How to run a Spotify search
GET request to /v1/spotify/search with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 2 credits per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. Search Spotify — canonical spotify: URIs, explicit, fetchedAt (flat 2 credits).How to run a Spotify search (step by step)
- 1
Get a free API key
Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.
- 2
Call the Spotify Search API
Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/spotify/search with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.
- 3
Read the JSON response
Parse the clean JSON response. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh.
Code example
curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/spotify/search?q=lofi%20beats" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."
# or: -H "x-api-key: capt_live_..."What the response looks like
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"platform": "spotify",
"query": "lofi beats",
"type": "tracks",
"fetchedAt": "2026-10-19T13:55:46.115Z",
"totalReturned": 2,
"results": [
{
"platform": "spotify",
"type": "track",
"uri": "spotify:track:6OtfwrzhIaIg6gmnzgPlu1",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/track/6OtfwrzhIaIg6gmnzgPlu1",
"name": "Lodi Dodi",
"artists": [
{
"id": "7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG",
"uri": "spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG",
"name": "Snoop Dogg",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/artist/7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG"
}
],
"album": {
"id": "5IFOummNcGXY3qCBWRchqP",
"uri": "spotify:album:5IFOummNcGXY3qCBWRchqP",
"name": "Doggystyle",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/album/5IFOummNcGXY3qCBWRchqP"
},
"durationMs": 301386,
"durationFormatted": "5:01",
"image": "https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b273733af86f8dea9692a3f59d29",
"id": "6OtfwrzhIaIg6gmnzgPlu1",
"contentRating": "EXPLICIT",
"explicit": true
},
{
"platform": "spotify",
"type": "track",
"uri": "spotify:track:7zGzS7L6LnI5qQqMm8wTPB",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/track/7zGzS7L6LnI5qQqMm8wTPB",
"name": "New Look - Wii U Mii Maker Lofi Mix",
"artists": [
{
"id": "3IPogHnZAaq9yaTX08k8I5",
"uri": "spotify:artist:3IPogHnZAaq9yaTX08k8I5",
"name": "Secret Potion",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/artist/3IPogHnZAaq9yaTX08k8I5"
},
{
"id": "1P81mHjNBsPI4Hu6ES6e8H",
"uri": "spotify:artist:1P81mHjNBsPI4Hu6ES6e8H",
"name": "Lofi Beats To Chill Study Sleep",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/artist/1P81mHjNBsPI4Hu6ES6e8H"
}
],
"album": {
"id": "32SJ8laWwAeRR56q7Q1Kpx",
"uri": "spotify:album:32SJ8laWwAeRR56q7Q1Kpx",
"name": "Frutiger Aero Remixes",
"url": "https://open.spotify.com/album/32SJ8laWwAeRR56q7Q1Kpx"
},
"durationMs": 162897,
"durationFormatted": "2:42",
"image": "https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b27365bc1eef471caed82cd5c3d9",
"id": "7zGzS7L6LnI5qQqMm8wTPB",
"contentRating": "NONE",
"explicit": false
}
]
}
}Billing metadata (credits charged, cache hit/miss) is returned in the X-Captapi-Credits and X-Captapi-Cache response headers.
Request parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| q | string | Yes | Search term (min 2 chars). |
| type | string | No | Result kind: tracks (default), albums, artists, podcasts, or episodes. |
| limit | integer | No | Max items to return (default 20, max 50). Flat 2 credits per call. |
| raw | boolean | No | Include per-result upstream payload as results[].raw. Default false. Pathfinder GraphQL vs fallback-path shapes differ — see FAQ. |
| cache | boolean | No | Set true to serve from the 24h response cache (0 credits on hit). Default false — always fetch fresh. |
Frequently asked questions
What does the Spotify Search API do?
The Spotify Search API lets you search and return matching results from a public Spotify query using one GET request to /v1/spotify/search. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or infrastructure setup required.
How many credits does the Spotify Search API cost?
Each successful call costs 2 credits. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Failed or empty results are never charged.
Do I need a Spotify API key or OAuth?
No. A single Captapi key works across every platform Captapi supports — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Rumble, Spotify, Kwai, and more. We handle access, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.
Why does results[].uri look different from older scrapes?
uri is always a canonical Spotify URI (spotify:track:… / album:… / artist:…). Bare IDs are expanded. Chain them into /spotify/track, /album, or /artist without guessing prefixes.
Is search raw the same as artist/track/album raw?
Not always. The primary path is Pathfinder GraphQL (same family as details). The fallback path uses a flat object (albumName, isExplicit). Envelope source is pathfinder on the primary path and omitted on the fallback path — do not write one raw parser for both. Prefer normalized fields; pass raw=true only when needed.
How fresh are results?
Envelope fetchedAt is when this request completed. It is not copied onto results[] (no per-row scrapedAt). There is no cursor — max 50 results per call.
Why is playCount missing on search results?
Pathfinder search hydrate does not expose stream counts. Absence is not zero — chain results[].uri into /spotify/track or read playCount from /spotify/album tracks[].
Why is playable missing on search results?
decorateContextTracks (Pathfinder search hydrate) omits playability. Absence is not false — chain results[].uri into /spotify/track, which returns playable when Spotify exposes it.
Is billing per result or flat?
Flat 2 credits on the native Pathfinder path. The fallback path scales per result (~1.15×). The limit param does not mean "billed per result" on the primary path.
Is the Spotify Search API suitable for production use?
Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON and automatic retries. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Use it for analytics, monitoring, and content automation.
Ready to run a Spotify search?
Start free with 100 credits — no credit card required.
Get your free API key