unavatar-api

name	unavatar-api
description	Resolve avatars through unavatar API for GitHub, X/Twitter, Instagram, Apple Music, email, username, domain, fallbacks, JSON, TTL, and UI profile images.

unavatar API

unavatar.io resolves user avatars from 40+ platforms via a single endpoint. Supports lookup by email, username, or domain. For email-shaped input with no provider prefix, the API auto-resolves in order: Gravatar, then GitHub.

Endpoint

https://unavatar.io

Quick Start

Input	Pattern	Example
email (auto)	/[e-mail]	https://unavatar.io/[e-mail] (Gravatar → GitHub)
email	/gravatar/[e-mail]	https://unavatar.io/gravatar/[e-mail]
email	/github/[e-mail]	https://unavatar.io/github/[e-mail]
username	/provider/username	https://unavatar.io/github/kikobeats
domain	/provider/domain.com	https://unavatar.io/google/reddit.com

Use /:provider/:key for a specific provider, or pass an email as the only path segment for automatic resolution. Details: unavatar.io/email.

Authentication

• Free: No auth required, 50 requests/day per IP
• Pro: Pass x-api-key header, usage-based billing at $0.001/token

curl -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" https://unavatar.io/instagram/kikobeats

Proxy Tiers & Token Cost

Proxy tier	Tokens	Cost
Origin	1	$0.001
Datacenter	+2	$0.003
Residential	+4	$0.007

Response headers: x-proxy-tier, x-unavatar-cost, x-pricing-tier.

Key Management

• Usage: curl -H "x-api-key: KEY" https://unavatar.io/key/usage
• Rotate: curl -H "x-api-key: KEY" https://unavatar.io/key/rotate

Query Parameters

ttl

• Type: number | string
• Default: '24h'
• Range: '1h' to '28d'

Cache duration for the resolved avatar. The avatar is considered fresh until TTL expiration, then recomputed on next request.

e.g., https://unavatar.io/kikobeats?ttl=1h

fallback

• Type: string | boolean

Custom fallback image when avatar can't be resolved. Accepts:

• URL to external avatar service (boringavatars.com, avatar.vercel.sh)
• URL to static image
• Base64 encoded image (e.g., transparent 1x1 pixel GIF)
• false to disable fallback (returns 404 instead)

https://unavatar.io/github/37t?fallback=https://avatar.vercel.sh/37t?size=400
https://unavatar.io/github/37t?fallback=false
https://unavatar.io/github/37t?fallback=data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

json

• Type: boolean

Returns JSON payload instead of image content.

e.g., https://unavatar.io/kikobeats?json

Response Format

When json=true is passed, responses follow a predictable shape:

Field	Type	Present in	Description
status	string	all JSON responses	One of: success, fail, error.
message	string	all JSON responses	Human-readable summary for display/logging.
data	object	success	Response payload for successful requests.
code	string	fail, error	Stable machine-readable error code.
more	string (URL)	most fail/error responses	Documentation URL with troubleshooting details.
report	string	some error responses	Support contact channel (e.g., mailto:).

Response Headers

Header	Purpose
x-pricing-tier	free or pro — the plan used for this request
x-timestamp	Server timestamp when request was received
x-unavatar-cost	Token cost of the request (avatar routes only)
x-proxy-tier	Proxy tier used: origin, datacenter, or residential
x-rate-limit-limit	Maximum requests allowed per window (free tier only)
x-rate-limit-remaining	Remaining requests in current window (free tier only)
x-rate-limit-reset	UTC epoch seconds when window resets (free tier only)
retry-after	Seconds until rate limit resets (only on 429 responses)

Response Errors

Client-side issues return status: "fail" (HTTP 4xx). Service-side issues return status: "error" (HTTP 5xx).

HTTP	Code	Typical trigger
400	ESESSIONID	Missing session_id in /checkout/success
400	ESESSION	Checkout session not paid or not found
400	ESIGNATURE	Missing stripe-signature header
400	EWEBHOOK	Invalid/failed Stripe webhook processing
400	EAPIKEYVALUE	Missing apiKey query parameter
400	EAPIKEYLABEL	Missing label query parameter
401	EEMAIL	Invalid or missing authenticated email
401	EUSERUNAUTHORIZED	Missing/invalid auth for protected routes
401	EAPIKEY	Invalid x-api-key
403	ETTL	Custom ttl requested without pro plan
403	EPRO	Provider restricted to pro plan
404	ENOTFOUND	Route not found
404	EAPIKEYNOTFOUND	API key not found
409	EAPIKEYEXISTS	Custom API key already exists
409	EAPIKEYLABELEXISTS	API key label already exists
409	EAPIKEYMIN	Attempt to remove last remaining key
429	ERATE	Free-tier daily rate limit exceeded
500	ECHECKOUT	Stripe checkout session creation failed
500	EAPIKEYFAILED	API key retrieval after checkout failed
500	EINTERNAL	Unexpected internal server failure

Providers

Providers are grouped by input type.

Provider	email	username	domain
Apple Music		✓
Behance		✓
Bluesky		✓
DeviantArt		✓
Discord		✓
Dribbble		✓
DuckDuckGo			✓
GitHub	✓	✓
GitLab		✓
Google			✓
Gravatar	✓
Instagram		✓
Kick		✓
Ko-fi		✓
LinkedIn		✓
Mastodon		✓
Medium		✓
Microlink			✓
OnlyFans		✓
OpenStreetMap		✓

URI Format Providers

Apple Music supports type:id format. Without explicit type, it searches artist then song:

• by name: /apple-music/daft%20punk
• artist: /apple-music/artist:daft%20punk or /apple-music/artist:5468295
• album: /apple-music/album:discovery or /apple-music/album:78691923
• song: /apple-music/song:harder%20better%20faster%20stronger or /apple-music/song:697195787

Spotify supports type:id format (default type: user):

• user: /spotify/kikobeats
• artist: /spotify/artist:6sFIWsNpZYqbRiDnNOkZCA
• playlist: /spotify/playlist:37i9dQZF1DXcBWIGoYBM5M
• album: /spotify/album:4aawyAB9vmqN3uQ7FjRGTy
• show: /spotify/show:6UCtBYL29hRg064d4i5W2i
• episode: /spotify/episode:512ojhOuo1ktJprKbVcKyQ
• track: /spotify/track:11dFghVXANMlKmJXsNCbNl

LinkedIn supports type:id format (default type: user):

• user: /linkedin/user:wesbos
• company: /linkedin/company:microlinkhq

WhatsApp supports type:id format:

• channel: /whatsapp/channel:0029VaARuQ7KwqSXh9fiMc0m
• chat: /whatsapp/chat:D2FFycjQXrEIKG8qQjbwZz

YouTube accepts handle, legacy username, or channel ID. Input starting with UC and 24 characters long is treated as a channel ID:

• handle: /youtube/casey
• channel ID: /youtube/UC_x5XG1OV2P6uZZ5FSM9Ttw

For individual provider examples, see providers.md.