation_id":""}' ``` The response is the ID of the live post: ```json { "id": "" } ``` Store that ID. You'll need it to read the post's insights, manage its comments, or fetch its permalink later. ## How do I post Reels with the Instagram API? **Set `media_type=REELS` and pass a `video_url`.** The rest of the flow is identical: container, status, publish. ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//media" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{"media_type":"REELS","video_url":"https://example.com/video.mp4","caption":"First Reel via the API"}' ``` Reels have their own [video spec](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/media): | Spec | Reels requirement | |---|---| | Container | MOV or MP4, moov atom at the front, no edit lists | | Codecs | H.264 or HEVC video, AAC audio | | Frame rate | 23 to 60 FPS | | Aspect ratio | 0.01:1 to 10:1, with 9:16 recommended | | Duration | 3 seconds to 15 minutes | | File size | 300 MB maximum | Reels-only options include `share_to_feed` (show the Reel in the Feed tab as well as Reels), `cover_url` for a custom JPEG cover, `thumb_offset` to pick a cover frame in milliseconds, and `audio_name` to name the audio. **Large files can use a resumable upload.** Add `"upload_type":"resumable"` when creating the container, then send the file to `rupload.facebook.com`: ```bash curl -X POST "https://rupload.facebook.com/ig-api-upload/v25.0/" \ -H "Authorization: OAuth " \ -H "offset: 0" \ -H "file_size: " \ --data-binary "@my_video_file.mp4" ``` Meta's docs describe `upload_type=resumable` for apps built with Facebook Login for Business. Either way, poll the status before you publish. Video has to process on Meta's side before the container reads `FINISHED`. ## How do I post a story with the Instagram API? **Set `media_type=STORIES` and pass an `image_url` or `video_url`.** Then check the status and publish, as with any other container. ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//media" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{"media_type":"STORIES","image_url":"https://www.example.com/images/story.jpg"}' ``` Stories come with more limits than the other formats: - **No stickers.** Link, poll, and location stickers can't be published. Mentioning users without a sticker works, and `user_tags` is supported. - **No `alt_text` or `location_id`** on Stories. - **Video Stories run 3 to 60 seconds**, up to 100 MB. Image Stories are JPEG, up to 8 MB. 9:16 is recommended for both. - **Account type.** Meta's [launch post for Stories publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2023/05/16/introducing-stories-publishing-to-the-content-publishing-api-on-instagram/) said only Business accounts could publish Stories through the API. Meta's current docs don't restate the rule, so test with a Creator account before you depend on Stories for one. If you report on published media, note that a Story's `media_type` comes back as `IMAGE` or `VIDEO`. Read `media_product_type` to tell a Story apart from a feed post. ## How do I post a carousel with the Instagram API? **A carousel takes one container per item, then one parent container that lists them.** That makes it the only format with more than three calls. 1. **Create a child container for each item** with `image_url` or `video_url` and `"is_carousel_item": true`. No caption on the children. 2. **Create the carousel container** with `media_type=CAROUSEL`, the caption, and the child IDs in `children`: ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//media" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -d '{"media_type":"CAROUSEL","caption":"Three photos, one post","children":",,"}' ``` 3. **Check the status and publish** the carousel container with `media_publish`, as in Steps 2 and 3. Build around these rules: - **2 to 10 items.** Fewer than 2 or more than 10 returns error 2207028. - **Cropping follows the first item.** Meta crops every image to the first image's aspect ratio, 1:1 by default. - **It counts as one post** against the publishing limit. ## What is the Instagram API posting limit? **100 API-published posts per account in a rolling 24 hours**, according to Meta's [content publishing guide](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing). A carousel counts as one post. Separately, an account can create 400 containers in the same window. Check an account's usage before you publish with the `content_publishing_limit` endpoint: ```bash curl "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0//content_publishing_limit?fields=quota_usage,rate_limit_settings" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " ``` `quota_usage` is how many posts the account has published in the window. The example response in Meta's [endpoint reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/ig-user/content_publishing_limit) shows a `quota_total` of 50, which doesn't match the guide's 100, so **read `config.quota_total` from the response** rather than hardcoding a number. When an account hits the cap, publishing fails with error 2207042 until the window rolls forward. API call limits are a separate budget. Our post on whether [the Instagram API is free](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free) covers those. ## What are the common Instagram publishing errors? **Most publishing errors come from the media itself or from publishing too early.** These are the ones you're most likely to see, from Meta's [error code reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-graph-api/reference/error-codes): | Subcode | Meta's message (short) | Usual cause and fix | |---|---|---| | **2207052** | Media could not be fetched from this URI | URL isn't public or has expired. Host the file where Meta can reach it. | | **2207027** | Media is not ready for publishing | You published before `FINISHED`. Poll the status first. | | **2207009** | Aspect ratio cannot be published | Image is outside 4:5 to 1.91:1. Crop or pad it. | | **2207004** | Image is too large to download | Over 8 MB. Compress it. | | **2207026** | Video format is not supported | Re-encode as MP4 or MOV with H.264 or HEVC and AAC. | | **2207010** | Caption is too long | Over 2,200 characters, 30 hashtags, or 20 @ tags. | | **2207028** | Won't work as a carousel | Fewer than 2 or more than 10 items. | | **2207042** | Reached maximum number of posts | The account hit the 24-hour publishing limit. Retry later. | | **2207008** | Media builder does not exist or has expired | Retry once or twice within 2 minutes, then create a new container. | | **2207050** | The Instagram account is restricted | The user has to resolve it in the Instagram app. | If a call fails with a permissions error instead, the token is missing the publishing permission, has expired, or was revoked. The [Instagram API guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide) covers token refresh. ## Is there a faster way to post to Instagram via API? **Yes, if you'd rather not own the Meta app.** Everything above assumes you've already built the parts around it: a Meta developer app, a login flow, Advanced Access through App Review, public media hosting, status polling, and a refresh job for every connected account's token. App review is usually the slowest part. When we went through Meta's review for the publishing permission, the screencast got far more scrutiny than the written use case. **Expect reviewers to check that the video shows** the full login, the user granting the permission on the consent screen, and the post appearing **live on Instagram**. A success message in your own app isn't enough. If your text claims a format the recording doesn't show, expect a rejection. [Adeli's Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) takes that work off your team. Adeli maintains the Instagram developer app, goes through Meta's review, and refreshes every connected account's tokens, so you hold **one API key**. It publishes **feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels**, and each of your users connects their own Instagram account. The same request through [Adeli's posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) can also publish to TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X. You get a **per-platform status** on the response and a webhook when anything changes, so a failed Instagram post doesn't hold up the other networks. On [Adeli's pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing), **your first 3 connected accounts are free**, with no credit card. [Sign in](https://app.tryadeli.com/sign-in) and you can create your API key straight away. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I post to a personal Instagram account via API? No. The Instagram Graph API only publishes to professional accounts, meaning Business or Creator accounts. A personal account has to switch to a professional account in the Instagram app before any app can post to it. ### Do I need Meta app review to post to Instagram via API? Only if you post to accounts you don't own or manage. Standard Access covers your own accounts, which is enough for testing. A product where customers connect their own Instagram needs Advanced Access for the publishing permission, and that means App Review and Business Verification. ### Is the Instagram content publishing API free? Yes. Meta charges nothing to call it. The cost is time: app review, public media hosting, status polling, and refreshing every account's access token before it expires. ### Can I schedule Instagram posts through the API? Adeli can. Send a scheduled time instead of publishNow and the post waits in Adeli's queue until it's due, and you can list, update, or cancel queued posts through the API. If you build on Meta's API directly, you run the queue yourself and call media_publish when each post is due. ## Related Adeli pages - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # How to Post to TikTok via API (Content Posting API) Post to TikTok via API with the Content Posting API: scopes, creator info, FILE_UPLOAD vs PULL_FROM_URL, status checks, privacy rules, and the audit. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-tiktok-via-api Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-10-05. ## The short answer You post to TikTok via API with TikTok's Content Posting API. Your app gets the video.publish scope, queries the creator's info, initializes the post with FILE_UPLOAD or PULL_FROM_URL, sends or hands over the video, and polls the publish status. Until TikTok audits the app, every post is private. Adeli publishes to TikTok through one API, without your own TikTok app or audit. **To post to TikTok via API, you use TikTok's Content Posting API**: query the creator's info, initialize the post, upload the video (or let TikTok pull it from your URL), then poll until it publishes. The API calls are the straightforward part. Whether anyone besides the creator sees the post depends on TikTok's privacy rules and its audit. This guide covers the flow call by call, with the curl requests from TikTok's own docs. If you haven't picked a portal yet, read [TikTok API for Business vs TikTok for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers) first. ## Can you post to TikTok via API? **Yes.** The [Content Posting API](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) on TikTok for Developers posts videos and photo posts to the account of any TikTok user who authorized your app. Until your app passes TikTok's Content Posting API audit, **everything it posts is private**. TikTok's [get-started guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) says content from unaudited clients "will be restricted to private viewing mode." You can build and test the whole flow before the audit, but you can't ship it to real users. TikTok API for Business has its own publishing endpoint in the Accounts API. That one only publishes public video posts, and it's covered in the [portal comparison](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers). ## Direct post or upload to inbox: which one do you need? **Direct post** publishes the video to the creator's profile. **Upload to inbox** sends it to their TikTok drafts, and the creator finishes and posts it in the TikTok app. | | Direct post | Upload to inbox (draft) | | --- | --- | --- | | Scope | `video.publish` | `video.upload` | | Init endpoint | `/v2/post/publish/video/init/` | `/v2/post/publish/inbox/video/init/` | | Caption, privacy, interaction settings | Set by your app, in `post_info` | Set by the creator in TikTok | | Who presses "post" | Your app | The creator, from an inbox notification | | Extra limit | About 15 posts per creator per day | At most 5 pending shares in 24 hours | | Docs | [Direct Post reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-direct-post) | [Upload reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-upload-video) | Pick direct post if your product publishes on the user's behalf, like a scheduler or an AI content tool. Pick upload to inbox if the creator should review and edit in TikTok before anything goes live. TikTok's [upload reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-upload-video) says you should tell users to tap the inbox notification to finish the post. The rest of this guide follows direct post. The upload flow uses the same media transfer step and skips `post_info`. ## What do you need before you start? TikTok's [get-started guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started) lists these prerequisites: - **A registered app** on TikTok for Developers, with the **Content Posting API** product added. - **Direct Post enabled** in the Content Posting API configuration for your app. - **The `video.publish` scope**, approved for your app and authorized by the TikTok user through Login Kit. - **The user's access token and open ID**, from that OAuth flow. - **A video file** (MP4 with H.264 is the recommended pairing) or a video URL on a domain you've verified. Getting the app and the scope approved is its own process, covered in [how to get TikTok API access](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/how-to-get-tiktok-api-access). This post assumes you already have a working access token. ## Step 1: Query the creator's info Before every post, call **`creator_info/query`**. It tells you which privacy levels this creator can use, whether they've turned off comments, Duets, or Stitches, and the longest video they're allowed to post. ```bash curl --location --request POST 'https://open.tiktokapis.com/v2/post/publish/creator_info/query/' \ --header 'Authorization: Bearer act.example12345Example12345Example' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8' ``` The [creator info reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-query-creator-info) returns: - **`creator_nickname` and `creator_username`.** Show the nickname in your UI so the user knows which account they're posting to. - **`privacy_level_options`.** The only privacy values you're allowed to send for this creator. A private account gets a different list from a public one. - **`comment_disabled`, `duet_disabled`, `stitch_disabled`.** If one is `true`, grey out that toggle in your UI. - **`max_video_post_duration_sec`.