Home Troubleshooting & FAQ My API key isn't working — what do I see?

My API key isn't working — what do I see?

Last updated on Jul 24, 2026

If your API calls are failing, the error code tells you what's wrong. Here's what each one means and how to fix it.

401 — Authentication error

The error: Your key is wrong, expired, or revoked.

How to fix:

  1. Check that you copied the whole key. It should start with vinci_live_. If it's truncated, copy it again carefully.
  2. Confirm the key hasn't been revoked. Go to platform.getsimpledirect.com, open API keys, and check the list. If you revoked it by accident, issue a new one.
  3. Check if the key expired. API keys can be set to expire after 30, 90, or 365 days — if yours has expired, issue a new one.
  4. Verify the auth header format. Use Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY_HERE in your request headers. See the developer docs for a complete example.

402 — Budget exhausted or insufficient quota

The error: Your account is out of credits.

How to fix:

  1. Open Account in the Vinci app or visit platform.getsimpledirect.com.
  2. Check your credit balance.
  3. Add credits (minimum $10 purchase) or enable auto top-up to refill automatically.
  4. Retry your API call.

403 — Permission error

The error: Your key doesn't have permission to call that endpoint.

How to fix:

  1. Go to platform.getsimpledirect.com and open API keys.
  2. Find your key and check its scopes. Common scopes are:
    • inference — needed to call POST /chat/completions
    • models — needed to call GET /models
    • usage — needed to read usage data
  3. If your key lacks the scope you need, revoke it and issue a new one with the right scopes selected. (You can't edit scopes on existing keys.)

429 — Rate limit error

The error: Vinci is briefly busy and rate-limited your request.

How to fix:

  1. Wait a few seconds — this is temporary.
  2. Retry your request. It should succeed.

This isn't a credit or authentication issue — it just means we're handling a surge of traffic. A short retry delay (with exponential backoff) is standard practice.

Still getting errors?

If none of the above match what you're seeing, contact support with:

  • The exact error code and message.
  • The endpoint you're calling (e.g., POST /chat/completions).
  • A small, reproducible example of your request (don't include your actual key).
  • What programming language or tool you're using.

For more details

Check the developer docs for setup instructions and a complete API reference.