By Tidio Reviews

Tidio API

Tidio's REST API — endpoints, authentication, rate limits, and plan requirements.

REST access to contacts, tickets, and operators — but only on Plus

Tidio offers an OpenAPI-compliant REST API for programmatic access to its platform. The API covers the core objects most teams need for integrations and data sync, but there's an important caveat up front: full access requires the Plus plan. Pricing starts at $749/month — contact Tidio sales for custom quotes. That puts it out of reach for most small businesses.


Base endpoint and format

All API requests go to:

https://api.tidio.com/

Resources sit at the root of the base URL — /contacts, /tickets, /operators, and so on — there's no /v1/ path segment. Versioning goes in the Accept header instead:

Accept: application/json; version=1

Responses are JSON. The API follows standard REST conventions — GET for reads, POST for creates, PATCH for updates, DELETE for removals.


What the API covers

Tidio REST API resources and typical integration use cases.
ResourceEndpointsTypical use
ContactsList, get, create, update, deleteSync customer data with your CRM
Contact propertiesList, get, createManage custom contact properties
MessagesList within contactsExport chat transcripts
TicketsList, get, create, updatePull and manage support tickets
OperatorsList, getMonitor agent status and assignments
Products, Departments, ProjectList, getReference and configuration data
LyroData sources, ticketsUpdate Lyro knowledge sources

The API is functional but not exhaustive. You won't find endpoints for Flows, analytics, or widget settings. Note there's no "Conversations" resource — chat threads are handled as Tickets. It's designed for data access, not full platform administration.


Authentication

The API uses two credential headers on every request — a client ID and a client secret, both generated in your Tidio dashboard under Settings > Developer. It does not use Bearer tokens.

X-Tidio-Openapi-Client-Id: ci_YOUR_CLIENT_ID
X-Tidio-Openapi-Client-Secret: cs_YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET

Keep your client secret private. If compromised, regenerate the credentials immediately from the dashboard.


Rate limiting

Tidio enforces rate limits and responds with HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) when you exceed them, along with x-ratelimit-limit and x-ratelimit-remaining headers. Limits scale by plan — Plus is 60 requests/minute and Premium is 120/minute. If you're running bulk operations, implement retry logic with exponential backoff.


Example request

curl -X GET "https://api.tidio.com/contacts" \
  -H "Accept: application/json; version=1" \
  -H "X-Tidio-Openapi-Client-Id: ci_YOUR_CLIENT_ID" \
  -H "X-Tidio-Openapi-Client-Secret: cs_YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "abc123",
      "name": "Jane Doe",
      "email": "jane@example.com",
      "properties": { ... }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "total": 1,
    "page": 1
  }
}

Error handling

The API returns standard HTTP status codes:

HTTP status codes returned by the Tidio REST API.
CodeMeaning
200Success
201Created
400Bad request — check your parameters
401Unauthorized — invalid or missing API key
404Resource not found
429Rate limited — slow down and retry
500Server error — retry later

Error responses include a JSON body with a message field describing the issue.


Plan requirements

This is the biggest barrier. Full REST API access requires the Plus plan (starting from $749/month — talk to sales for custom pricing). The Free plan has no OpenAPI access at all, and Starter and Growth only get a Products-Recommendation slice rather than the full API.

For teams on lower plans who need integrations, the alternative is:

  • Widget SDK — available on all plans, lets you control the chat widget with JavaScript
  • Zapier integration — no-code automation that connects Tidio to 5,000+ apps without API access
  • Native integrations — Tidio has built-in connections for Shopify, WordPress, HubSpot, and others

Who needs the API vs. Zapier

Choosing between Tidio's REST API and Zapier integration depending on your use case.
ScenarioBest option
Sync contacts with a CRMZapier (simpler) or API (more control)
Export conversation historyAPI
Trigger actions in other toolsZapier
Build a custom dashboardAPI
Simple workflow automationZapier
Bulk data operationsAPI

In my view, most small and mid-sized teams will get everything they need from Zapier and native integrations. The API makes sense for larger organizations with custom development resources and specific data requirements — contact Tidio sales to discuss Plus plan pricing for your team size.


Bottom line

Tidio's REST API is well-structured and adequate for data integration use cases. The documentation is OpenAPI-compliant, responses are clean JSON, and the endpoint coverage handles the basics. The main issue is access: the Plus plan requirement means most Tidio users will never use it. If you're on a lower plan, start with the Widget SDK and Zapier.


Last updated: April 2026. Based on Tidio's API documentation and developer resources.