** Reject videos longer than this before you upload them. The same call returns `spam_risk_too_many_posts` when the creator has hit their daily post cap, so you can stop there instead of uploading a video that can't be posted. ## Step 2: Initialize the post **`POST /v2/post/publish/video/init/`** creates the post and returns a **`publish_id`**. You send the caption and settings in `post_info`, and tell TikTok how the video is coming in `source_info`. ```bash curl --location 'https://open.tiktokapis.com/v2/post/publish/video/init/' \ --header 'Authorization: Bearer act.example12345Example12345Example' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8' \ --data-raw '{ "post_info": { "title": "this will be a funny #cat video on your @tiktok #fyp", "privacy_level": "MUTUAL_FOLLOW_FRIENDS", "disable_duet": false, "disable_comment": true, "disable_stitch": false, "video_cover_timestamp_ms": 1000 }, "source_info": { "source": "FILE_UPLOAD", "video_size": 50000123, "chunk_size": 10000000, "total_chunk_count": 5 } }' ``` Other fields to get right, from the [Direct Post reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-direct-post): - **`title`** is the caption, hashtags and mentions included, up to **2,200 UTF-16 runes**. - **`privacy_level`** must be one of the `privacy_level_options` from step 1, or the request fails with `privacy_level_option_mismatch`. - **`brand_content_toggle` and `brand_organic_toggle`** mark paid partnerships and self-promotion. **`is_aigc`** labels AI-generated content. For `FILE_UPLOAD`, the response includes an **`upload_url` that's valid for one hour**. For `PULL_FROM_URL`, there's no upload URL, because TikTok fetches the file. ## Step 3: Upload the video to TikTok There are two ways to get the video to TikTok: push the bytes yourself with **`FILE_UPLOAD`**, or have TikTok download it with **`PULL_FROM_URL`**. The [media transfer guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-media-transfer-guide) sets the rules for both. | | `FILE_UPLOAD` | `PULL_FROM_URL` | | --- | --- | --- | | How it works | You PUT the file to `upload_url` | TikTok downloads from your `video_url` | | Setup | None | Verify the domain or URL prefix in the developer portal first | | Size rules | Chunks of 5–64 MB, final chunk up to 128 MB, 1 to 1,000 chunks | The URL must use HTTPS, return no redirects, and stay reachable for up to an hour | | Best for | Files on your server or in memory | Files already in object storage or on a CDN you control | For `FILE_UPLOAD`, send each chunk with a `Content-Range` header: ```bash curl --location --request PUT 'https://open-upload.tiktokapis.com/upload/?upload_id=67890&upload_token=Xza123' \ --header 'Content-Range: bytes 0-30567099/30567100' \ --header 'Content-Length: 30567100' \ --header 'Content-Type: video/mp4' \ --data '@/path/to/file/example.mp4' ``` `total_chunk_count` is **`video_size` divided by `chunk_size`, rounded down**. The leftover bytes go in the last chunk, which is why it's allowed to be bigger than the rest. For `PULL_FROM_URL`, swap the `source_info` block in step 2 for: ```json "source_info": { "source": "PULL_FROM_URL", "video_url": "https://example.verified.domain.com/example_video.mp4" } ``` A URL on a domain you haven't verified returns `url_ownership_unverified`. Serve the file from a domain or URL prefix you've verified. Whichever source you use, the video has to meet TikTok's specs: **MP4, WebM, or MOV, up to 4 GB, 23 to 60 FPS, 360 to 4,096 pixels on each side**, and no longer than the creator's `max_video_post_duration_sec`. ## Step 4: Check the post status Poll **`POST /v2/post/publish/status/fetch/`** with the `publish_id` until the status is `PUBLISH_COMPLETE` or `FAILED`. A 200 from the init call only means TikTok accepted the job. ```bash curl --location 'https://open.tiktokapis.com/v2/post/publish/status/fetch/' \ --header 'Authorization: Bearer act.example12345Example12345Example' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8' \ --data '{ "publish_id": "v_pub_url~v2.123456789" }' ``` The [status reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-get-video-status) lists five states: `PROCESSING_UPLOAD`, `PROCESSING_DOWNLOAD`, `SEND_TO_USER_INBOX`, `PUBLISH_COMPLETE`, and `FAILED`. A failure comes with a `fail_reason` such as `file_format_check_failed`, `duration_check_failed`, or `spam_risk`. `PUBLISH_COMPLETE` doesn't mean the post is public yet. The `publicaly_available_post_id` field (TikTok's spelling) only appears **after the post is public and has cleared TikTok moderation**. If you'd rather not poll, the Content Posting webhooks send `post.publish.complete`, `post.publish.failed`, and `post.publish.publicly_available` events. ## What privacy levels can you set, and what does TikTok require? `privacy_level` takes `PUBLIC_TO_EVERYONE`, `MUTUAL_FOLLOW_FRIENDS`, `FOLLOWER_OF_CREATOR`, or `SELF_ONLY`, **limited to whatever `privacy_level_options` returned for that creator**. TikTok's [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) also set rules for the screen your users post from: - **No default privacy.** The user picks a privacy level every time. Your UI can't preselect one. - **Interaction toggles start off.** Comment, Duet, and Stitch are unchecked by default, and greyed out when the creator has disabled them. - **Branded content can't be private.** If the user marks a post as Branded Content, `SELF_ONLY` is off the table. - **Music Usage Confirmation.** The screen shows "By posting, you agree to TikTok's Music Usage Confirmation," with the Branded Content Policy added for branded posts. - **Preview and a processing notice.** Users see the content before posting, and you tell them it can take a few minutes to show up on their profile. These rules are what the audit checks. When we prepared our own Content Posting API submission, the demo video had to show every one of these controls on the posting screen, starting with nothing selected. A tour of the dashboard doesn't cover it. ## Why are my TikTok API posts private? Your posts are private because **your app hasn't passed the Content Posting API audit**. Until it does, the [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines) apply three limits: 1. **Posts are `SELF_ONLY`.** Only the creator can see them. 2. **The posting account must be private.** A post to a public account fails with `unaudited_client_can_only_post_to_private_accounts`. 3. **Five users per 24 hours.** At most 5 users can post through your app in any 24-hour window. Apply for the audit through TikTok's [Content Posting API application](https://developers.tiktok.com/application/content-posting-api). Passing it removes the private-only restriction but not the caps. Audited apps still get a daily quota of active posting users (`reached_active_user_cap`), and creators still hit a per-account limit that's typically **around 15 posts per day**. ## What rate limits apply when you post to TikTok via API? Every Content Posting API limit is counted **per user access token, per minute**. | Endpoint | Limit | | --- | --- | | `creator_info/query` | 20 requests per minute | | `video/init` (direct post) | 6 requests per minute | | `inbox/video/init` (upload) | 6 requests per minute | | `status/fetch` | 30 requests per minute | Sources: the [creator info](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-query-creator-info), [Direct Post](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-direct-post), [upload](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-upload-video), and [status](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-get-video-status) references. Six inits a minute is more than one person posting by hand will use. A scheduler that releases a backlog for one account all at once can hit it, so space those posts out. ## Is there a faster way to post to TikTok via API? **Adeli** publishes to TikTok through the same endpoint as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X. Adeli maintains the TikTok developer app, goes through TikTok's review process, and handles token refresh for every connected account, so the audit and the private-only phase above aren't yours to run. - **One request, every network.** Add TikTok to the platforms in a publish call. See the [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api). - **Your users' own accounts.** Each user connects their own TikTok account, isolated from everyone else's. - **Clear failures.** Every publish returns a per-platform status, plus a webhook when anything changes, so a TikTok failure doesn't block your other networks. - **Scheduling built in.** Send a scheduled time instead of `publishNow` and the post waits in the queue. Your first 3 connected accounts are free; [pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing) has the rest of the ladder. The [TikTok API page](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) shows what Adeli supports on TikTok. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can you post to TikTok via API? Yes. TikTok's Content Posting API, on TikTok for Developers, lets an approved app post videos and photos to the account of a user who authorized it. It can publish directly or upload to the user's TikTok inbox as a draft. Posts stay private until the app passes TikTok's Content Posting API audit. ### How do I upload a video to TikTok with the API? Call the video init endpoint with source set to FILE_UPLOAD, then PUT the file to the upload_url TikTok returns, in chunks of 5 MB to 64 MB. Or set source to PULL_FROM_URL and pass an HTTPS URL on a domain you verified in the developer portal, and TikTok downloads the file itself. ### What is the TikTok Content Posting API? The Content Posting API is TikTok's official API for publishing videos and photo posts to TikTok accounts. It lives on developers.tiktok.com, uses the video.publish scope for direct posts and the video.upload scope for drafts, and requires a separate audit before posts can be public. ### Can I post photos to TikTok via API? Yes. Photo posts go through a separate endpoint, /v2/post/publish/content/init/, with media_type set to PHOTO and a list of image URLs from a verified domain. Unaudited apps can only post photos as SELF_ONLY. ## Related Adeli pages - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Facebook Graph API: Access, Tokens, Posting, Review What the Facebook Graph API is, how an app gets access (Meta app, permissions, tokens, App Review), how to post and read insights, and where it breaks. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/facebook-graph-api Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer The Facebook Graph API is Meta's HTTP API at graph.facebook.com for reading and writing Facebook data: publishing to Pages, reading comments, and pulling Page insights. To use it for other people's Pages, you create a Meta app, request Page permissions, pass Business Verification and App Review, then manage Page access tokens. Adeli owns that approved app, so you publish to Facebook with one API key. The Facebook Graph API is **Meta's HTTP API for getting data into and out of Facebook**. Your app sends requests to `graph.facebook.com` with an access token to publish to Pages, manage comments, and read insights. To do that on your users' Pages, you first need a Meta app, Page permissions, and App Review approval for each permission. ## What is the Facebook Graph API? The Facebook Graph API is the **main programming interface to Facebook**, and most people mean it when they search "Facebook API" or "fb API". Meta's [Graph API overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview) calls it "the primary way to get data into and out of the Facebook platform." It models Facebook as a graph of three things: - **Nodes.** Individual objects with an ID: a Page, a post, a photo, a comment. - **Edges.** Connections between nodes: a Page's `/feed`, a post's `/comments`. - **Fields.** Properties you ask for by name: `?fields=name,followers_count`. Every request goes to `https://graph.facebook.com/v{version}/...`. **Meta ships a new version roughly every quarter**, and an unversioned call falls back to the oldest version still available, so pin a version in every request. "Meta Graph API" and "facebook.com Graph API" are the same API. The Instagram API with Facebook Login and the Marketing API both run on it. ## What can you do with the Facebook Graph API? For a product that posts on its users' behalf, the Facebook Graph API covers **Pages: publishing, comments, messages, and insights**. It doesn't reach personal profiles. | Task | Possible? | Where it happens | |---|---|---| | Publish text, link, and photo posts to a Page | Yes | `POST /{page-id}/feed`, `POST /{page-id}/photos` | | Publish video and Reels to a Page | Yes | The [Video API](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/video-api) | | Schedule a Page post | Yes, 10 minutes to 30 days ahead | `published=false` plus `scheduled_publish_time` | | Read and reply to comments on Page posts | Yes | `/{post-id}/comments` | | Reply to Messenger conversations | Yes, within the messaging window | Messenger Platform | | Read Page and post insights | Yes, on Pages with 100+ likes | `/{object-id}/insights` | | Post to a personal profile | No | Not available through the API | | Run ads | Yes, through the Marketing API | Separate permissions and access tiers | ## How do apps get access to the Facebook Graph API? Apps get access through a **Meta app**. What people search as the "Facebook app API" is this registration in the [App Dashboard](https://developers.facebook.com/apps/), which holds your app ID, app secret, permissions, and review status. 1. **Create a Meta app.** Register as a Meta developer and create an app for a business use case. 2. **Add Facebook Login for Business.** Your users connect their Pages through it and grant permissions on Meta's consent screen. 3. **Build and test with Standard Access.** Meta grants Standard Access automatically, but it only works for people who hold a role on your app. 4. **Complete Business Verification.** Meta requires it for [Advanced Access](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/access-levels), which is what lets people without a role on your app grant permissions. 5. **Pass App Review for each permission.** Each permission needs its own written use case and screencast. 6. **Keep it compliant.** Advanced Access also comes with an annual Data Use Checkup. **Standard Access only covers people on your app.