# Twitter User API: Fetch Any Public Profile at $0.0008
Canonical: https://www.twitterapis.com/twitter-user-api
Description: Twitter User API: fetch any public X profile by handle or numeric ID at $0.0008 per call. Bio, followers, verification, no X developer account.
Generated: 2026-09-02T21:18:48.289Z
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 USER PROFILES

# Twitter User API: Look Up Any Profile at $0.0008/call

Updated July 2026

## What is the Twitter (X) User API?

The Twitter User API is a set of REST endpoints that fetch any public X profile by handle or numeric id as structured JSON at $0.0008 per call. TwitterAPIs provides four user endpoints on one Bearer key: profile by handle, profile by numeric id, extended about section, and affiliated accounts. No X developer account, no OAuth app, 600 req/min per key. These same profile fields are what a bot screen is built from, set out at [how to detect bot accounts programmatically](/answers/detect-bot-accounts-on-twitter-api).

We price each profile lookup at $0.0008 (source: our published pricing), so resolving 1,000 profiles runs about $0.80.

[Start Free](/signup?utm_source=aio&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=aeo-twitter-user-api)[Read the docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info)

What this API does

A Twitter user lookup resolves a handle like `@elonmusk` or a numeric id like `44196397` into a full profile object containing bio, follower count, following count, verification status, location, account creation date, and pinned tweet ids. TwitterAPIs exposes this across four endpoints at a flat $0.0008 per call, part of a 99-endpoint surface that also covers tweets, followers, and search, all on the same key.

## Four user endpoints, one Bearer key

Each endpoint maps to a distinct lookup pattern. All four are billed at $0.0008 per call, return structured JSON with no HTML to parse, and authenticate with the same Bearer token.

What you pull

Endpoint

Key param

Returns

Docs

Profile by handle

GET /twitter/user/info

userName

Full public profile: bio, counts, verification, location, pinned tweet

[View docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info)

Profile by numeric id

GET /twitter/user/info\_by\_id

userId

Same profile payload, keyed on the stable numeric id instead of handle

[View docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info-by-id)

Extended about section

GET /twitter/user/user\_about

userName

Extended profile: pinned Tweet object, full bio, website, joined date

[View docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-user-about)

Affiliated accounts

GET /twitter/user/affiliates

userName

List of accounts affiliated with the target user (organizations, labels)

[View docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-affiliates)

Handle lookups via `user/info` are the most common entry point. Use `user/info_by_id` when you store numeric ids in your database and need stable resolution across handle renames.

## Fetch a profile by handle

The main user lookup lives at `GET /twitter/user/info`. Pass the `userName` without the @ symbol and you get the full profile object in one call at $0.0008.

### Look up a user by handle

curlPythonJavaScript

Copy

```
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.twitterapis.com/twitter/user/info?userName=elonmusk"
```

### Look up a user by numeric id

curlPythonJavaScript

Copy

```
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.twitterapis.com/twitter/user/info_by_id?userId=44196397"
```

Both endpoints return the same profile payload. Store numeric ids in your database to avoid broken references if a user renames their account. [Read the info\_by\_id docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info-by-id).

## Extended profile: user\_about and affiliates

`user/user_about` returns the expanded profile card including the full pinned Tweet object. `user/affiliates` returns any X-linked accounts affiliated with the target user, such as organizational labels and related brands.

user\_about (curl)affiliates (curl)Python

Copy

```
# Extended about section with full pinned tweet object
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.twitterapis.com/twitter/user/user_about?userName=elonmusk"
```

## Profile fields returned on every user/info call

Every call to `user/info` or `user/info_by_id` returns these fields under a single \`user\` key. No pagination is needed; a user lookup is always one call, one record.

