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Advice Slip API

Free advice API with no key. Returns random advice slips as JSON, with search and id lookup. CORS enabled. Tested curl example and live response.

No API key requiredCORS enabledHTTPSFree tier

Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-19

What is the Advice Slip API?

The Advice Slip API is a free, key-free API that returns random pieces of advice as JSON. It also supports fetching a specific slip by id and searching the advice database by keyword.

The Advice Slip API returns a single short piece of advice per request, wrapped in a `slip` object with an id and the text. Its simplicity is the appeal — it is one of the smallest useful JSON payloads available for teaching HTTP requests.

One quirk is worth knowing before you build against it: the API caches aggressively, so rapid repeated calls to `/advice` can return the same slip. Appending a cache-busting query parameter is the usual workaround when you genuinely need a fresh result each time.

Quick facts

Base URL
https://api.adviceslip.com
Authentication
No key required.
Rate limit
No published limit, but responses are cached.
Pricing
Free.
CORS
Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
Official docs
Read the docs

How to use the Advice Slip API

Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-19, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.

1. Fetch a random piece of advice

GET https://api.adviceslip.com/advice

curl
curl 'https://api.adviceslip.com/advice'
JavaScript (fetch)
const res = await fetch("https://api.adviceslip.com/advice");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);
Python (requests)
import requests

res = requests.get("https://api.adviceslip.com/advice", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json())
Response — HTTP 200
{
  "slip": {
    "id": 172,
    "advice": "If it still itches after a week, go to the doctors."
  }
}

Parameters

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
<id>pathOptionalFetch a specific slip with /advice/{id}. 42
<query>pathOptionalSearch with /advice/search/{query}. love

Response fields

slip.idinteger
Identifier of the advice slip.
slip.advicestring
The advice text itself.

What you can build with the Advice Slip API

  • Show a daily advice card on a homepage or dashboard
  • Build a beginner project demonstrating fetch and JSON parsing
  • Add an advice command to a chat bot
  • Practise handling nested JSON, since the payload wraps data in a `slip` object

Common errors and how to fix them

Same advice repeatedly

Responses are cached by the API and by intermediaries.

Fix: Append a cache-busting parameter such as ?t=<timestamp> when you need a genuinely new slip.

message.text instead of slip

A search returned no results; the shape changes.

Fix: Check whether `slip` exists before reading it — the error shape is different from the success shape.

Advice Slip API — frequently asked questions

Why does the Advice Slip API keep returning the same advice?

It caches responses aggressively. Add a cache-busting query parameter such as a timestamp to force a fresh slip on each call.

Is the Advice Slip API free?

Yes, completely free with no API key or signup.

Can I search for advice on a topic?

Yes, use /advice/search/{query}. Note that when nothing matches, the response shape changes to a `message` object rather than returning an empty list.

Why is the data nested inside a slip object?

The API wraps every response in a container object. It is a small thing, but it makes this a useful example for teaching nested JSON access.

Tools that pair with this API

JSON Formatter

Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.

Word Counter

Count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and estimated reading time instantly. Free online word counter for essays, blogs and social media.

Advice Slip is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-19; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.