** Everything works on your own test Pages, so the integration looks done, and the first customer without a role on your app who tries to connect gets an error. ## Which permissions does a Facebook Pages integration need? A Pages integration needs **one permission per capability**, and each one that needs Advanced Access goes through App Review on its own. Map every feature to its permission before you build: | Feature | Permission | |---|---| | List the Pages a user manages, so they can pick one | `pages_show_list` | | Identify the Page and read its posts | `pages_read_engagement` | | Publish, edit, and delete Page posts | `pages_manage_posts` | | Read other people's comments on Page posts | `pages_read_user_content` | | Reply to, hide, and delete comments | `pages_manage_engagement` | | Subscribe to webhooks for the Page's feed and messages | `pages_manage_metadata` | | Reply in the Page's Messenger inbox | `pages_messaging` | | Read Page and post insights | `read_insights` with `pages_read_engagement` | | Find Pages owned through a Business portfolio | `business_management` | The user also needs the right role on the Page. Meta's [Pages posts docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/pages-api/posts) say they must be able to perform "CREATE_CONTENT, MANAGE, and MODERATE tasks on the Page." ## How do Facebook Graph API access tokens work? Page actions use a **Page access token**, which you get from the user's token after they log in. Store the wrong one and your integration stops working within hours, or in about two months. Meta's [long-lived token docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/facebook-login/guides/access-tokens/get-long-lived) set the lifetimes: | Token | Lifetime | Used for | |---|---|---| | Short-lived user token | Hours | What Facebook Login returns first | | Long-lived user token | About 60 days | Exchanged server-side with your app secret | | Page token from a long-lived user token | No expiration date | Publishing, comments, insights for that Page | | App token | Until you reset the app secret | App-level calls and settings | The production flow: 1. The user logs in with Facebook Login for Business and gets a short-lived user token. 2. Your server exchanges it at `GET /oauth/access_token` with `grant_type=fb_exchange_token`. 3. You call `GET /me/accounts` with the long-lived token and store each Page's token. **A Page token with no expiration date can still stop working.** Meta says long-lived Page tokens can be "invalidated under certain conditions", such as the user revoking your app, changing their password, or losing their role on the Page. Your code has to catch the error, flag the connection, and ask the user to reconnect. ## How do I publish a post to a Facebook Page with the Graph API? Send a `POST` to the Page's `/feed` edge with a Page access token. A text post with a link: ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v26.0/$PAGE_ID/feed" \ -d "message=We shipped it." \ -d "link=https://example.com/changelog" \ -d "access_token=$PAGE_TOKEN" ``` A scheduled post adds two parameters. Meta accepts a publish time between 10 minutes and 30 days out: ```bash curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v26.0/$PAGE_ID/feed" \ -d "message=Launching Thursday." \ -d "published=false" \ -d "scheduled_publish_time=$PUBLISH_AT_UNIX" \ -d "access_token=$PAGE_TOKEN" ``` Photos go to `/{page-id}/photos`, and video and Reels go through the Video API's upload flow. Swap `v26.0` for the current version in Meta's [changelog](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/changelog). If you'd rather skip the token and version handling, the [Adeli Facebook API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook) publishes to a user's Page with one request. ## How do I read Facebook Page insights with the Graph API? Call `GET /{page-id}/insights?metric=...` with `read_insights` and `pages_read_engagement`. Meta's [Page insights reference](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/page/insights/) lists periods from `day` to `lifetime`. Two limits to know before you promise a dashboard to anyone: - **Pages under 100 likes return no insights.** Test with a Page that has an audience. - **Metrics get deprecated.** Meta retires Page insights metrics across all API versions, and a retired metric returns an error. Keep your metric list in config, not code. ## How do I use the Meta Graph API Explorer? The [Graph API Explorer](https://developers.facebook.com/tools/explorer/) is Meta's in-browser console for trying calls **with your own app's settings**. It works for any app on which you hold an admin, developer, or tester role. 1. Pick your app from the Meta App dropdown. 2. Choose User or Page token, and add permissions such as `pages_show_list`. 3. Generate a token and run a query like `me/accounts`. 4. Click Get Code for a sample in your language. Use it to see what a response looks like before you write code. It can't test Advanced Access, because only people with a role on your app can use it. ## What does Meta App Review check for Facebook permissions? Meta App Review checks that **each permission is tied to a working feature and shown end to end on video**. When we went through Meta's review for clients, the same things decided every permission: - **The screencast shows the whole path.** The login, the user granting the permission on Meta's consent screen, and the feature working, in an English UI with captions on any button that isn't obvious. - **The video and the text match.** A feature in the description that the video doesn't show got rejected, and so did the reverse. Cut claims down to what the build does. - **The use case names a feature.** Say which feature needs the permission, how the integration works, and how it helps the person using it. - **The test setup is real.** We prepared a test Facebook account that manages at least two Pages, with posts on them, so no screen in the recording was empty. - **The account-level gates are done.** Meta asks for at least one successful API call per permission in the 30 days before you submit, plus a live privacy policy and data deletion URL. Reviewers also open your website and compare it to the submission. Permissions are judged one by one, so **a submission can come back half approved**. For timing, see [how long Meta app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time). ## Where does the Facebook Graph API cause friction? The first API call is easy. Most of the friction shows up after launch: - **Review loops.** Each rejected permission costs another round, and permissions depend on each other, so one rejection can hold up a feature. - **Silent token death.** Page tokens get invalidated by events on the user's side, and you find out when a scheduled post fails. - **Version deprecations.** Each Graph API version has a sunset date, so you keep migrating. - **Metric churn.** Insights metrics disappear across all versions at once. - **Two rate-limit systems.** Meta's [rate limiting docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/rate-limiting) apply 200 calls per hour per user for app tokens, and 4,800 calls per 24 hours per engaged user for Page tokens. Watch the `X-App-Usage` and `X-Business-Use-Case-Usage` headers, and back off on error codes 4, 17, 32, and 80001. - **One integration per network.** Instagram uses a separate permission set, and TikTok, YouTube, and X each have their own apps, reviews, and tokens. ## Is there a faster way to use the Facebook Graph API? Yes. **Use an API that already owns an approved Meta developer app.** [Adeli's Facebook API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook) publishes through Facebook's Graph API on your behalf. Adeli maintains the developer app, completes Meta's review, and manages OAuth connections and token refresh. - **No Meta app of your own.** Your team holds one Adeli API key. - **Your users' own Pages.** Each user connects their own Facebook Page, scoped and isolated from other users. - **Per-platform status.** Every publish returns a status for each network, plus a webhook when anything changes. - **Every network in one call.** The same [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) publishes to Facebook, [Instagram](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram), TikTok, YouTube, and X. ```bash curl https://app.tryadeli.com/api/v1/posts \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"content": "We shipped it.", "platforms": ["facebook", "instagram"], "publishNow": true}' ``` Your first three connected accounts are [free](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing), and one Facebook Page counts as one connected account. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Facebook Graph API free? Yes. Meta doesn't charge per call for the Facebook Graph API. You pay in rate limits, which scale with your app's users and each Page's engaged users, and in engineering time: App Review up front, then token handling and version upgrades for as long as the integration runs. ### Is the Meta Graph API the same as the Facebook Graph API? Yes. "Meta Graph API" is the newer name for the same API at graph.facebook.com. It also serves the Instagram API with Facebook Login, and Meta's Marketing API for ads is built on it. ### Can the Facebook Graph API post to a personal profile? No. The Facebook Graph API publishes to Facebook Pages, not to personal profiles. A product that posts "to Facebook" for its users is posting to Pages those users manage. ### What is the difference between the Graph API and the Marketing API? The Marketing API is the part of the Graph API for ads: campaigns, ad sets, ads, audiences, and ad reporting. It uses the same host, tokens, and App Review, with its own permissions such as ads_read and ads_management and its own access tiers. ## Related Adeli pages - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Instagram API: A Developer's Guide to the Graph API The Instagram API explained: Instagram Login vs. Facebook Login, account types, permissions, access tokens, app review, and what you can build with it. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-api-guide Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer The Instagram API, often called the Instagram Graph API, is Meta's official API for Instagram Business and Creator accounts. It comes in two versions: one with Instagram Login and one with Facebook Login. Both publish posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels, and read insights, comments, and messages. Personal accounts are not supported. Adeli publishes feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels through one API key and handles the Meta app, review, and tokens. The Instagram API is Meta's official way for apps to work with Instagram accounts. You'll often see it called the **Instagram Graph API**. It covers **Business and Creator accounts only**, and it comes in **two versions** that differ by how users log in: the **Instagram API with Instagram Login** and the **Instagram API with Facebook Login**. With either one, an approved app can publish posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels, read insights, and manage comments and messages. Cost and rate limits have their own post, [Is the Instagram API free?](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free), and so does [Meta app review](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time). ## Does Instagram have an API? **Yes.** Meta calls it the [Instagram Platform](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview), and it's the only official Instagram API that's still running. It works with **Instagram professional accounts**, meaning Business or Creator accounts, and every app that calls it is registered in the Meta App Dashboard. Older guides also list the **Instagram Basic Display API**, the read-only API for personal accounts. Meta [shut it down on December 4, 2024](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2024/09/04/update-on-instagram-basic-display-api/). If a tutorial tells you to use it, skip that tutorial. ## What is the Instagram Graph API? The Instagram Graph API is **the common name for the Instagram Platform APIs**. Both versions sit on Meta's Graph API, so developers use the name for either one. The names you'll run into, and what each one means now: | Name you'll see | What it refers to | Status | |---|---|---| | Instagram Graph API | The Instagram Platform, either version | Live | | Instagram API with Instagram Login | Direct Instagram login, no Facebook Page | Live | | Instagram API with Facebook Login | Login through a Facebook Page linked to the account | Live | | Instagram Basic Display API | Read-only access to personal accounts | Shut down December 4, 2024 | ## Instagram Graph API with Instagram Login vs. with Facebook Login **Pick by where your users' accounts live.** If they manage Instagram on its own, use **Instagram Login**. If their Instagram account is linked to a Facebook Page, or you need hashtag search or product tagging, use **Facebook Login**. Both versions serve **professional accounts only**. Instagram Login doesn't work with personal accounts. | | Instagram API with Instagram Login | Instagram API with Facebook Login | |---|---|---| | **Who logs in** | The Instagram account, with Instagram credentials | A Facebook user who manages the linked Page | | **Facebook Page needed** | No | Yes | | **Base URL** | `graph.instagram.com` | `graph.facebook.com` | | **Token type** | Instagram User access token | Facebook User or Page access token | | **Publishing, comments, insights, mentions** | Yes | Yes | | **Messaging** | Yes | Through the Messenger Platform | | **Hashtag search** | No | Yes | | **Product tagging and partnership ads** | No | Yes | Source: Meta's [Instagram Platform overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview). **The two versions use different permissions**, and Meta reviews each set separately. If you want to support both logins, you request and pass review for both sets. When we went through Meta's review, the Facebook Login permissions were separate submissions from their Instagram Login twins, with their own use cases and screencasts. ## Which Instagram accounts work with the API? **Only professional accounts: Business or Creator.** Personal accounts can't be published to or read through the official API. Any user can [switch to a professional account](https://help.instagram.com/502981923235522) for free in the Instagram app. | Account type | Works with the Instagram API? | |---|---| | Business | Yes, with either login | | Creator | Yes, with either login | | Personal | No | For Facebook Login, the professional account also has to be **linked to a Facebook Page** the user manages. And for insights, Meta says **some metrics aren't available on accounts with fewer than 100 followers**, so a brand-new test account can return sparse data. ## What permissions does the Instagram API need? **Each feature has its own permission, and the names depend on the login.** Request only what your product uses, because every permission you request needs its own review. | Feature | Instagram Login | Facebook Login | |---|---|---| | Profile and media (required for everything) | `instagram_business_basic` | `instagram_basic`, `pages_show_list` | | Publishing | `instagram_business_content_publish` | `instagram_content_publish` | | Comments | `instagram_business_manage_comments` | `instagram_manage_comments` | | Insights | `instagram_business_manage_insights` | `instagram_manage_insights` | | Messages | `instagram_business_manage_messages` | `instagram_manage_messages` | Facebook Login also asks for `pages_read_engagement` for most of these. Sources: the [overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview), [content publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing), and [insights](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/insights) docs. **Each permission also has an access level.** Standard Access covers accounts you own or manage, which is enough for testing or posting to your own account. **Advanced Access** is required when your app serves accounts you don't own, which is any product where customers connect their own Instagram. Advanced Access requires **App Review and Business Verification**. Our [Meta app review guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time) covers how long that takes and what gets rejected. ## How do Instagram API access tokens work? **Every connected Instagram account has its own access token, and it expires.