Authentication, keys and tiers
API keys, OAuth sign-in for MCP, what each tier includes, and how usage is metered.
API keys
Mint keys at bixel.com/account/keys after signing in. Keys look like bx_... and are shown exactly once: Bixel stores a SHA-256 hash, not the key, so a lost key is a new key.
Present a key either way:
curl https://api.bixel.com/v1/changes -H "Authorization: Bearer bx_your_key"
curl https://api.bixel.com/v1/changes -H "x-api-key: bx_your_key"The open tier needs no key at all. A free key unmasks values/summaries on the change surfaces within the last 90 days; history depth is the paid axis — Pro unlocks the full archive (and the 365-day trajectory window). Depth is never laddered above Pro: Team buys volume and seats, never more past.
OAuth sign-in (MCP)
The MCP server also accepts a browser sign-in: add https://api.bixel.com/mcp as a custom connector in Claude and it walks you through Bixel's consent page. No key is pasted anywhere; the connector carries your account identity, and every connector you sign in shares your account's quota pool.
A keyless MCP request answers 401 with a WWW-Authenticate header pointing at the OAuth resource metadata; that 401 is what triggers the sign-in offer in MCP clients.
MCP tool calls work on every tier, the free account included — they just need an identity (OAuth sign-in or any key). Anonymous tool calls answer key_required with the free-key path, which your agent will relay.
Tiers
| Tier | Monthly credits | Burst | MCP tool calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 / 30 days | 60/min | yes |
| Pro ($49/mo) | 10,000 / 30 days | 300/min | yes |
| Team ($199/mo) | 50,000 / 30 days | 900/min | yes |
| Enterprise | contract | contract | yes |
Monthly credits are an account aggregate: all your keys and connector sign-ins draw from one pool. Burst limits are per credential and are counted flat (one request = one), so a spike on one key cannot starve another.
Credit weights
Monthly credits meter value, not raw requests. Each request consumes credits by class, on every surface — an MCP tool call costs the same as the REST call it performs:
| Class | Credits | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Current state | 1 | company record, facts, jobs, search, categories, proof |
| Historical | 3 | /changes, /history, /trajectory, /claims, /evidence, jobs with include_closed |
| On-demand AI (future layer) | 10-25 | reserved; nothing bills this band today |
Two response headers make spend observable:
X-Bixel-Request-Cost— what this request consumed.X-Bixel-Quota-Remaining— monthly credits left in your account pool.
RateLimit-Limit / RateLimit-Remaining / RateLimit-Reset describe whichever window is currently binding, and RateLimit-Policy always reports both windows (e.g. 300;w=60, 10000;w=2592000), so the monthly position stays visible even while a burst limit binds.
Live meters for your account are at bixel.com/account/usage.
What never meters
Reading bixel.com in a browser never consumes API credits. Only api.bixel.com requests meter.