> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.0xarchive.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Free tier

> Use a starter 0xArchive key to confirm route fit, auth, response shape, and workflow boundaries before production usage.

The free tier should answer one question quickly: can this workflow reach the right venue family, route shape, auth pattern, and response envelope before paid volume is needed?

The free path is for a fit check. It should answer whether 0xArchive supports the venue family, symbol shape, route, response envelope, and first workflow you need. It should not be presented as unlimited production capacity, raw redistribution permission, or a replacement for plan-specific terms.

<Note>
  Every new account starts on the Free tier described here, no card required. Use it for fit checks and ongoing no-cost building; upgrade to Build or Pro when you need higher limits. For the fastest first request, see [Free Crypto Data API](/free-crypto-data-api).
</Note>

## What To Confirm First

| Check                   | Why it matters                                          | Page                              |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| API key works           | Confirms auth and response envelope                     | [Quickstart](/quickstart)         |
| Venue family is correct | Prevents core, Spot, HIP-3, HIP-4, and Lighter mixups   | [Venue coverage](/venue-coverage) |
| Symbol is supported     | Prevents category-based assumptions                     | [Venue coverage](/venue-coverage) |
| Freshness is acceptable | Prevents stale data entering downstream jobs            | [Data quality](/data-quality)     |
| Limits are understood   | Prevents unbounded scripts and retry loops              | [Rate limits](/rate-limits)       |
| Use rights fit          | Prevents confusing internal API use with redistribution | [Data rights](/data-rights)       |

## Starter Workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a key">
    Use the dashboard key flow and keep the key in an environment variable or secret store.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the quickstart">
    Make one authenticated request and confirm `success`, `data`, and `meta.request_id`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the real route family">
    Move from the quickstart example to the route family your actual job needs.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add quality and limit gates">
    Before looping, add data-quality preflight, rate-limit handling, and a bounded output plan.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Plan Envelope

| Limit               | Free                                                |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Monthly credits     | 50,000                                              |
| Request rate        | 15 rps                                              |
| Concurrent queries  | 3                                                   |
| API keys            | 1                                                   |
| Historical lookback | Full archive (90-day query window)                  |
| WebSocket           | 10 subscriptions, 2 connections, 10x replay         |
| Markets             | All (Hyperliquid core, Spot, HIP-3, HIP-4, Lighter) |
| Schemas             | All (L2 / L3 / L4 order books, order flow, TP/SL)   |

The Free envelope is a fit-check lane. It is sized to confirm the route shape and auth pattern across the venue families you need before evaluating a paid plan. Every market family and schema (L2/L3/L4, order flow, TP/SL) is available on Free; paid plans raise credits, rate, concurrency, replay, and query windows.

## Upgrade Signals

You are ready to evaluate a paid plan when the workflow needs longer windows, more symbols, higher request volume, concurrent queries, replay, L3/L4 depth, Data Catalog exports, production support, or explicit commercial terms. Do not wait until a generated script is already hammering the API. Size the job first, then choose the plan.

## Boundary

The free tier does not make unsupported venue data available. It does not grant rights to resell or redistribute raw data. It does not remove the need to check freshness. It is a starting lane for a real integration, not the operating model for a production market-data stack.

## Starter Checklist

Use the free tier to fill a small starter checklist before any broad workflow runs.

| Field          | Starter check                                                               |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Key path       | Dashboard key stored outside source control                                 |
| Route family   | One supported venue family and one exact symbol                             |
| First response | Envelope shape, status code, and request ID                                 |
| Freshness      | Data-quality check for the same family and symbol                           |
| Limit posture  | One bounded request before loops, replays, exports, or agent-generated jobs |
| Rights posture | Internal evaluation only unless terms say otherwise                         |

## Next Step

Open [Quickstart](/quickstart) to make your first call, then use [Rate limits](/rate-limits) before widening the workload.