** Your app gets a token when a user logs in, swaps it for a longer-lived one, and has to refresh it before it runs out. With Instagram Login, the lifecycle looks like this ([Business Login docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/instagram-api-with-instagram-login/business-login)): 1. **Authorize.** Send the user to `https://www.instagram.com/oauth/authorize` with your app ID, redirect URI, and scopes. 2. **Exchange the code.** Trade the authorization code for a **short-lived token**, valid for **1 hour**, at `https://api.instagram.com/oauth/access_token`. 3. **Get a long-lived token.** Call `graph.instagram.com/access_token` with `grant_type=ig_exchange_token` and your app secret. Long-lived tokens are valid for **60 days**. 4. **Refresh.** Before day 60, call the refresh endpoint. A token can be refreshed once it's **at least 24 hours old** and still valid, and each refresh gives it **another 60 days**. ```bash curl -X GET "https://graph.instagram.com/refresh_access_token?grant_type=ig_refresh_token&access_token=LONG_LIVED_TOKEN" ``` **A token nobody refreshes for 60 days is gone for good**, and the user has to log in again. For a product with many connected accounts, that means running a refresh job for every account and handling the ones users revoke. For a quick test on your own account, you can also generate a token in the App Dashboard under Instagram > API setup. ## What are Instagram API keys? **The Instagram API has no single API key.** A search for one usually means one of these: - **App ID.** The public identifier of your Meta app. - **App Secret.** A private credential for server-side calls, like the long-lived token exchange. Never ship it in client code. - **Access tokens.** One per connected Instagram account. These authorize your API calls, so they're the closest thing to a "key". To get the first two, create a **Business-type app** in the [Meta App Dashboard](https://developers.facebook.com/apps/) and add the Instagram product. The tokens come from each user's login. A unified API like [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) works the other way around: **you get one API key**, and Adeli holds the Meta app and every account's tokens. ## What can you do with the Instagram API? **Publish content, read insights, and manage comments and messages** for the professional accounts that connect to your app. | Capability | What it covers | Meta docs | |---|---|---| | **Publish** | Single images, videos, Reels, Stories, and carousels of up to 10 items | [Content publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing) | | **Insights** | Account-level and media-level metrics | [Insights](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/insights) | | **Comments** | Read, reply to, hide, and delete comments on the account's media | [Overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | **Messages** | Read and reply to Instagram Direct messages | [Overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | **Mentions** | Media and comments where the account is @mentioned | [Overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | **Hashtag search** | Public media by hashtag (Facebook Login only) | [Overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | ### How does publishing work? Publishing takes **two calls**: create a media container, then publish it. Meta fetches the media from your URL, so it has to be **hosted on a public server** when you make the call. For the full flow for each format (images, Reels, Stories, and carousels), see [how to post to Instagram via API](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/post-to-instagram-via-api). ```bash # 1. Create a container (use media_type=REELS or STORIES for those formats) curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/IG_ID/media" \ -d "image_url=https://example.com/photo.jpg" \ -d "caption=Hello from the API" \ -d "access_token=ACCESS_TOKEN" # 2. Publish the container curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/IG_ID/media_publish" \ -d "creation_id=CONTAINER_ID" \ -d "access_token=ACCESS_TOKEN" ``` A few rules catch people out: - **JPEG only.** Images have to be JPEG, so PNG uploads need converting first. - **No filters or shopping tags** through the API. - **Video takes time.** Video containers process before they can be published, and large files can use resumable upload. - **A 100-post cap.** Each account can publish 100 posts through the API per rolling 24 hours. The [pricing and limits post](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free) covers the rest. If you're building posting into a product, [Adeli's posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) replaces these two calls for **feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels**. One request publishes to Instagram and the other networks you've connected, and you get a per-platform status and a webhook when each one lands. ## How do I get access to the Instagram API? **Create a Meta app, add Instagram, and pass review for anything beyond your own accounts.** 1. **Switch the account to professional.** Business or Creator, and link a Facebook Page if you'll use Facebook Login. 2. **Create a Business-type app** in the Meta App Dashboard and add the Instagram product. 3. **Choose a login** and build it with the permissions your features need. 4. **Test with Standard Access** on accounts you own or manage. 5. **Apply for Advanced Access.** Complete Business Verification and submit each permission to App Review with a use case and a screencast. Step 5 takes the longest. Our guide to [how long Meta app review takes](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time) covers the timeline and the common rejections, and [Is the Instagram API free?](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free) adds up the rest of the setup cost. ## Should I build on the Instagram API or use a unified API? **Build directly if Instagram is your only network and you have time for review.** The API is free, and Meta's docs are clear once you know which login you need. **Use a unified API if you need other networks or want to skip the setup.** [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) maintains the Instagram developer app, goes through Meta's review, and refreshes every connected account's tokens. It publishes **feed posts, Reels, Stories, and carousels** to Instagram. Each of your users connects their own Instagram account, and the same request publishes to **Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X**. You can also read post analytics and handle comments and messages through the same API. If you're using an AI agent rather than writing code, the [Instagram MCP guide](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-mcp-for-claude) covers that route. On [Adeli's pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing), **your first 3 connected accounts are free**, with no credit card. [Sign in](https://app.tryadeli.com/sign-in) and you can create your API key straight away. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Instagram have an API? Yes. Meta runs the Instagram Platform, usually called the Instagram API or Instagram Graph API. It works with Instagram professional accounts (Business or Creator) and lets approved apps publish content, read insights, and manage comments and messages. There is no official API for personal accounts. ### Is the Instagram API the same as the Instagram Graph API? Yes, in practice. Meta's docs call it the Instagram Platform and split it into the Instagram API with Instagram Login and the Instagram API with Facebook Login. Developers use "Instagram Graph API" for both, because both are built on Meta's Graph API. ### Can I use the Instagram API without a Facebook Page? Yes, if you build with Instagram Login. The Instagram API with Instagram Login connects a professional account directly, with no Facebook Page. The Facebook Login version needs the Instagram account to be linked to a Facebook Page. ### How do I get an Instagram API key? There is no single Instagram API key. Your Meta app has an App ID and App Secret, and each Instagram account that logs in to your app produces its own access token. Services built on the API, such as Adeli, give you one API key and hold the tokens for you. ## Related Adeli pages - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Instagram and TikTok MCP Servers for Claude Five kinds of Instagram and TikTok MCP servers work with Claude. Compare what each can post, whose developer app it runs on, and who does the app review. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/instagram-mcp-for-claude Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer Yes, Claude can post to and read Instagram and TikTok through an MCP server. There are five kinds: official platform MCPs, self-hosted open-source servers, scrapers, automation platforms, and unified social media APIs. The real difference is whose developer app the server uses and who passes app review. Adeli, which is ours, owns those apps and covers Instagram and TikTok in one connection. Yes, there are Instagram MCP servers for Claude, and TikTok ones too. They come in **five types**, and the type decides whether Claude can post at all and whether you first have to **build your own Meta or TikTok developer app** and get it approved. ## Is there an Instagram MCP for Claude? **Yes, several.** Claude can publish to Instagram and TikTok, read analytics, and sometimes reply to comments through an MCP server. What differs is who owns the developer app behind the server: - **The platform itself.** Scope is narrow, often ads only. - **You.** You build the app and pass app review. - **A provider.** The provider owns the app and passes review for you. ## What is an MCP server? An MCP server is a small service that exposes an app's actions as tools an AI assistant can call. The [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro) (MCP) is **an open-source standard for connecting AI applications to external systems**, and Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor all support it. Think of MCP as a universal adapter. The assistant has one plug, and each MCP server is the adapter for one service. An Instagram MCP server turns "publish this Reel" into calls to the Instagram API and hands the result back to Claude. An MCP server gets **no special access** to Instagram or TikTok. It can only do what the platform's API allows, through whatever developer app and tokens sit behind it. That makes **the developer app behind the server** the first thing to check. ## What kinds of Instagram and TikTok MCP servers are there? There are five kinds, and they differ mainly in who owns the platform relationship. | Type | Posts to IG/TikTok? | Reads analytics? | Comments? | Cross-posts to other networks? | Whose developer app? | Who handles app review? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Official platform MCP | Depends on the platform; often ads only | Usually, for what it covers | Rarely | No, one platform only | The platform's | Nobody, but scope is narrow | | Self-hosted open-source server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Usually no | Yours | You | | Scraper MCP | No | Public data only | Reads public comments | No | None, it scrapes | Nobody, but it risks breaking platform terms | | Automation-platform MCP | Some actions | Limited | Limited | Via separate actions per network | The automation platform's | The automation platform | | Unified social media API MCP (like Adeli) | Yes | Yes | Varies by provider | Yes | The provider's | The provider | ### 1. Official platform MCPs **Verdict: first-party, but narrow, and one network per server.** An official platform MCP is one the social network ships itself. TikTok's [MCP server for TikTok for Business](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/available-tools-in-tiktok-for-business-mcp-server/v1.3), for example, is built around its **ads API**, not organic posting to your account. - **Can post:** depends on the platform, and often only ads. - **Whose app:** the platform's. - **Watch out for:** **no cross-posting.** A Meta MCP can't post to TikTok, and a TikTok MCP can't post to Instagram. To publish one piece of content everywhere, you'd connect several servers and repeat yourself in each. In our experience, the platforms aren't putting much into these MCPs. They can be **rough and buggy**, and they change often, so a workflow that ran last month may break without warning. ### 2. Self-hosted open-source servers **Verdict: full control, full setup.** These are the open-source projects on GitHub that you run on your own machine against the [Instagram content publishing API](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing/) or TikTok's [Content Posting API](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started). Many are well built and cover publishing, insights, and comments. - **Can post:** yes. - **Whose app:** **yours.** You create the Meta or TikTok developer app, generate tokens, and keep them refreshed. - **Watch out for:** - **Meta App Review.** Permissions beyond the basics go through [Meta's App Review](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/resp-plat-initiatives/individual-processes/app-review). - **TikTok's audit.** Per TikTok's docs, content posted by unaudited clients is **restricted to private viewing** until your app passes an audit. If you already have an approved app, or you only post to your own account, this path works fine. If app review is what's stopping you, Adeli's [Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) skips it, because Adeli already owns the approved app. ### 3. Scraper MCPs **Verdict: research only.** A scraper MCP reads public data from Instagram or TikTok (profiles, posts, captions, public engagement counts) without the official API. It's useful for studying a competitor's top posts. - **Can post:** **no.** It can't post, schedule, or read your private insights, because it never signs in as you through the platform's API. - **Whose app:** none. - **Watch out for:** scraping generally **conflicts with Instagram's and TikTok's terms of service**, so don't build anything important on it. ### 4. Automation-platform MCPs **Verdict: handy if you already use one, thin otherwise.** No-code automation platforms expose their integrations as MCP tools, so Claude can trigger an Instagram action the same way it triggers a Slack or Sheets action. - **Can post:** usually a publish action or two per network. - **Whose app:** the automation platform's. - **Watch out for:** **limited analytics and comments**, each network handled as a separate action, and usage that often counts against the platform's task quota. ### 5. Unified social media API MCPs **Verdict: one connection, many networks, no app review of your own.** A unified social media API connects to many networks behind one integration, and its MCP server gives Claude one set of tools for all of them. - **Can post:** yes, through each network's official API, and **one request can cross-post**. - **Whose app:** **the provider's.