Upcoming changes to the Altmetric Details Page API

The Altmetric Details Page API will undergo some changes from 10 November 2025. To ensure your continued use of this data resource, please read the following update to determine what (if any) action you will need to take.

Over the years, Altmetric’s Details Page API has become a key part of how researchers and organisations connect with Altmetric data, supporting research projects, publication strategies and data analysis across many sectors.

We are pleased to continue offering this resource for researchers and Altmetric customers. Starting 10 November 2025, all Details Page API requests will require an authentication key.

API keys enable us to understand how the service is being used, allow us to reach out to users when important updates are needed, and to protect and secure our system. Introducing an authentication requirement for all endpoints – Counts, Fetch, and Citations – will help us maintain a consistent experience for all users, as the API continues to grow and evolve.

What is happening and why?

Starting on 10 November 2025, all Altmetric Details Page API requests will require an authentication key.

Requiring an authentication key for all endpoints helps us keep the API reliable, secure, and sustainable. It also means we can contact users if we need to share important updates.

The change will ensure we can manage data access responsibly, continuing to support free access for non-commercial research, and ensuring that organisations with a commercial use case have an appropriate subscription in place.

What do I need to do?

Starting in October 2025, up to the cut-off date on 10 November, unauthenticated users will begin seeing intermittent errors when accessing the Details Page API. The error messages will include a reminder that action is required before 10 November 2025, and direct users to request an API key on the Altmetric website.

Many individual researchers and Altmetric customers are already set up with a key for all their use cases, so the change will have no impact for them.

Individuals and organisations who don’t yet have an authentication key for the API endpoints they are using will need to request one before 10 November 2025 to avoid losing access. Users losing access after 10 November can request a new API key by contacting the Altmetric team.

Please note that if you are using the Citations endpoint without an API key (or with a Counts Only key), you will need to contact us to obtain a Full Access key to maintain access to the endpoint.

Note for partners: Some third parties that provide Altmetric Badges to their customers may be impacted by these changes, and may need to update their implementations. If you are accessing Altmetric Badges through a third party platform such as Primo or Eprints, please contact your provider for further information.

Note for Symplectic Elements customers: We are aware of Symplectic Elements instances displaying Altmetric data through Altmetric Details Page API functionality. We have implemented measures to ensure these instances will not be impacted by the API authentication changes in this article. Customers noticing API errors related to Altmetric data in their Symplectic Elements instances should inform the Symplectic team, who can take steps to restore their access.

Is there a cost involved for individual researchers?

The Altmetric Details Page API is available free of charge for individual researchers working on a specific academic one-off project. For more information about this type of access, please visit our Scientometric Researcher Access to Data page.

Individual researchers may also be able to get free access to the Altmetric Details Page API through the institution they are affiliated with, as long as the institution already has a licence in place to use the API. Please contact your librarian or institutional administrator for more information.

Is there a cost involved for organisations?

Organisations accessing the Details Page API for commercial purposes require a paid subscription.

Paid access allows users to run queries and retrieve data, including the full text of mentions (excluding X posts, due to licensing restrictions).

Altmetric customers with an existing Details Page API subscription can request additional API keys included in their contract via the Support team contact form.

Organisations without an existing subscription can enquire about API access via the Request a Demo form on the Altmetric website (select “My organization does not have a subscription” at the bottom of the Details Page API product page).

Altmetric remains committed to enabling researchers and organisations to connect with our world-leading data. As always, you can contact Altmetric support if you need further assistance.