Field

Type

Description

id

string

Stable numeric user id (survives handle changes)

name

string

Display name

username

string

Handle without the @ symbol

description

string

Bio text, up to 160 characters

followers\_count

integer

Number of accounts following this user

following\_count

integer

Number of accounts this user follows

tweet\_count

integer

Total tweets and replies posted

verified

boolean

Legacy verified badge status

is\_blue\_verified

boolean

X Blue / paid verification status

location

string

Self-reported location string

created\_at

string

Account creation date in RFC 2822 format

pinned\_tweet\_ids

string\[\]

Numeric ids of pinned tweets

profile\_image\_url

string

Profile photo URL, returned at \_normal size (48x48); swap the \_normal suffix for \_400x400 for a larger copy

cover\_picture

string

Header/banner image URL

url

string

Expanded website URL from the profile

The `id` field is a numeric string. Store it rather than the handle for durable references; handles change, ids do not.

## TwitterAPIs user lookup vs the official X API and alternatives

Option

Price

Auth

Rate limits

Handle + id lookup

TwitterAPIs

$0.0008 per call

Bearer token, 30-second signup

600 req/min per key

Both handle and numeric id supported

Official X API v2 users endpoint

Gated, requires developer account and paid tier for volume

X developer account, OAuth 2.0 app approval

Rate-limited per app, resets on 15-min windows

Supported but throttled on free tier

Tweepy (Python X API wrapper)

Free library, but underlying X API tier costs apply

Requires X developer account + app credentials

Inherits every official X API rate limit

Supported; handle lookups deprecated in v2

## Pricing: flat $0.0008 per lookup

$0.0008

per profile lookup, any endpoint

$0.50

free credits at signup, no card required

625

profile lookups covered by the free credit

There is no subscription and no minimum. 1,000 lookups costs $0.80. 10,000 lookups costs $8. See the complete rate card on the [Twitter API pricing page](/twitter-api-pricing) or get your key on the [pricing page](/pricing).

## User profiles are one surface of 99 endpoints

The same Bearer key that resolves profiles also covers follower lists, tweet timelines, and keyword search. Use the [Twitter Followers API](/twitter-followers-api) to page through a full follower or following list once you have the user id. For keyword and hashtag data, the [Twitter Search API](/twitter-search-api) runs on the same key. To wire profile lookups into an AI agent, use the [MCP server](/mcp) at `@twitterapis/mcp`. For your API key and account setup, visit the [Twitter API key page](/twitter-api-key). Full endpoint reference lives in the [docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs).

## Twitter User API FAQ

### How do I look up a Twitter user by username with the API?

Call GET /twitter/user/info with the userName query parameter set to the handle (without the @ symbol). The response is a JSON object with a single \`user\` key holding the profile: id, name, username, description, followers\_count, following\_count, tweet\_count, verified, is\_blue\_verified, location, created\_at, pinned\_tweet\_ids, and profile\_image\_url. Each call costs $0.0008 and returns the full public profile in a single round trip. There is no pagination because a user lookup is always a single record. Authenticate with your Bearer token in the Authorization header.

### What is the difference between user/info and user/user\_about?

user/info returns the core profile object: id, name, handle, bio, follower counts, verification flags, location, creation date, and pinned tweet ids. user/user\_about returns an extended view that includes the full pinned Tweet object (not just the id), an expanded bio, the website URL, and the joined date formatted differently. Use user/info when you only need the counts and metadata; use user/user\_about when you need the actual content of the pinned tweet or the expanded profile card.

### Do I need an X developer account to use the Twitter User API?

No. You authenticate with a Bearer token issued by TwitterAPIs at signup, not by X's developer platform. There is no OAuth app to create, no X developer account to register, and no approval queue to clear. Signup takes about 30 seconds and you get $0.50 in free credits immediately, no card required. Your Bearer token works on all four user endpoints and on the rest of the TwitterAPIs surface.

### How do I get follower and following counts from the API?

The followers\_count field in the user/info response gives you how many accounts follow this user, and following\_count gives you how many accounts the user follows. Both are integers that reflect the current public counts X displays on the profile. If you need the actual lists rather than the counts, use the Twitter Followers API (GET /twitter/user/followers and GET /twitter/user/following), which pages through the full lists with cursor pagination.

### Can I look up a Twitter user by their numeric user id instead of their handle?

Yes. GET /twitter/user/info\_by\_id accepts a userId numeric string instead of a handle. Numeric ids are stable and do not change when a user renames their account, so if you store ids in your database you can reliably resolve profiles even after handle changes. The response payload is identical to user/info. Both endpoints cost the same $0.0008 per call.

