RapidAPI key authentication error when using fetch in JavaScript

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1

I’m working with RapidAPI for the first time and running into an authentication issue. When I try to make requests to an API endpoint using JavaScript fetch, I keep getting an error saying the API key is missing even though I think I’m including it correctly.

const fetchQuotes = async () => {
    try {
        const response = await fetch("https://some-quotes-api.p.rapidapi.com/?limit=5&category=wisdom", {
            method: "GET",
            headers: {
                "X-RapidAPI-Host": "some-quotes-api.p.rapidapi.com",
                "X-RapidAPI-Key": "abc123def456ghi789jkl012mno345pqr678stu",
                "Content-Type": "application/json"
            }
        });
        
        const data = await response.json();
        console.log(data);
    } catch (error) {
        console.error(error);
    }
};

The response I get shows status 200 but when I check the actual data, there’s an error message about missing RapidAPI application key. I have the key in my headers so I’m not sure what’s wrong. Am I formatting the headers incorrectly or is there something else I need to do to authenticate properly with RapidAPI?

2

The issue might be related to your API key validation on RapidAPI’s end. From my experience, this often happens when the key hasn’t been properly activated for that specific endpoint yet. Try generating a new API key from your RapidAPI dashboard and replace the current one. Also, make sure you’re testing the exact endpoint URL that’s listed in the API documentation, as some APIs have slight variations that can cause authentication failures. I’ve encountered situations where the API key worked for one endpoint but failed on others due to improper subscription setup. Another thing to verify is whether you’re hitting any rate limits, which can sometimes return misleading authentication errors instead of proper rate limit messages.

3

I faced a similar issue when starting out with RapidAPI. Even though you’re seeing a 200 status, it’s possible that the API is delivering an error response in the body. This happened to me because the API key was not recognized by that endpoint. I suggest logging the entire response to understand what is being returned. Additionally, ensure that you’ve copied the API key from your RapidAPI account accurately, as sometimes extra spaces can sneak in. Lastly, check if the endpoint requires additional authentication details beyond the standard headers.

4

double check ur subscription status on rapidapi dashboard - sometimes free tier has expired or u need to subscribe to that specific api first. also try removing the content-type header since its a GET request, ive seen that cause issues before.