Who can use the API?
Any Host Tools account on a paid plan. There is no separate API fee: hosts call the REST API with their own Auth Token, or point an AI tool at the MCP server at https://app.hosttools.com/mcp and log in. Software partners who build for other hosts get an API Key as well; see below.
What is an Auth Token?
Each user on Host Tools has a unique Auth Token. The Auth Token is required in the request header with every API call and is used to get access to a specific Host Tools account.
curl --request GET \
--url https://app.hosttools.com/api/... \
--header 'accept: application/json' \
--header 'authToken: {USERS_AUTH_TOKEN}'Where to find a user's Auth Token?
To obtain an Auth Token, you need to have an account on Host Tools, and from the Settings page at the bottom, you can generate an Auth Token.
What is an API Key?
An API Key is used by our partners to access data on the Host Tools API. It needs to be sent as a request header with each API call and has more lenient rate limits.
curl --request GET \
--url https://app.hosttools.com/api/... \
--header 'accept: application/json' \
--header 'apiKey: {{API_KEY}}' \
--header 'authToken: {USERS_AUTH_TOKEN}'How to get an API Key?
API keys are for partners who connect other hosts' accounts: AI messaging tools, white-label property management apps, and similar. Read what the API offers partners at hosttools.com/api and book a call from that page; we set up the partner account and keys on the call. You can also email [email protected].
If you only want to manage your own listings, you do not need an API Key: use your Auth Token, or connect an MCP client to https://app.hosttools.com/mcp.
Support
Feel free to contact Support at [email protected] with any questions.