### What does user/affiliates return?

GET /twitter/user/affiliates returns the accounts that X has linked as affiliates of the target user. This typically applies to organizational accounts, news outlets, and brands that X surfaces as related under the profile. For individual creators the list is usually empty. When it is populated it gives you the affiliate's full user object, so you can resolve the full profile of every affiliated account in one call.

### How much does a Twitter user lookup cost?

Every call to any of the four user endpoints costs $0.0008. There is no subscription and no minimum spend. If you look up 1,000 profiles it costs $0.80. If you look up 100 it costs $0.08. You start with $0.50 in free credits, which covers 625 profile lookups. There are no additional per-field fees; the full profile payload is always included.

### Can the Twitter User API tell me if an account is verified?

Yes. The response includes two verification fields: verified (boolean) for the legacy blue badge that X issued before 2023 to notable accounts without payment, and is\_blue\_verified (boolean) for the current X Blue / paid verification status. Some accounts will have one true and one false; some will have both true. Both fields are present on every user/info response.

### Start fetching profiles in under a minute

$0.0008 per lookup. $0.50 free credits. No X developer account, 600 req/min per key, no subscription.

[Start Free](/signup?utm_source=aio&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=aeo-twitter-user-api)[View Pricing](/twitter-api-pricing?utm_source=aio&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=aeo-twitter-user-api)

## Next read

Continue exploring related pages:

[

Twitter API use cases

14 use cases from sentiment analysis to lead generation.

](/twitter-api-usecases)[

Twitter API answers

Short, sourced answers to the most common Twitter and X API questions.

](/answers)[

Twitter timeline API

Pull an account's full posting history over one REST endpoint.

](/twitter-timeline-api)[

Twitter list API

Read list members and list timelines with the same Bearer key.

](/twitter-list-api)

[View API Docs](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info)[Start Free](/signup?utm_source=aio&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=aeo-twitter-user-api)

[

TwitterAPIs ](/)

The cheapest pay-as-you-go Twitter and X API. $0.0008 per call, which works out to $0.04 per 1,000 tweets on a full 20-tweet page. No subscriptions and no developer account.

## Product / API

-   [Pricing](/pricing)
-   [Pay-Per-Use Pricing](/pay-per-use-pricing)
-   [Cost Calculator](/twitter-api-cost-calculator)
-   [Rate Limits](/twitter-api-rate-limits)
-   [MCP Server](/mcp)
-   [Integrations](/integrations)
-   [Language Clients](/sdk)
-   [Changelog](/changelog)
-   [Status](/status)

## Developers

-   [Documentation](https://docs.twitterapis.com)
-   [API Reference](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/search/tweet-advanced-search)
-   [User Info](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-info)
-   [User Tweets](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/user-reads/user-tweets)
-   [Advanced Search](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/search/tweet-advanced-search)
-   [Verified Followers](https://docs.twitterapis.com/docs/reference/follower-graph/user-verified-followers)

## Resources / Compare

-   [Answers](/answers)
-   [Reviews](/reviews)
-   [Free Tools](/tools)
-   [Twitter ID Finder](/tools/twitter-id-finder)
-   [Get a Twitter API Key](/twitter-api-key)
-   [Official X API Comparison](/twitter-api-pricing)
-   [Twitter API Use Cases](/twitter-api-usecases)
-   [Twitter API Alternatives](/twitter-api-alternatives)
-   [Twitter Unofficial API](/twitter-unofficial-api)
-   [Twitter Free API](/twitter-free-api)
-   [TwitterAPIs vs twitterapi.io](/twitterapis-vs-twitterapi-io)
-   [TwitterAPIs vs GetXAPI](/twitterapis-vs-getxapi)
-   [TwitterAPIs vs TweetAPI](/twitterapis-vs-tweetapi)
-   [TwitterAPIs vs TwexAPI](/twitterapis-vs-twexapi)
-   [TwitterAPIs vs RapidAPI](/twitterapis-vs-rapidapi)

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