Authentication

RouteAPI uses Bearer Token authentication. Every API request must include a valid Token in the Authorization request header.

Request header format

Authorization: Bearer sk-your-routeapi-token

Example:

curl https://www.routeapi.ai/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ROUTEAPI_KEY"

Create an API Token

1. Log in to the RouteAPI console.
2. Open the API Keys page.
3. Create a new token.
4. Set the name, quota, access permissions, and expiration time as needed.
5. Save the token and use it only on the server side or in a secure environment.

Token and permissions

A Token is usually affected by the following configuration:

Configuration	Effect
User balance	Requests may return 402 when balance is insufficient
Token quota	A single Token can have an independent quota or expiration time
Rate limit	Returns 429 after being triggered

Security recommendations

• Do not expose Tokens in frontend code, public repositories, or plaintext mobile configuration.
• Prefer environment variables when calling from server-side code.
• Disable or delete leaked Tokens immediately and generate new ones.
• Create different Tokens for different applications to simplify auditing and limits.
• Set low quotas and expiration times for temporary test Tokens.

Common authentication errors

Status code	Common cause	Handling
401	Missing Token, typo, or deleted Token	Check the Authorization header
402	Insufficient balance or quota exhausted	Recharge, raise quota, or use another Token
429	Rate limit triggered	Reduce concurrency and check user or Token rate limits