> **For coding agents and LLMs:** This is one page from the Social Fetch docs (markdown export). For curated orientation and workflow guidance, start with [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt); for agent onboarding and crawl rules, use [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt); for the full endpoint list with links to pages like this one, use [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt); for one platform's parameters and curls, use [`/llms-{platform}.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-tiktok.txt); use [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) when you need structured JSON for tool registration. ## This page - **On-site (HTML):** - **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** ## API base URL and authentication - **API origin (from OpenAPI `servers`):** `https://api.socialfetch.dev` - **Authentication:** send `x-api-key: sfk_...` on `/v1/**` and `/v2/**` routes unless the operation is explicitly anonymous (check OpenAPI `security`, the [API reference hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api.mdx), [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt), or [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) for each route). - **OpenAPI JSON:** ## Recommended docs entrypoints (this site) - [Documentation overview](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs.mdx) — top-level orientation (markdown). - [Quickstart](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/quickstart.mdx) — authenticate with `x-api-key`, validate auth with `whoami`, and understand the JSON envelope. - [SDK](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/sdk.mdx) — official TypeScript SDK guide, including `SocialFetchClient`, `Result`, and `unwrap()`. - [Capability matrix](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/capability-matrix.mdx) — every operation with identifiers, pagination, outcomes, media download, credits, and its SDK method. Generated from OpenAPI, so use it for route selection instead of scanning individual pages. - [Recipes](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/recipes.mdx) — copyable workflows (brand monitoring, transcripts, Ad Library, creator scoring, Reddit research) with credit callouts and SDK examples. - [Integrations](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations.mdx) — MCP for AI clients, n8n verified node, Apify Store Actors, Make custom app, SDK, and REST API connection paths. - [MCP product page](https://www.socialfetch.dev/mcp) — hosted MCP overview, OAuth, Skills install. - [MCP integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/mcp.mdx) — hosted `/mcp` server, OAuth, Cursor/VS Code/Claude install snippets, 910 endpoint tools, plus docs_search/docs_read for implementation help. - [n8n integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/n8n.mdx) — install `n8n-nodes-socialfetch`, credentials, and workflow examples. - [Apify integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/apify.mdx) — Store Actors under @social-fetch, PPE billing, dataset export, and quick start. - [Make integration](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/integrations/make.mdx) — custom app modules for Make scenarios, API key credentials, and module catalog. - [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt) — every documented operation with a direct link to that route's agent-readable markdown page (prefer this over parsing OpenAPI). - [`/llms-{platform}.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-tiktok.txt) — per-platform endpoint files generated from OpenAPI (parameters, credits, curls). - [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt) — agent crawl/onboarding file with capabilities, auth rules, and allowlist. - [`/llms.json`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.json) — structured machine-readable operation inventory with parameter names, pagination, outcomes, credits, and SDK mapping. - [API reference hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api.mdx) — human-friendly index of operations with links into generated pages. - [Errors](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/errors.mdx) — shared error envelope and HTTP status guidance. - [Credits](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/credits.mdx) — metering, `402`, and planning batch jobs. - Outcome semantics such as `found`, `not_found`, and `private` are documented in [Errors](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/errors.mdx) and on operation pages when present in the OpenAPI contract. ## Markdown docs convention - Every docs page has a markdown twin: append **`.mdx`** to the docs pathname (for example `/docs/quickstart` → `/docs/quickstart.mdx`). - Agents that send `Accept: text/markdown` on `/docs/**` HTML URLs may receive markdown directly (same URL, `Vary: Accept`). - Published blog posts use the same convention: `/blog/{slug}` → `/blog/{slug}.mdx`, or `Accept: text/markdown` on the HTML URL (`Vary: Accept`). --- # Listening costs and limits (https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/tools/listening/costs-and-limits) {/* Defaults and limits follow use-listening-search.ts, saved-query-format.ts, query-search.ts (QUERY_SEARCH_MAX_CREDITS) and saved-queries-shared.ts (100 saved queries, cadence, export). Update them here if they change. */} Listening runs on your Social Fetch credits. Each search it makes is charged at its normal credit price, and never more than the limit you set. Credits a search didn't use aren't charged. ## What uses credits | What | Credits | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | A preview | The searches it runs, up to **Spend** (50 by default, up to 10,000) | | A topic's run | The searches it runs, up to its **credits per run** (20 by default, up to 10,000) | | Sentiment | 1 per 10 posts given a sentiment, on top | | Insights | 1 per 10 posts given insights, on top | Free: writing a query (including **Describe it**), checking it as you type, **Leave out**, filters, downloads, volume alerts, spikes, briefings and webhooks. Opening a topic or its posts costs nothing. The limit is shared between the platforms with something to search. Before you preview, **Up to N credits** under the query shows the most it can cost. If the limit is too low to give every platform a search, it says which platforms it leaves out, with **Raise the limit for X**. ## A topic's spend * Each run spends at most its **credits per run**, plus sentiment and insights for its new posts. * **At most N credits a month** in the **Keep listening** dialog is the most a month of runs could cost at that schedule: runs a month × credits per run, plus sentiment and insights. * Most runs cost less than their limit: after the first run, each one reads only what's new. * Change a topic's credits per run in its **Settings**. A run that stops at its limit shows **Partial** on the **Runs** tab; a higher limit reads further back. * A topic's page shows **credits this month**, and its **Runs** tab each run's credits. Your [Usage](https://app.socialfetch.dev/usage) page lists every charge. ### Monthly cap Under **More** (or later in the topic's **Settings**), a **Monthly cap** stops a topic spending more than you choose in a calendar month (UTC), sentiment and insights included. When a run could take it past the cap, it waits: the topic shows **Capped**, *This month's credit cap is spent: it runs again next month, or raise the cap.* A cap must be at least one run's credits, or the topic could never run. Raising the cap, or removing it, in **Settings** lets a capped topic run again straight away. ## Spend less * **Run less often.** Every 6 hours is plenty for most brands; Every day for a quiet topic. * **Lower the credits per run** in **Settings** once you see what a run usually costs on the **Runs** tab. * **Make the query more specific**, so fewer searches are needed and fewer posts need sentiment or insights. * **Pause** a topic you don't need for a while (under **⋯**). Nothing runs or is charged until you resume, and its posts stay. * **Delete** one you've finished with. Its posts and runs are deleted too, and it can't be undone: download them first if you want them. ## Running out of credits A search sets aside its whole limit from your balance while it runs, and gives back what it didn't use. So your balance must cover the limit, not just what the search ends up costing: * A **preview** whose limit is more than your balance doesn't run, and nothing is charged. Lower **Spend**, or **Buy credits**. * A **topic's run** that your balance can't cover doesn't search; its run says **Not enough credits to run it.** and the topic tries again at its next run. After 5 failed runs in a row the topic shows **Failing**: add credits, then **Resume** it. * **Sentiment and insights** that your balance can't cover are left off those posts, uncharged, with a note. The search itself still runs. ## Other limits | Limit | Value | | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Topics a workspace can have | 100 | | How often a topic runs | Every 15 minutes to every week | | A query's length | 8,192 characters, up to 500 terms | | A description for **Describe it** | 2,000 characters, with up to 5 posts it should find and 5 it should leave out | | Your own insights questions | 3 a topic, each up to 200 characters | | Searches you choose for a platform | 10, each up to 200 characters | | How long a topic keeps a post | A year | | A download | The newest 5,000 posts | - [Your first topic](/docs/tools/listening/your-first-topic) — Preview it, then keep listening. - [Troubleshooting](/docs/tools/listening/troubleshooting) — The messages Listening shows, and what to do about them.