** The provider owns the developer app on each network, passes each review, and refreshes the tokens. - **Watch out for:** you depend on the provider and on **which networks it supports**. ## Why can't one platform's MCP cross-post? **Each platform's API only reaches its own network.** The Instagram API has no way to publish to TikTok, so neither does an MCP built on it. Cross-posting needs a layer above the individual APIs that takes one request and sends it to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and the rest. That layer is a unified social media API. Adeli is one: it publishes to **Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X**, and if a post fails on one network, the others still go out. ## Do I need my own Meta or TikTok developer app? **Only with a self-hosted server.** Official platform MCPs, automation platforms, and unified API providers all run on an app someone else owns. Whoever owns the app also owns the review queue and the token refresh. **Adeli maintains the developer app on every supported network**, goes through each platform's review itself, and manages token refresh. The [Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) and [TikTok API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) pages cover what that includes for each network. ## Can Claude post to a personal Instagram account? **No.** Meta's docs say the API publishes to **Instagram professional accounts**, meaning Business or Creator, so the limit applies to every MCP server that uses the official API. Scrapers don't help either, because they can't post. You can [switch a personal account to a professional account](https://help.instagram.com/502981923235522) for free in the Instagram app. ## How do I add an Instagram MCP server to Claude Code? **Add the server's URL or start command, then sign in when Claude asks.** The commands below follow [Anthropic's Claude Code MCP docs](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp). ### A hosted server in Claude Code 1. Add the server: ```bash claude mcp add --transport http instagram https://example.com/mcp ``` 2. Run `/mcp` inside a Claude Code session and follow the browser sign-in. 3. Optional: add `--scope user` to make the server available in every project, not only the current one. ### A self-hosted server on my machine ```bash claude mcp add --transport stdio instagram --env IG_ACCESS_TOKEN=your-token -- npx -y your-instagram-mcp-package ``` Everything after `--` is the command that starts the server. ### Claude on the web or Claude Desktop 1. Open the connectors settings and choose to add a custom connector. 2. Paste the server URL and complete the sign-in. Connectors you add on claude.ai also show up in Claude Code when you're signed in with the same account. Check your servers with `claude mcp list`, and remove one with `claude mcp remove instagram`. ## How does Adeli fit in? **Adeli is a unified social media API with an MCP server.** Claude can publish posts, schedule content, and read analytics across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and X through conversation instead of code. - **Works with:** Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and other assistants. - **Building your own agent:** use Adeli's agent skill or call the API directly. - **Access:** MCP access is by request. Start at the [Adeli for agents](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents) page. - **Price:** per connected account, and **the first 3 accounts are free**. See [pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does an Instagram MCP server work with ChatGPT or Cursor too? Yes. MCP is an open standard, so the same Instagram or TikTok MCP server works in Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and other assistants that support MCP. You add it once per app, and the server behaves the same in each. ### Is there a free Instagram MCP server? Self-hosted open-source servers are free to run, but you pay in setup time: your own Meta developer app, tokens, and app review. Adeli's first 3 connected accounts are free, and Adeli owns the developer app, so there is no review for you to pass. ### Can I use an Instagram MCP from n8n instead of Claude? Yes. n8n can act as an MCP client, so an agent workflow in n8n can call the same MCP server Claude does. If you would rather skip MCP, n8n's HTTP Request node can call a REST API such as Adeli's directly. ## Related Adeli pages - [Post to Social Media from Claude, ChatGPT, or an AI Agent](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents.md): Direct Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or your own agent to publish, schedule, and read social analytics — via Adeli's MCP server, agent skill, or API directly. - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # Is the Instagram API Free? What It Actually Costs The Instagram API has no fees, but it costs weeks of time: app review, account limits, token refresh, and setup. Here's where the time goes. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/is-instagram-api-free Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer Yes, the Instagram API is free: Meta charges no fees and sells no paid tier. What it costs is time. It only works with Business or Creator accounts, publishing to other people's accounts requires Meta App Review, and tokens expire every 60 days. Adeli handles the developer app, review, and tokens for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X behind one API key. Meta doesn't charge for the Instagram API. There are **no per-call fees, no subscription, and no paid tier**. What it costs is **time**: getting through Meta's app review, learning two login flows, and building media hosting and a token refresh job. For a founder or developer trying to ship quickly, those weeks can cost more than paying someone else to handle it. ## Is the Instagram API free? **Yes.** The official Instagram API, sometimes called the Instagram Graph API, costs nothing to call. The cost shows up in the conditions attached to it: | What you "pay" | The official Instagram API | Source | |---|---|---| | Fees to Meta | **$0**, and no paid tier exists | | | Account type | **Business or Creator accounts only**. Personal accounts are not supported. | [Instagram Platform overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | Approval | **App Review and Business Verification** to serve accounts you don't own | [Instagram Platform overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | Publishing cap | **100 API-published posts** per account per rolling 24 hours | [Content publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing) | | API call cap | **4,800 × the account's impressions**, per 24 hours | [Rate limiting](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/rate-limiting) | | Token upkeep | Long-lived tokens **expire after 60 days** unless refreshed | [Refresh access token](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/reference/refresh_access_token) | ## Where does the time go? Most of the cost lands **before your first published post**, and some of it comes back every month. Here's where the time goes when you build on the Instagram API yourself: | Work | What it involves | When it happens | |---|---|---| | **Meta App Review** | Written use case per permission, a screencast of the full login and feature flow, then waiting on a decision | Before launch, and again when you add permissions | | **Business Verification** | Proving your company exists to Meta before Advanced Access is granted | Before launch | | **Reading the docs** | Choosing between Instagram Login and Facebook Login, mapping permissions, learning the container-then-publish flow | Before launch, and on every API version change | | **Infrastructure** | Public media hosting, JPEG conversion, publish status polling, retries, webhooks | Before launch, then ongoing | | **Token lifecycle** | Exchanging short-lived tokens, refreshing every account before its 60-day expiry, handling revoked access | Ongoing, for every connected account | | **Other networks** | Doing all of the above again for TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X, and normalizing each one's data into one shape | Every network you add | **App review is the step you control least.** When we went through Meta's reviews for our clients, each round took **roughly 8–10 days**, and it can take several rounds to get every permission approved. Expect rejections to cite the screencast. Reviewers want to see: - **The login.** The complete flow, from your app to Instagram and back. - **The consent screen.** The user granting access on Instagram's own screen. - **The feature, end to end.** The permission you're requesting, working in your app, with English UI or captions. Each fix costs another round of waiting. If you'd rather skip the review queue, [Adeli's Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) already holds the developer app and handles Meta's review. **Other networks multiply all of this.** A product that posts to Instagram usually gets asked for TikTok next, then YouTube, and each one has its own review, token rules, and response format. ## Does the Instagram API work with personal accounts? **No.** The Instagram API only works with **professional accounts**, meaning Business or Creator accounts. A personal account has to switch to a professional account (free, in the Instagram app settings) before any app can publish to it or read its insights. Personal accounts used to have a read-only option, the Instagram Basic Display API. Meta [shut it down on **December 4, 2024**](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2024/09/04/update-on-instagram-basic-display-api/), and every request to it now fails. Any guide that still recommends Basic Display is out of date. ## What are the Instagram API rate limits? The Instagram API has **two limits that matter for publishing**: a post cap and a call cap. Both apply whether you build with Instagram Login or Facebook Login. | Limit | Meta's rule | Source | |---|---|---| | **Posts** | "Instagram accounts are limited to 100 API-published posts within a 24-hour moving period." A carousel (up to 10 items) counts as one post. | [Content publishing](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/content-publishing) | | **API calls** | "Calls within 24 hours = 4800 * Number of Impressions," where impressions are how often the account's content was seen in the last 24 hours | [Rate limiting](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/overview/rate-limiting) | | **Discovery and hashtags** | On Facebook Login, Business Discovery and Hashtag Search use platform limits instead: 200 calls per hour × the number of app users | [Instagram Platform overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | | **Messaging** | Separate per-second limits for each messaging endpoint | [Instagram Platform overview](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/overview) | A few things follow from those rules: - **Small accounts get small budgets.** The call cap scales with impressions, so a brand-new account can make far fewer calls than an established one. - **Check before you publish.** The `content_publishing_limit` endpoint tells you how much of the 100-post cap an account has used. - **"200 requests per hour" is the wrong number for publishing.** It's the platform limit, and for Instagram it only covers Business Discovery and Hashtag Search. ## Why do "Instagram API pricing" pages show monthly prices? Most paid "Instagram APIs" in search results are **third-party scraper or data APIs**, not Meta's API. They sell read access to public Instagram data, billed per thousand requests or as a monthly subscription, and **they can't publish to accounts**. | | Official Instagram API | Third-party scraper/data APIs | |---|---|---| | Cost | Free | Paid, per request or monthly | | Publishes posts | Yes, with approval | No | | Account owner's consent | Yes, via login | No | | Personal accounts | No | Public data only | If your product needs to post on your users' behalf, **the official API, or a service built on it**, is the only real option. ## Should I build on the Instagram API directly? It depends on how many networks you need and how soon you need to ship. - **Build directly** if Instagram is your only network, you have engineering time to spare, and waiting on app review won't hold up your launch. There are no fees, and the docs are clear once you know which login you need. - **Use a unified API** if you need to launch soon or Instagram is one of several networks. [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) maintains the Instagram developer app, carries Meta's review, and refreshes every connected account's tokens, so your team holds **one API key**. The same request publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X ([how a unified API works](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/what-is-a-unified-social-media-api)). On [Adeli's pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing), **your first 3 connected accounts are free**, with no credit card. [Sign in](https://app.tryadeli.com/sign-in) and you can create your API key straight away. Before you build on the Instagram API directly, **add up the review rounds, the token job, and the next network your users will ask for**. Then compare that with the weeks you'd rather spend on your own product. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need an Instagram API key? Not in the usual sense. Meta gives your app an App ID and App Secret, and every Instagram account that connects to your app produces its own access token. You call the Instagram API with those per-account tokens, so there is no single key to buy or request. ### Does the Instagram API need a Facebook Page? It depends on the login you build with. The Instagram API with Instagram Login does not need a Facebook Page. The Instagram API with Facebook Login does, because it reaches the Instagram account through the Page it is linked to. ### Is the TikTok API free too? TikTok also charges no fees for its posting API, but it has its own gate: until an app passes TikTok's audit, everything it posts is private. As with Instagram, the cost is the time it takes to get approved. ### How much does Adeli cost for Instagram? Your first 3 connected accounts are free, with no credit card. After that, pricing is per connected account, and one Instagram account is one connected account. See the pricing page for the current tiers. ## Related Adeli pages - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # How Long Does Meta App Review Take? (Instagram API) How long Meta app review takes for Instagram API permissions, why rejections stretch it to weeks, and what the screencast and use case need to pass. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/meta-app-review-time Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29, updated 2026-10-05. ## The short answer Meta app review takes about one week per submission by Meta's own estimate, and roughly 8 to 10 days per round in our experience. A full set of Instagram API permissions usually takes weeks to a couple of months, because every rejection adds another round. Adeli owns the Meta developer app and its review, so teams building on Adeli skip this. **Meta app review takes about one week per submission (Meta's stated target), or roughly 8 to 10 days per round in our experience.