# mediastack

> mediastack.com | Data APIs; 1 record: free tier, limits, identity cost and evidence.

HTML https://fshy.ajam.dev/p/mediastack/ | JSON https://fshy.ajam.dev/api/v1/entity/mediastack.json | how to read a record: https://fshy.ajam.dev/llms-full.txt

## mediastack (apilayer)

- `data-apis/mediastack` | qualifies-with-caveat | evidence documented | binding request-rate | category news search API | tier Free
- needs card no, phone no, ID no, institution no | verified 2026-11-03T00:28:45.380Z (live) | stale on 2026-12-04
- url https://mediastack.com/pricing
- free tier: Free plan, USD 0: 100 calls a month, live news 30 minutes late, all sources and 13 languages, HTTPS included; no historical news. | unit: requests | metered on: request-count | read on: 2026-10-31 | source: [1] | note: A call counts at least 1 request and some options count more. Historical news (the date parameter) needs the Standard plan or higher. The next plan up is Standard at USD 24.99 a month (USD 22.99 billed yearly) for 10,000 calls a month. One API access key per account.
- per-object cap: up to 100 results a call (limit maximum 100, default 25)
- retention: live news only, 30 minutes late on the free plan; no historical news | source: [2]
- egress: not applicable | metered: no | source: [1]
- identity: email | detail: The free sign-up form asks for a first and last name, an email and a password, and billing details: an address, a postal code, a country and a city (state optional). The free form shows no card field.
- interface: rest
- limits:
  - request-rate (binding): 100 calls a month on the free plan [1]
  - per-object-cap: 100 results a call [2]
  - request-rate (binding): unverified: a per-second or per-minute rate limit answers rate_limit_reached (HTTP 429 in the vendor's suite error table); its size is not published and needs a free key to measure (behind a sign-up) [3]
- limits note: unverified: whether a free key past its 100 calls answers usage_limit_reached or is billed an overage (behind a sign-up); the pricing page lists a per-call overage price for Standard, Professional and Business and none for the free plan
- binding note: 100 calls a month is met first; the size of the shorter rate limit is not published.
- interface detail: REST over HTTP or HTTPS at api.mediastack.com/v1 (news and sources endpoints); the key goes in the access_key parameter
- endpoint: https://api.mediastack.com/v1/news
- tooling: any HTTP client
- composes with: 100 calls a month at up to 100 articles a call is a sampling budget, not a feed.
- reliability: An account over its monthly volume answers usage_limit_reached and one over the rate limit answers rate_limit_reached; a keyless call answered HTTP 401 missing_access_key.
- notes: Bulk path: none.
- evidence note: Quota, delay, page size and sign-up fields are read from first-party pages; a keyless call answered HTTP 401, so the free key was not exercised. The rate limit size and the free-plan answer at 100 calls are unverified: behind a sign-up.
- evidence:
  - [1] 2026-10-31: the free plan allows 100 calls a month | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: 100 Calls / mo
  - [1] 2026-10-31: the free plan has delayed news data | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: Delayed News Data
  - [1] 2026-10-31:  | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390
  - [1] 2026-10-31: the free plan covers all 13 languages | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: All 13 Languages
  - [1] 2026-10-31: the free plan includes HTTPS | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: HTTPS Encryption
  - [1] 2026-10-31: Standard costs USD 24.99 a month, or USD 22.99 billed yearly | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: $24.99 per month or $22.99 if billed yearly
  - [1] 2026-10-31: Standard gives 10,000 calls a month | capture: sha256:e63a123e3bcdf94333a0f2ddbe8f44d28ce8b998927f96a2c12de454fbf65390 | quote: 10,000 Calls / mo
  - [4] 2026-10-31: a call counts at least 1 request | capture: sha256:367e463b0df85427425b2053a31b00e072f9d05731a3157ac553a4c4cf1d9840 | quote: Each time the API is used to access or search news data, a minimum of 1 API request is counted towards your monthly allowed API request volume.
