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API keys are not included on this plan (Free desktop credential)

You might be here because: “can’t create an API key” · “API keys aren’t included in this account’s plan” · “403 when I call the API with my key” · “This Free desktop credential cannot access this API route” · “feature not available error from the API” · “the create key button is missing” · “my SDK stopped working” · “my key from the desktop app gives 403 in my script” · “can I use the app’s key with curl”

Short answer

The Trial and every current plan (Starter, Pro, Team, Scale) include the API, as do the earlier paid plans. The only tier that was desktop-only — no usable API keys, no REST API — was the earlier Free plan, now retired: its accounts moved to the Trial, which has the API.

Check first

  • Which plan does Billing show? This applies only to the earlier Free plan; every current plan and the Trial include the API.
  • Are you calling the API with the desktop app’s own sign-in credential? On the earlier Free plan that credential was route-restricted — it is not a general API key.
  • Is the key you are using revoked or from another account? A 401 is a different problem from the 403 described here.

Likely causes and fixes

  1. Dashboard says “API keys aren’t included in this account’s plan.” On the earlier Free plan the Keys page lists existing keys so an owner or admin can revoke them, but hides create/rotate. Fix: choose a plan with API access — every current plan has it.

  2. API returns 403 feature_not_available. Every ordinary API key and OAuth bearer is checked against the account’s plan on every request. On the earlier Free plan the check fails with the feature_not_available problem. Fix: choose a plan; the same key starts working once the plan is active (no new key needed, since the gate reads the current tier per request).

  3. 403 with “This Free desktop credential cannot access this API route. Use the Driftstack desktop app or upgrade to an API-enabled tier.” You are reusing the desktop app’s browser-sign-in credential as an API key. On the earlier Free plan that credential only reaches the routes the desktop app needs. Fix: for programmatic access, create a real API key in the dashboard (every current plan includes the API).

  4. Key creation blocked for another reason. On any plan, key creation is also refused until the owner has accepted every legal document and every new version that needs acceptance. See Cannot create an API key until the owner accepts updated legal terms. And a team member role is read-only; ask a team admin.

  5. “We couldn’t confirm your plan just now.” A transient check failure; reload the page.

If it still fails

Press Talk to a person in this chat (or open Help) and include: account email, the plan Billing shows, the exact 403 body (type, detail), and whether the key was created in the dashboard or is the desktop credential. If you paid for a plan and still get the plan-gate 403, a person checks the subscription.