** Getting a full set of Instagram API permissions approved usually takes **weeks to a couple of months**, because each rejection sends a permission back for another round, and resubmitting is the slow part. ## How long does Meta app review take? Meta's [submission guide](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/app-review/submission-guide/) says "you should receive a decision within a week." That covers **one round**: you submit, a reviewer tests your app, and you get an approval or a rejection for each permission. When we went through Meta's reviews for Instagram permissions while working with a couple of clients, each round took **roughly 8 to 10 days** to come back. There was a lot of back-and-forth with Meta support between rounds, and a full set of permissions took several rounds. | What you're timing | What to expect | |---|---| | One review round (Meta's stated target) | About a week | | One review round (our experience) | Roughly 8 to 10 days | | Fixing a rejection before resubmitting | Days, depending on whether you re-record the screencast | | A full set of Instagram permissions, with rejections | Weeks to a couple of months | **Plan around the last row.** A one-week decision only saves time when it's an approval. ## What does Meta review before an app goes live? Meta runs **several separate reviews**, and each has its own wait. None of them has a predictable timeline, and they can overlap or block each other. | What gets reviewed | When you need it | What it asks for | Wait time | |---|---|---|---| | [Business Verification](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/release/business-verification) | Your app requests Advanced Access, or lets other businesses access their own data | Proof that your business is a real, registered entity | Varies, unpredictable | | [App Review](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/app-review/) | Every permission that needs Advanced Access | A written use case and a screencast for each permission | Varies, unpredictable | | [Tech Provider access verification](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/release/access-verification/) | Your app is used by other businesses and requests certain permissions | A description of how your business uses other businesses' data to provide its service | Varies, unpredictable | If you build a product that lets customers connect their own Instagram accounts, expect to go through **all three**. ## Why does Meta app review take so long? Meta app review takes a long time mostly because of **rejection loops**, more than the queue itself. A few things stack up: - **Permissions are judged one by one.** A single submission can come back half approved, and the rejected permissions go into the next round. - **A rejection costs a full round.** You fix the problem, resubmit, and wait again. - **Rework happens between rounds.** Re-recording a screencast or rewriting a use case takes days. Sometimes the product has to change before the video can show the feature. - **Feedback is generic.** Meta's rejection notes tend to be a template with a policy link, so it can take a support exchange to find out which part failed. - **More apps are in the queue.** In our experience, a surge of vibe-coded apps, vertical AI companies, and AI content-generation tools requesting Instagram access has made review slower than it used to be. If you're blocked on this, an API that already holds the approvals, like [Adeli's Instagram API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram), takes the review off your roadmap. ## What is the Meta app review process? The Meta app review process has **four stages**: build the feature, clear the account-level requirements, submit each permission, and wait for a decision per permission. 1. **Build the feature first.** Meta asks you to "make at least 1 successful API call using each permission" before requesting it, within 30 days of submitting. 2. **Clear the account-level gates.** Complete Basic Settings (icon, category, privacy policy URL), add a data deletion URL or callback, and finish Business Verification if you need Advanced Access. 3. **Submit each permission.** Each one gets its own written description and its own screencast. 4. **Get a decision per permission.** Approved permissions go live. Rejected ones need a fix and another round. ## What are the Meta app review requirements for Instagram? To publish to Instagram professional accounts your customers own, your app needs **Advanced Access**, and Advanced Access requires Meta app review. The [Instagram App Review docs](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/instagram-platform/app-review) ask apps that serve multiple businesses for "a screencast showing the end-to-end user experience for that specific permission or feature." | Requirement | What it means in practice | |---|---| | Advanced Access | Required if your app serves accounts you don't own or manage | | Business Verification | Required for Advanced Access | | One successful API call per permission | The feature has to work before you ask for it | | Privacy policy and data deletion | Live URLs that cover the data each permission touches | | A reviewer-accessible app | "Your app must be publicly available," with a working test path | | A test account with real content | An Instagram professional account with posts, and followers if you request insights | Instagram also has **two sets of permissions**, and each set is reviewed separately. Request the one your users will actually log in with: - **Instagram API with Instagram Login.** Uses permissions like `instagram_business_basic` and `instagram_business_content_publish`. - **Instagram API with Facebook Login.** Uses `instagram_basic`, `instagram_content_publish`, and Facebook Page permissions such as `pages_show_list`. ## What rejections should I expect from Meta app review? Expect **at least one rejection**. We hit each of these when we went through Meta's reviews for clients: - **Screencast gaps.** Meta can accept your use case and still reject the permission because the video skips a step. It needs to show the complete login, the user granting the permission on the consent screen, and the feature working end to end. - **A use case not tied to a feature.** If the description doesn't say which feature needs the permission, how the integration works, and how it helps the end user, Meta can reject it as not needed for your app's core functionality. - **A rewrite that reopens an accepted use case.** If Meta accepted the use case and only the video failed, keep the text and fix the video. Rewritten text is judged again, and it can fail on grounds that passed last time. ## What should my Meta app review video show? Your Meta app review video should show **one user going from logged out to the feature working**, in one take, for that specific permission. Meta's [screen recording guidance](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/app-review/submission-guide/) asks you to "record in high-resolution, 1080 or better" and to "use English as the app UI language," with captions or tooltips for any button whose purpose isn't obvious. A screencast that passes usually covers: 1. Signing in to your app. 2. Starting the Instagram connection and completing Meta's login. 3. The consent screen, with the permission being granted. 4. The feature doing its job, with the result visible (for publishing, the post live on Instagram). 5. Nothing the description doesn't claim, and everything it does. **Some permissions carry extra rules.** For comment management, Meta's review instructions ask to see the account respond to a new comment within 30 seconds, so record that in one unbroken take. ## How to pass Meta app review for instagram_business_content_publish To pass review for **`instagram_business_content_publish`**, show a post being created in your app and then appearing live on the connected Instagram account. Meta describes the permission as letting an app "create organic feed photo and video posts on behalf of a business user." - **Show the whole path.** Log in, grant access, compose, pick the account, publish, then cut to the post on Instagram. - **Claim only what you publish.** If the description says carousels, the reviewer may look for one. ## Is there a faster way to get Instagram API access? Yes. **Use an API that already owns an approved Meta developer app.** [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram) maintains the developer app on every supported network, completes each platform's review process, and manages OAuth connections and token refresh. - **One API key.** Your team holds one key instead of one relationship per platform. - **Your users' own accounts.** Each user connects their own Instagram account through Adeli. - **Every network in one call.** Adeli publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through the same [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api), and Facebook Pages work the same way on the [Facebook API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook). Your first three connected accounts are [free](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a rejection restart the Meta app review clock? Yes, in practice. A rejected permission has to be fixed and resubmitted, and the resubmission waits in the queue like a new one. Add the time you spend reworking the screencast or the use case text, and each rejection costs you another full round. ### Do I need Advanced Access if I only post to my own Instagram account? Usually not. Meta requires Advanced Access when your app serves Instagram professional accounts that you don't own or manage. If your product lets customers connect their own accounts, you need Advanced Access, and that means App Review. ### Is Instagram Graph API approval the same as Meta app review? Yes. "Instagram API approval" and "Instagram Graph API approval" both describe Meta App Review for Instagram permissions. Instagram doesn't run a separate process. Every permission, such as instagram_business_content_publish, goes through the same Meta App Review. ### Do I need Business Verification for Meta app review? Yes, if you need Advanced Access. Meta says apps that request Advanced Access, or that let other businesses access their own data, must be connected to a business that has completed Business Verification. ## Related Adeli pages - [Instagram API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/instagram.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Instagram through one API. Adeli owns the Instagram developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Facebook API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/facebook.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for Facebook Pages through one API. Adeli owns the Facebook developer app, token refresh, and Meta review. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # TikTok API for Business vs TikTok for Developers TikTok has two developer portals with different APIs, review gates, and limits. What each one offers, what the other lacks, and which one you need. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/tiktok-api-for-business-vs-developers Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer TikTok for Developers (developers.tiktok.com) offers Login Kit and the Content Posting API, built for apps that let creators post and sign in. TikTok API for Business (business-api.tiktok.com) offers the Accounts API, which adds comment moderation, deeper insights, and post webhooks for Business and Personal accounts, but publishes video as public only. Adeli publishes to TikTok for you, so you don't have to pick a portal or pass its review. **TikTok for Developers and TikTok API for Business are two separate developer portals.** Each has its own apps, its own review, and its own limits, and nothing carries over from one to the other. The portal you register your app in decides what it can do. The kind of TikTok account a user connects doesn't change that. ## What's the difference between TikTok for Developers and TikTok API for Business? **TikTok for Developers is built for consumer apps**, where a TikTok user signs in and posts. **TikTok API for Business is built for tools that manage accounts** for brands and creators, and its [Accounts API overview](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api-overview/v1.3) explicitly allows third-party developers building for other businesses. [TikTok for Developers](https://developers.tiktok.com/products/) contains: - **Login Kit.** "Sign in with TikTok" and the OAuth flow the other products use ([Login Kit overview](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/login-kit-overview)). - **Content Posting API.** Direct posting or draft upload of videos and photo posts, up to 35 photos ([Content Posting API guide](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-get-started)). - **User info and video list endpoints.** Profile fields, follower and like counts, and a user's public videos. You'll also see these called the Display API. - **Share Kit.** A mobile SDK that hands content from your app to the TikTok app. - **Everything else.** Embed Videos, the Data Portability API (EEA and UK users only), the Research API (for academic researchers), and the Commercial Content API. [TikTok API for Business](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/organic-api/v1.3) contains: - **Accounts API.** Publishing, comments, insights, and webhooks for owned accounts. - **Mentions API.** Posts that mention your brand's handle, plus brand hashtags. - **TikTok One API.** Creator discovery and campaigns. - **Discovery API.** Trending hashtags and Commercial Music Library sounds. - **Spark Ads Recommendation API.** Organic posts worth boosting as ads. - **Business Messaging API and Marketing API.** Direct messages for Business Accounts, and TikTok Ads Manager. If you're here to publish and manage accounts, **you're choosing between the Content Posting API and the Accounts API.