  - [4] 2026-10-31: the free plan is sized at 100 requests a month | capture: sha256:367e463b0df85427425b2053a31b00e072f9d05731a3157ac553a4c4cf1d9840 | quote: If you are able to stay below 100 monthly API requests, you are fine staying on the Free Plan.
  - [2] 2026-10-31: free plan live news arrives 30 minutes late | capture: sha256:2bd2428f6bcf8efecf2a8d5f277506c29109905f8c0944b734c35903018086b5 | quote: Please note that account subscribed to the Free Plan will receive live news only with a 30-minute delay.
  - [2] 2026-10-31: historical news needs the Standard plan or higher | capture: sha256:2bd2428f6bcf8efecf2a8d5f277506c29109905f8c0944b734c35903018086b5 | quote: If you are subscribed to the Standard Plan or higher, you will be able to access historical news data by specifying a historical date using the API's `date` parameter in `YYYY-MM-DD` format.
  - [2] 2026-10-31: a call returns up to 100 results, 25 by default | capture: sha256:2bd2428f6bcf8efecf2a8d5f277506c29109905f8c0944b734c35903018086b5 | quote: Default limit value is `25`, maximum allowed limit value is `100`.
  - [3] 2026-10-31: one API access key per account | capture: sha256:3f284f3d7f39673c443ca950c0f9efe0465eb93c0ce606ee7f046ebc1fd1904c | quote: There can only ever be one API access key at a time per account.
  - [3] 2026-10-31: a rate limit exists, answered by rate_limit_reached; its size is not given | capture: sha256:3f284f3d7f39673c443ca950c0f9efe0465eb93c0ce606ee7f046ebc1fd1904c | quote: The given user account has reached the rate limit.
  - [3] 2026-10-31: an account over its monthly volume answers usage_limit_reached | capture: sha256:3f284f3d7f39673c443ca950c0f9efe0465eb93c0ce606ee7f046ebc1fd1904c | quote: The given user account has reached its monthly allowed request volume.
  - [5] 2026-10-31: the free sign-up form has a billing details section | capture: sha256:5f4e856154373c8ecfc2a90b2dcc1eb409244aac669d31da9d3169de4f4b46aa | quote: Billing Details
  - [5] 2026-10-31: the free sign-up form requires a postal code | capture: sha256:5f4e856154373c8ecfc2a90b2dcc1eb409244aac669d31da9d3169de4f4b46aa | quote: Postal Code\*
  - [6] 2026-10-31:  | capture: sha256:6fe36e6c0b1f87f3a2c0556f7a9f9a9ca9f58fd659357bcbc208698abb74b836
  - [6] 2026-10-31:  | capture: sha256:6fe36e6c0b1f87f3a2c0556f7a9f9a9ca9f58fd659357bcbc208698abb74b836 | quote: use, store, or access any mediastack API Data & Services, or the mediastack API after the termination of this Agreement;
  - probe:https://api.mediastack.com/v1/news?keywords=test 2026-10-31: a keyless call answers HTTP 401 | capture: sha256:2330bc69f5a6fb4cb2289af5a5669a363f027f54ae08e10ee498b0a81baf2cdf | quote: "status": 401
  - probe:https://api.mediastack.com/v1/news 2026-10-31: the keyless answer is missing_access_key | capture: sha256:5dbfe11774badd4884a3660444bf3482ec2b758a66f23acf1a37b320de5d84c3 | quote: "code": "missing_access_key"
  - [7] 2026-11-02: the vendor's suite error table gives HTTP 429 for rate_limit_reached and describes it as a per-second or per-minute rate limit, with no size | capture: sha256:544541cd03e2cf7df26c901fc6aa045c5483467d544bf5e98639a644fb802db0 | quote: | 429 | `rate_limit_reached` | Per-second / per-minute rate limit exceeded. |
  - [1] 2026-11-02: the Standard plan lists a per-call overage price of 0.009996 on the pricing page, linked to the overage documentation | capture: sha256:8c1af0c36c0a96c3f2dcc3a5303a1ca359a34a2fe60f2a2d343ef56df71be70c | quote: [+ 0.009996 each](https://mediastack.com/billing-overages-documentation)
  - [1] 2026-11-02: the free plan's feature list on the pricing page has seven items, 100 calls a month among them, and none is a per-call overage price | capture: sha256:8c1af0c36c0a96c3f2dcc3a5303a1ca359a34a2fe60f2a2d343ef56df71be70c
  - [8] 2026-11-02: the unified APILayer plan page lists USD 24.99 a month then USD 0.009996 per extra request for the 10,000-request plan, named Starter there | capture: sha256:7105cab094acc6177109ff2ccd4aace0972680416e818ea2ee563cb0c67e8de4 | quote: $24.99/month then $0.009996 per extra request
  - [4] 2026-11-02: the plan FAQ says overage fees apply after 100% of the monthly allowance and names no plan | capture: sha256:367e463b0df85427425b2053a31b00e072f9d05731a3157ac553a4c4cf1d9840 | quote: After reaching 100% of the allowance, overages fees will apply so we make sure you won’t experience any disruptions and your website/application will keep running smoothly.
