February 20, 2026•by Engineering

tutorialquickstart

Why XCROP?

XCROP provides the most comprehensive X/Twitter data API built specifically for crypto traders, researchers, and builders. With 39 endpoints, interaction verification, and credit-based pricing up to 50% cheaper than alternatives, it's the fastest way to tap into crypto social intelligence.

In this guide, you'll go from zero to your first API call in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Head to the signup page and create your account. You'll get 5,000 free credits on the Starter plan — enough to explore the API and test your integration.

What You Get on Starter

• 1,000 monthly credits

• 10 requests per minute

• Up to 1,000 results per call

• Access to all endpoints

Step 2: Generate an API Key

After logging in, navigate to the Dashboard and click Generate Key. Your API key will look like this:

xc_live_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0...

Store this key securely — treat it like a password. Never commit it to version control or expose it in client-side code.

Environment Variables

BASH

# .env
XCROP_API_KEY=xc_live_your_api_key_here

Step 3: Make Your First Request

Let's fetch a Twitter user's profile. Here's how in cURL, JavaScript, and Python:

cURL

BASH

curl -X GET "https://xcrop.io/api/v2/users/elonmusk" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer xc_live_your_key"

JavaScript

JAVASCRIPT

const response = await fetch("https://xcrop.io/api/v2/users/elonmusk", {
  headers: {
    "Authorization": "Bearer " + process.env.XCROP_API_KEY
  }
});

const result = await response.json();
console.log(result.data.name);      // "Elon Musk"
console.log(result.data.followers);  // 200000000+

Python

PYTHON

import requests
import os

response = requests.get(
    "https://xcrop.io/api/v2/users/elonmusk",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["XCROP_API_KEY"]}
)

user = response.json()["data"]
print(user["name"])       # Elon Musk
print(user["followers"])  # 200000000+

Step 4: Understanding Response Structure

Every XCROP response follows a consistent format:

JSON

{
  "data": { ... },
  "meta": {
    "total": 20,
    "next_cursor": "abc123...",
    "has_next_page": true,
    "latency_ms": 245
  }
}

• data — The actual payload (object or array depending on endpoint)

• meta.total — Number of results returned

• meta.next_cursor — Pagination cursor for fetching the next page

• meta.has_next_page — Whether more results are available

Pagination

For list endpoints (tweets, followers, etc.), use the next_cursor to page through results:

PYTHON

import requests
import os

url = "https://xcrop.io/api/v2/users/elonmusk/tweets"
headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["XCROP_API_KEY"]}
all_tweets = []
cursor = None

for page in range(3):  # Fetch 3 pages
    params = {"count": 20}
    if cursor:
        params["cursor"] = cursor

    response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
    result = response.json()

    all_tweets.extend(result["data"])
    cursor = result["meta"].get("next_cursor")

    if not cursor:
        break

print("Total tweets fetched: " + str(len(all_tweets)))

Step 5: Monitor Your Usage

Check your credit consumption in the Dashboard or via response headers:

• X-RateLimit-Credits-Remaining — credits left this month

• X-RateLimit-Minute-Remaining — requests left in current minute window

Credit Costs at a Glance

EndpointCredits

User profile18 per profile

Tweet / search result15 per result

Follower / following1 per result

Tips for Success

1. Use environment variables — Never hardcode API keys in source code

2. Handle rate limits — Check for 429 status and implement exponential backoff

3. Cache responses — Don't re-fetch data that hasn't changed

4. Use batch endpoints — Look up 100 users or tweets in a single call

5. Try the Endpoints — Test any endpoint interactively before writing code

What's Next?

Now that you're set up, explore these topics:

• KOL Tracking — Monitor crypto influencers in real-time

• Trending Topics — Spot emerging narratives before they peak

• Search — Find any tweet or user with powerful filters

• Write API — Automate posting to X/Twitter via your connected account

Getting Started with XCROP API in 5 Minutes