** ## TikTok for Developers vs TikTok API for Business: side-by-side comparison | | TikTok for Developers | TikTok API for Business | | --- | --- | --- | | Portal | developers.tiktok.com | business-api.tiktok.com | | Main products | Login Kit, Content Posting API, user info and video list | Accounts API (inside Organic API), plus Mentions, Discovery, Business Messaging, Marketing | | Built for | Apps where a TikTok user signs in and posts | Tools that manage brands' and creators' owned accounts | | Account types | Any TikTok user who authorizes your app | Business Accounts and Personal Accounts | | Video publishing | Direct post with a chosen privacy level (public, friends, followers, or only me) | Public only | | Photo posts | Up to 35 photos, all four privacy levels | Up to 35 photos, all four privacy levels | | Drafts | Yes, upload to the creator's inbox (`video.upload`) | Yes, with the `video.upload` permission | | Ads-only posts, ad authorization | No | Yes (`is_ads_only`, Spark Ads authorization codes) | | Comment moderation | Not available | List, reply, create, like, hide/unhide, delete | | Profile insights | Follower, following, like, and video counts | Adds profile views, video views, daily follower change, audience countries, genders, and activity | | Post insights | Views, likes, comments, shares | Adds reach, watch time, full-watch rate, impression sources, audience countries | | Other extras | Sign in with TikTok, Share Kit, embeds | Business-category benchmarks, recommended hashtags, location tags | | Webhooks | Deauthorization, upload failed, publish completed | Publish failed, complete, publicly available, and no longer available; comment updates | | Rate limits | 600 requests/min per endpoint for user info and video list; 6/min per user token to start a post | 40 requests/min per account per endpoint; 600/min app-wide (Basic), 1,000 at higher tiers | | Caps on scale | A daily quota of active publishing users per app | No user-count cap in the docs; 15 posts per day per account | | Before approval | Private-only posts, 5 users per 24 hours | No access until your app and scope are approved | | Gate | App review, then a separate Content Posting API audit for public posts | Accounts API Access Application Form, then app review | Sources: - **TikTok for Developers:** [Content Sharing Guidelines](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-sharing-guidelines), [Direct Post reference](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/content-posting-api-reference-direct-post), [scopes](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/tiktok-api-scopes), and [v2 rate limits](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/tiktok-api-v2-rate-limit). - **TikTok API for Business:** [Accounts API reference](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api-guide-api-reference/v1.3), [Accounts API rate limits](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api-rate-limits/v1.3), and [Accounts Insights data latency](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-insights-data-latency/v1.3). ## What does TikTok API for Business have that TikTok for Developers doesn't? **Use TikTok API for Business when your tool manages TikTok accounts for someone**: replying to comments, reporting on performance, and publishing. It has four things TikTok for Developers doesn't. - **Comment moderation.** The Accounts API can [list, reply to, like, hide, and delete comments](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/manage-comments-on-owned-tiktok-videos/v1.3) on an account's own videos. A `comment.update` webhook reports new, deleted, or hidden comments within five minutes. TikTok for Developers has no comment endpoints. - **Deeper analytics.** TikTok for Developers returns four counts per user and four per video. The Accounts API adds reach, watch time, full-watch rate, impression sources, audience breakdowns, and business-category benchmarks. - **Post status webhooks.** Posts published through the Accounts API fire [events](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/post-publishing-events/v1.3) when publishing fails, completes, becomes publicly visible, and stops being publicly visible. The last one catches posts removed by moderation or switched to private later. - **Limits that scale with requests, not users.** Before the audit, a TikTok for Developers app is capped at 5 posting users per day, and after it there's still a daily quota of active publishing users. The Accounts API limits requests instead, at **40 per minute per account per endpoint**. The detailed analytics fields arrive with a **24–48 hour delay**, and the account owner has to publish at least one video and turn on Analytics in the TikTok app before any data comes back. The same portal also has Spark Ads authorization, ads-only posts, brand mentions, and trending sounds. A customer who boosts a post as an ad doesn't need a second integration. ## What does TikTok for Developers have that TikTok API for Business doesn't? **TikTok for Developers can post a video directly as non-public. The Accounts API can't.** Its video endpoint is named ["Publish a public video post to an owned account"](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/publish-a-public-video-post-to-an-owned-account/v1.3), and it has no privacy setting. If your users need to post a video only to friends, followers, or themselves, the Content Posting API is the direct route. On the Accounts API they'd have to upload a draft and pick the privacy level in the TikTok app. TikTok for Developers also has consumer tools with no business-side equivalent: - **Sign in with TikTok.** Login Kit, if TikTok is an identity provider for your app. - **Share Kit.** For mobile apps that pass edited content to the TikTok app. - **Embeds, Data Portability, and the Research API.** All outside the Accounts API's scope. - **Building before approval.** An unaudited app can post privately to a handful of test accounts, so you can get the whole flow working and record your demo before review. ## What can't the TikTok Accounts API do? TikTok's [Accounts API overview](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api-overview/v1.3) lists prohibited uses: - **No downloading or migrating content.** You can't download TikTok videos or images, or move content to another TikTok account or another social network. Posting to TikTok is fine. Pulling a video from TikTok to repost elsewhere isn't. - **No self-built creator discovery.** You can't use aggregated creator data to build your own creator discovery or ranking program. TikTok One is the sanctioned route for that. - **Revocable access.** TikTok can revoke Accounts API access without notice if it finds misuse. ## How long does TikTok app review take? **TikTok says app review "may take several days to two weeks"** ([getting-started FAQ](https://developers.tiktok.com/doc/getting-started-faq)). Public posting through the Content Posting API takes a second, separate audit of your posting flow. Until you pass it, every post lands as private. On the business portal, you fill in the **[Accounts API Access Application Form](https://business-api.tiktok.com/portal/docs/accounts-api/v1.3)** before you submit a new developer app or request the "TikTok Accounts" scope. TikTok has required it since March 20, 2026. Working with clients, we saw the initial review take **about two weeks for a limited set of APIs**. Adding more APIs meant another review round, so plan for each new scope to reset the clock. Reviewers look for the same things on both portals: - **A real consent screen.** The demo video shows TikTok's actual authorization screen, not a mockup. - **Every scope in use.** Each permission you request appears in the demo. - **Nothing extra.** The demo shows nothing your written use case doesn't claim. - **Working legal pages.** A privacy policy and terms of service on your own domain. If you'd rather not run that process, the [TikTok API page](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) shows how Adeli handles it for you. ## Why do TikTok business developer profiles get rejected? **Business developer profiles sometimes get rejected because the domain fails TikTok's security checks.** That can happen before anyone looks at your app. A new domain with no mail setup and no history can look like a throwaway. These are practical fixes, not an official TikTok list: 1. **Renew for several years.** A one-year registration reads as short-lived. 2. **Set up real email on the domain.** Use a hosted mailbox rather than a forward, with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. 3. **Add security headers.** Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options and the like, plus a `security.txt` file. 4. **Get the domain categorized.** Submit it as a business or software site to the web-filtering services that security vendors run, and check it against public malware and safe-browsing scanners. 5. **Apply from an established domain.** If your product domain is new, an older company domain you own may pass while the new one builds history. ## Which TikTok API should I use? Pick based on what your product does with the accounts it connects. | If your product… | Use | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Lets users post their own content (an editor, a creator tool) | TikTok for Developers | Private posting, drafts, Sign in with TikTok | | Manages accounts for brands or clients (a dashboard, an agency tool, a vertical SaaS product) | TikTok API for Business | Comment moderation, deeper analytics, limits that don't cap your customer count | | Needs public publishing at scale and non-public video | Both | They're separate apps with separate reviews | ## How does Adeli fit in? **Adeli publishes to TikTok through the same endpoint as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X.** Adeli maintains the TikTok developer app, goes through TikTok's review process, and handles token refresh for every connected account. - **No portal to pick.** Your team never registers an app on either portal. - **Your users' own accounts.** Each user connects their own TikTok account, isolated from everyone else's. - **Clear failures.** Every publish returns a per-platform status plus a webhook when anything changes. See the [TikTok API page](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok) for what's supported, the [commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api) for comment moderation, or the [posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) for how one request reaches every network. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I post to TikTok via API without an audit? On TikTok for Developers, yes, but only privately. Until your app passes the Content Posting API audit, posts are limited to SELF_ONLY viewing, the posting account has to be private, and at most 5 users can post through your app in a 24-hour window. ### Does the TikTok Accounts API work with personal accounts? Yes. TikTok's Accounts API documentation covers insights, comment moderation, and publishing for both Business Accounts and Personal Accounts. The Business Messaging API is different. It only works for Business Accounts. ### Do I need a TikTok for Business account to use the Accounts API? Yes. TikTok's getting-started steps are to create a TikTok for Business account, register as a developer, create a developer app with the "TikTok Accounts" permission scope, then run the authorization flow with each account owner. ### Is the TikTok business API free? TikTok's documentation for these organic APIs doesn't list a usage fee. The real cost is engineering time: the integration, the review, and keeping tokens fresh for every connected account. ## Related Adeli pages - [TikTok API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/tiktok.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for TikTok through one API. Adeli owns the TikTok developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Social Media Commenting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-commenting-api.md): Read, reply to, and moderate comments on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X posts through the same API you publish with. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # X API Pricing: What It Costs to Post to X X API pricing is pay-per-use: $0.015 per post, $0.20 per post with a link, $0.005 per post read. What that costs at SaaS and AI-agent scale. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/x-api-pricing Last updated: 2026-09-29 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-29. ## The short answer The X API (formerly the Twitter API) is pay-per-use. X charges $0.015 to create a post, $0.20 if the post contains a link, and $0.005 per post you read. The free tier is gone for new developers, and Basic and Pro are moving to pay-per-use. Those fees apply whether you call X directly or use Adeli, which passes them through at X's rates and handles the X developer app, review, and token refresh. The X API costs **$0.015 per post you create, $0.20 per post that contains a link, and $0.005 per post you read**. X moved every new developer onto this pay-per-use model on February 6, 2026. There's no monthly subscription and no minimum spend: you buy credits in the X Developer Console and X deducts them per request. The numbers in this post come from X's [pricing docs](https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing) and [changelog](https://docs.x.com/changelog), checked on September 29, 2026. X has changed its pricing several times since 2023, so check those pages before you budget. ## How much does the X API cost? **Writes are charged per request and reads per resource returned.** Here are the rates that matter if you're building social posting: | Action | X API price | Notes | |---|---|---| | **Create a post** | $0.015 per request | `POST /2/tweets`, text or media, no link | | **Create a post with a link** | $0.20 per request | Any post containing a URL, about 13× a plain post | | **Create a summoned reply** | $0.010 per request | A reply to a post whose author @mentioned or quoted your account | | **Delete a post** | $0.010 per request | Billed as "Interaction: Delete" | | **Read a post** | $0.005 per post returned | Includes reading back a post's metrics | | **Read a user** | $0.010 per user returned | Profile lookups | | **Read your own data ("Owned Reads")** | $0.001 per resource | Only when the authenticated user owns the developer app | | **Post read cap** | 3 million per billing cycle | Above that, X points you to Enterprise | Source: [X API pricing](https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing) and the [April 16, 2026 changelog entry](https://docs.x.com/changelog), both fetched 2026-09-29. Four billing rules change the math: - **The link price is recent.** X raised posts containing a URL from $0.01 to **$0.20, effective April 20, 2026**. The same change set plain posts at $0.015 and removed following, likes, and quote-posts from all self-serve plans. - **Owned Reads rarely help a SaaS product.** The $0.001 rate only applies when `{id}` matches the authenticated user *and* that user owns the developer app. When your customers connect their accounts to your app, reading their posts costs the full $0.005. - **Reads are deduplicated per day.** Fetch the same post twice in one UTC day and X usually charges once. - **Credits can run out mid-day.** If your balance hits zero or goes slightly negative, X blocks requests until you add credits. Auto-recharge helps, but it won't run while the balance is at or below zero. These per-post fees apply whether you call the X API yourself or go through [Adeli's X API](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x), which passes them through at X's rates. Adeli handles the X developer app, X's review, and token refresh for you. ## Is the X API free? **No.** X ended free access for new developers when it launched pay-per-use on February 6, 2026. Two groups still get something for free: - **Public Utility Apps**, which X says "continue to receive free scaled access." - **Recently active Legacy Free users**, who moved to pay-per-use with a **one-time $10 voucher**. Everyone else pays from the first request. X does let you set a spending cap, and since there's no minimum spend, a prototype that posts a few times a day costs cents. **If a guide describes a free tier with a monthly post allowance, it's out of date.** That tier closed to new sign-ups with the [Feb 6, 2026 changelog entry](https://docs.x.com/changelog). ## What happened to the Basic, Pro, and Enterprise tiers? **X is folding Basic and Pro into pay-per-use.