How to run a TikTok top search
GET request to /v1/tiktok/top-search with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 2 credits per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. TikTok Top/General search — videos and photo carousels when TikTok includes them, with contentType + images[].How to run a TikTok top search (step by step)
- 1
Get a free API key
Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.
- 2
Call the TikTok Top Search API
Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/tiktok/top-search with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.
- 3
Read the JSON response
Parse the clean JSON response. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh.
Code example
curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/tiktok/top-search?q=nasa" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."
# or: -H "x-api-key: capt_live_..."What the response looks like
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"query": "nasa",
"totalReturned": 2,
"results": [
{
"platform": "tiktok",
"url": "https://www.tiktok.com/@latinus_us/video/7667344380310670599",
"id": "7667344380310670599",
"caption": "Video obtenido por la NASA muestra la verdadera forma de la Tierra según su gravedad. Para que las diferencias sean visibles, fueron exageradas 10 mil veces y se elaboró con información recopilada por 19 satélites durante 15 años. #Latinus #InformaciónParaTi",
"publishedAt": "2026-07-27T22:52:21.000Z",
"durationSeconds": 47,
"thumbnailUrl": "https://p19-common-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com/tos-alisg-p-0037/owknk3giAYK0AIIE0Bi1A4BBwVUmAgNJvfMB7x~tplv-tiktokx-origin.image?dr=9636&x-expires=1785517200&x-signature=bnHCVenSGV0TB7nhxBq8lfWKVe0%3D&t=4d5b0474&ps=13740610&shp=81f88b70&shcp=43f4a2f9&idc=useast5",
"author": {
"username": "latinus_us",
"displayName": "Latinus",
"url": "https://www.tiktok.com/@latinus_us",
"followers": 22700000,
"verified": true,
"profileImage": "https://p16-common-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com/tos-maliva-avt-0068/9b1bc4bbfedb3bd917a27ff590234ca0~tplv-tiktokx-cropcenter:1080:1080.jpeg?dr=9640&refresh_token=97b8bbe5&x-expires=1785517200&x-signature=1ZGx4llDfPF1ly3oJa0XsXinyoY%3D&t=4d5b0474&ps=13740610&shp=a5d48078&shcp=81f88b70&idc=useast5",
"id": null,
"secUid": null
},
"engagement": {
"views": 8400000,
"likes": 810400,
"comments": 19000,
"shares": 145400,
"saves": 65900,
"viewsIsApproximate": true,
"likesIsApproximate": true,
"commentsIsApproximate": true,
"sharesIsApproximate": true,
"savesIsApproximate": true
},
"hashtags": [
"latinus",
"informaciónparati"
],
"musicName": "original sound - Latinus",
"mediaType": "video",
"isAd": false,
"mentions": [],
"isPaidPartnership": false
},
{
"platform": "tiktok",
"url": "https://www.tiktok.com/@missionartemisnasa/video/7628631080752450849",
"id": "7628631080752450849",
"caption": "ARTEMIS II Edit #nasa #artemis2 #fy #fyp #fyptt",
"publishedAt": "2026-04-14T15:04:52.000Z",
"durationSeconds": 13,
"thumbnailUrl": "https://p16-common-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com/tos-useast2a-p-0037-euttp/oAmD8QOCEOzBQ5FQpRIAuVlfpcnRBWE3eIDjrC~tplv-tiktokx-origin.image?dr=9636&x-expires=1785517200&x-signature=JK5MGls0OQFL2ENmqkVKSBo3ajU%3D&t=4d5b0474&ps=13740610&shp=81f88b70&shcp=43f4a2f9&idc=useast5",
"author": {
"username": "missionartemisnasa",
"displayName": "MissionArtemis",
"url": "https://www.tiktok.com/@missionartemisnasa",
"followers": 69,
"verified": false,
"profileImage": "https://p16-common-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com/tos-useast2a-avt-0068-euttp/fbdd74ed519afa76388646251f24ded1~tplv-tiktokx-cropcenter:1080:1080.jpeg?dr=9640&refresh_token=6f41b39b&x-expires=1785517200&x-signature=vpJCW3%2B4khpTq%2FDSdGTddKAFRPk%3D&t=4d5b0474&ps=13740610&shp=a5d48078&shcp=81f88b70&idc=useast5",
"id": null,
"secUid": null
},
"engagement": {
"views": 14800,
"likes": 375,
"comments": 9,
"shares": 11,
"saves": 150,
"viewsIsApproximate": true,
"likesIsApproximate": false,
"commentsIsApproximate": false,
"sharesIsApproximate": false,
"savesIsApproximate": false
},
"hashtags": [
"nasa",
"artemis2"
],
"musicName": "sonido original",
"mediaType": "video",
"isAd": false,
"mentions": [],
"isPaidPartnership": false
}
],
"hasMore": true,
"nextCursor": 20
}
}Billing metadata (credits charged, cache hit/miss) is returned in the X-Captapi-Credits and X-Captapi-Cache response headers.
Request parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| q | string | Yes | Search query or keywords (min 2 characters). |
| limit | integer | No | Max items to return (default 20, max 200). Flat 2 credits per call. |
| cursor | integer | No | Pagination cursor. Leave 0 for the first page; then pass nextCursor from the previous response. TikTok may return duplicates across pages. |
| cache | boolean | No | Set true to serve from the 24h response cache (0 credits on hit). Default false — always fetch fresh. |
Frequently asked questions
What does the TikTok Top Search API do?
The TikTok Top Search API lets you search and return matching results from a public TikTok query using one GET request to /v1/tiktok/top-search. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or infrastructure setup required.
How many credits does the TikTok Top Search API cost?
Each successful call costs 2 credits. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Failed or empty results are never charged.
Do I need a TikTok API key or OAuth?
No. A single Captapi key works across every platform Captapi supports — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Rumble, Spotify, Kwai, and more. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.
Is the TikTok Top Search API suitable for production use?
Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON and automatic retries. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Use it for analytics, monitoring, and content automation.
Ready to run a TikTok top search?
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