  - [9] 2026-11-02: overage fees are charged to the account's credit card after the billing period | capture: sha256:9da48a37ddb769070e6f20107c0130afc18bf1127745376f49baf09a13ae52dc | quote: Your credit card will be billed after the billing period has ended.
  - [10] 2026-11-02: a free plan of an APILayer product needs no credit card at sign-up | capture: sha256:3ce3568baf086d1aa075d194c31c7063503d040cbc27c3e96e02d0431bab0ce8 | quote: No credit card required for free plans.
  - [6] 2026-11-02: past its monthly limit an account gets an error stating the limit was reached, and no further calls are answered that month | capture: sha256:6fe36e6c0b1f87f3a2c0556f7a9f9a9ca9f58fd659357bcbc208698abb74b836 | quote: If You exceed Your monthly usage limit, the mediastack API will return an error message stating that Your monthly usage limit has been reached and no further API calls can be made within the current monthly term.
  - [11] 2026-11-02: the APILayer documentation hub states that usage_limit_reached and rate_limit_reached are standardized across every API of its catalog, Mediastack included | capture: sha256:9f2cdb5b7b52ceb592f439a00f3e39e32adb68eea463997ded92abcdd05c39fd | quote: Standardized error codes across the catalog — `invalid_access_key`, `usage_limit_reached`, `rate_limit_reached`, and others map predictably across every API.
  - [4] 2026-11-02: the free plan is sized at 100 requests a month | capture: sha256:367e463b0df85427425b2053a31b00e072f9d05731a3157ac553a4c4cf1d9840 | quote: If you are able to stay below 100 monthly API requests, you are fine staying on the Free Plan.
  - [5] 2026-11-02: on the sign-up plan selector the free plan's Overage entry carries a cross icon (close_small.svg), where the paid plans' entries carry a check icon (check_small.svg) | capture: sha256:e55d34f4ef4162611e10385e70d079fc07e3b9bb64591a399bb9df98dc142c57 | quote: ![Image 14: Delayed News Data](https://mediastack.com/images/assets/close_small.svg) Overage
  - [5] 2026-11-02: the sign-up plan selector lists an additional usage fee per API call of USD 0.009996 under the Standard plan | capture: sha256:e55d34f4ef4162611e10385e70d079fc07e3b9bb64591a399bb9df98dc142c57 | quote: Additional Usage Fees per API call : $0.009996
- sources:
  - [1] https://mediastack.com/pricing
  - [2] https://docs.apilayer.com/mediastack/docs/api-features
  - [3] https://docs.apilayer.com/mediastack/docs/getting-started
  - [4] https://mediastack.com/faq
  - [5] https://mediastack.com/signup/free
  - [6] https://mediastack.com/terms
  - [7] https://www.postman.com/apilayer/apilayer/collection/2uo8qbu/apilayer-suite
  - [8] https://app.apilayer.com/compare-plans/mediastack
  - [9] https://mediastack.com/billing-overages-documentation
  - [10] https://apilayer.com/faqs/
  - [11] https://docs.apilayer.com/apilayer/docs/api-layer-hub