** Enterprise is still a separate, sales-led plan. X's current pricing page lists only pay-per-use rates and an Enterprise interest form. | Tier | Status | Source | |---|---|---| | **Free** | Replaced by pay-per-use on Feb 6, 2026. Public Utility Apps keep free access. | [X changelog](https://docs.x.com/changelog) | | **Basic** (was $200/month) | X deprecated Basic and began migrating subscribers to pay-per-use after June 1, 2026 | [X Developers on X](https://x.com/XDevelopers/status/2057572111020134462) | | **Pro** (was $5,000/month) | X announced on Aug 14, 2026 that Pro subscriptions end at each account's cutover date after Sept 1, 2026, and move to pay-per-use | [X Developers forum](https://devcommunity.x.com/t/important-update-legacy-x-api-pro-plans-are-moving-to-pay-per-use-ppu/273255) | | **Enterprise** | Custom pricing, custom rate limits, no published price | [X API pricing](https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing) | | **Pay-per-use** | The default self-serve plan | [X API pricing](https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing) | **Enterprise has no public price.** The monthly figures quoted around the web come from reports on older contracts, not from X. You'll get a number only after talking to X's sales team. ## What does it cost to post to X at your scale? **Plain posts are cheap on the X API. Links are where the bill grows.** This table counts post-creation charges only, over a 30-day month: | Scenario | Posts per month | All plain posts | Half with links | All with links | |---|---|---|---|---| | **Founder posting for one brand** (1 account, 2 posts a day) | 60 | $0.90 | $6.45 | $12 | | **Scheduling SaaS** (50 customer accounts, 3 posts a day each) | 4,500 | $67.50 | $483.75 | $900 | | **AI agent product** (500 accounts, 5 posts a day each) | 75,000 | $1,125 | $8,062.50 | $15,000 | Calculated from X's rates of $0.015 per plain post and $0.20 per post with a link ([X API pricing](https://docs.x.com/x-api/getting-started/pricing), fetched 2026-09-29). The table leaves out: - **Analytics reads.** Reading back a post's metrics once a day for its first 7 days costs 7 × $0.005 per post. For the scheduling SaaS, that adds **about $157.50 a month**. For the agent product, it adds **about $2,625**. - **Engineering time.** Registering an X developer app, building OAuth, refreshing tokens, and keeping a credit balance topped up are all work your team owns. - **The Enterprise question.** X's terms may push the larger scenarios off self-serve entirely. See the next two sections. ## What are the X API rate limits? **Posting is capped at 10,000 posts per 24 hours per app and 100 posts per 15 minutes per user.** Rate limits and billing are separate systems: you can stay within the limits and still run up a bill, or hit a limit without spending anything. | Endpoint | Per app | Per user | What it's for | |---|---|---|---| | `POST /2/tweets` | 10,000 / 24 hours | 100 / 15 min | Create a post | | `DELETE /2/tweets/:id` | — | 50 / 15 min | Delete a post | | `POST /2/media/upload` | 50,000 / 24 hours | 500 / 15 min | Upload images and video | | `GET /2/tweets` | 3,500 / 15 min | 5,000 / 15 min | Look up posts by ID | | `GET /2/users/:id/tweets` | 10,000 / 15 min | 900 / 15 min | A user's timeline | | `GET /2/tweets/search/recent` | 450 / 15 min | 300 / 15 min | Search the last 7 days | Source: [X API rate limits](https://docs.x.com/x-api/fundamentals/rate-limits), fetched 2026-09-29. Enterprise customers get custom limits. **The per-app cap is the one SaaS builders hit.** Every customer who connects an X account to your app shares the same 10,000 posts a day. The agent product above, at 2,500 posts a day, fits. A product with 3,000 accounts posting 5 times a day would need 15,000 and wouldn't. ## What's the catch for SaaS and AI-agent builders? **Three X rules can cost a growing product more than the per-post price:** - **Self-serve is meant for limited end users.** X's [Developer Agreement](https://docs.x.com/developer-terms/agreement) describes the pay-per-use, Basic, and Pro plans as built for "hobbyists, commercial prototyping, initial development," and apps with "a limited number of end-users." Beyond that scope, it says you must apply for Enterprise. X doesn't define the number, so a growing SaaS product can't know in advance where that line is. - **Programmatic replies need a summons.** Since February 23, 2026, self-serve apps can only reply through the API when the original post's author has @mentioned the replying account or quoted one of its posts. An AI agent that replies to trending posts on its own won't work on self-serve. The rule doesn't apply to Enterprise. - **Links cost more than the post.** At $0.20 a post, a product that shares blog posts, product pages, or tracking links pays 13× the plain rate. After the change, some publishers [stopped including links](https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/22/x-makes-it-more-expensive-to-post-links-through-its-api/) in their automated posts. ## Should I use the X API directly or through a unified API? **X's per-post fees are the same either way.** Adeli passes them through at X's published rates, so the choice comes down to the work around the fees: the developer app, X's review, tokens, and every other network you need. | Situation | Better fit | Why | |---|---|---| | **One brand account, X only** | Direct X API | 60 plain posts a month cost under $1, and one developer app is easy to run | | **Your own accounts, and a team that wants to own the integration** | Direct X API | You keep full control of the app and pay only X | | **Customers connect their own X accounts** | Unified API | Adeli holds the X developer app, has passed X's review, and refreshes every account's tokens | | **X plus Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook** | Unified API | One endpoint instead of five integrations to build and maintain | What [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing) charges, and what it covers: - **X's fees, passed through.** Adeli passes X's API usage fees through at X's published rates. The scenario table above is what X charges either way. - **Adeli's own price is per connected account.** One X account is one connected account. The first 3 are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Every tier includes scheduling, post analytics, and full API access. - **No X developer app to own.** Adeli maintains the X developer app, has passed X's review, and refreshes tokens for every connected X account. - **Other networks in the same request.** Add `"x"` to the platforms array alongside Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook ([how the posting API works](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api)). If a post fails on X, you get a per-platform status and a webhook, and the other networks still go out. For the scheduling SaaS, **X's fees come to $67.50 to $900 a month either way**, depending on how many posts carry links. Adeli's own price for those 50 accounts is **$155 a month**, with X's fees passed through on top. If you post from a few of your own accounts on X alone, build direct. If your customers connect their own accounts, or you'll add a second network within a year, [see how Adeli handles X](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Twitter API pricing the same as X API pricing? Yes. Twitter renamed itself X, and the Twitter API became the X API. The endpoints still use the old names, like POST /2/tweets, but there is one price list, and it lives in X's developer docs at docs.x.com. ### Does X charge twice if I read the same post twice? Usually not. X deduplicates billable resources within a 24-hour UTC day, so reading the same post several times in one day counts as one charge. X calls this a soft guarantee: in edge cases such as outages, a repeat read can still be billed. ### How do I stop an X API bill from running away? Set a spending limit in the X Developer Console. Once you reach it, X blocks API requests until the next billing cycle. If you turn on auto-recharge, X caps it at one top-up per 5 minutes, so a burst of traffic can't stack charges. ### How much does Adeli cost for X? One X account is one connected account on Adeli. Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Adeli also passes X's API fees through at X's published rates. ## Related Adeli pages - [X (Twitter) API for Developers](https://www.tryadeli.com/product/x.md): Publish, schedule, and read analytics for X (Twitter) through one API. Adeli owns the X developer app, token refresh, and review process. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. --- # What Is a Unified Social Media API? A unified social media API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one integration. Here's how it works and when to use one. Canonical page: https://www.tryadeli.com/blog/what-is-a-unified-social-media-api Last updated: 2026-10-05 By Mika Reyes, Co-founder, Adeli. Published 2026-09-22, updated 2026-10-05. ## The short answer A unified social media API is one integration that publishes, schedules, and reads analytics across several social networks, so you don't build and maintain a separate integration for each. Adeli is one: a single REST endpoint for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X, where Adeli owns the developer apps, platform reviews, and token refresh. A [unified social media API](https://www.tryadeli.com/) gives you one integration for publishing to many social networks. You send a single request, and the API delivers the post to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, or whichever networks you choose. Think of it like a universal travel adapter: every country has its own plug shape, and the adapter lets you stop caring which one you're facing. ## How does a unified social media API work? Every social network has its own API, its own authentication flow, its own media rules, and its own review process. A unified API sits in front of all of them and translates. In practice that means three layers of work move off your plate: 1. **Authentication.** Each network uses OAuth differently, and access tokens expire on different schedules. The unified API handles the connection and the token refresh. 2. **Translation.** One request shape goes in, and the API converts it into whatever each network expects: media formats, caption limits, field names. 3. **Status.** Each network succeeds or fails on its own. A good unified API reports per-platform results instead of one pass/fail for the whole request. ## Why not integrate with each network directly? You can, and for one network it's often fine. The cost shows up at network two and beyond. | | Direct integrations | Unified API | | --- | --- | --- | | Developer apps to create | One per network | None (with Adeli) | | Platform review processes | One per network | Handled for you | | Token refresh logic | One per network | Handled for you | | Request formats to learn | One per network | One | | Failure handling | Built per network | Per-platform status and webhooks | The platform review is the part people underestimate. Networks like Instagram and TikTok review each app's use of their API before granting publishing permissions, and every network runs its own process. With [Adeli](https://www.tryadeli.com/), that review is already done. ## Who uses a unified social media API? Two groups, mostly. **Teams building social publishing into a product.** Scheduling tools, agency dashboards, creator platforms, and any app where users want to post to their own accounts. The [social media posting API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api) page covers that use case in detail. **People operating through AI agents.** Creators, marketers, and founders who direct Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to publish and schedule for them. The agent calls the API, and the person never writes code. See [Adeli for agents](https://www.tryadeli.com/agents). ## What should I look for in a unified social media API? - **Which networks are live today**, not on a roadmap. Adeli publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X today. - **The billing unit.** Some APIs bill per profile, and a profile can bundle several accounts. Adeli bills per connected account, and the first three are free. See [pricing](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing). - **Who owns the developer apps.** If you still have to pass each platform's review yourself, much of the value is gone. - **Failure behavior.** A post that fails on one network shouldn't block the others. ## How does Adeli fit in? Adeli is a unified social media API. It publishes, schedules, and reads analytics across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X through one REST endpoint. Adeli owns the developer apps and the review process on every network, so you hold one API key. You can [start free](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing) with your first three connected accounts. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a unified social media API the same as a social media scheduling tool? No. A scheduling tool like a content calendar is an app a person clicks through. A unified social media API is infrastructure a developer or an AI agent calls directly, so you can build publishing into your own product or workflow instead of using someone else's interface. ### Do I still need a developer app on each platform? Not with Adeli. Adeli maintains the developer app on every supported network and goes through each platform's review process itself. You hold one API key instead of one relationship per platform. ### What happens if a post fails on one network? The other networks still publish. Adeli returns a per-platform status on every request and fires a webhook when anything changes, so you can show a precise error instead of a generic failure. ### When should I integrate with a network directly instead of using a unified API? Integrate directly when you only need one network and have time to pass that platform's review yourself. Use a unified API once you need two or more networks, or when you don't want to own each platform's developer app, review, and token refresh. ## Related Adeli pages - [Social Media Posting & Scheduling API](https://www.tryadeli.com/social-media-posting-api.md): Adeli's social media posting and scheduling API publishes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X in one request, now or at a set time. Free to start. - [Adeli Pricing — priced per connected account](https://www.tryadeli.com/pricing.md): Your first 3 connected accounts are free, then $5 each for accounts 4–10, $3 each for 11–50, $2 each for 51–100, and $1 each up to 2,000. Above that, talk to sales. - [Adeli Compared to Other Social Media APIs](https://www.tryadeli.com/compare.md): Sourced, side-by-side comparisons of Adeli against Ayrshare, Upload-Post, and the Buffer API, on price, free tier, and API focus. - [All posts on the Adeli blog](https://www.tryadeli.com/blog.md) ## About the author Mika Reyes is the CEO behind Adeli and a tech and AI content creator. She was previously co-founder and CEO of Parallax, which was acquired by Phantom, and a product lead at LinkedIn. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree.