Open Collective API

Base URL

https://api.opencollective.com/graphql/v2

Authentication

No API key for public read queries. A personal token is required only for writes and for private data such as unapproved expenses.

Rate limit

Unauthenticated queries are throttled per IP; supplying a free personal token raises the ceiling substantially.

Pricing

Free.

CORS

Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript

Official docs

Read the docs

Every request below was executed against the live API on 21 Aug 2026, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.

curl -X POST 'https://api.opencollective.com/graphql/v2' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"query":"{collective(slug:\"webpack\"){name slug currency}}"}'

const res = await fetch("https://api.opencollective.com/graphql/v2", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({"query":"{collective(slug:\"webpack\"){name slug currency}}"}),
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);

import requests

headers = {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
}

payload = {"query":"{collective(slug:\"webpack\"){name slug currency}}"}

res = requests.post("https://api.opencollective.com/graphql/v2", headers=headers, json=payload, timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json())

{
  "data": {
    "collective": {
      "name": "webpack",
      "slug": "webpack",
      "currency": "USD"
    }
  }
}

dataobject

The GraphQL result, shaped exactly like the query you sent — nothing extra is returned.

collective.name / slugstring

Display name and URL identifier.

collective.currencystring

The collective's base currency. Amounts elsewhere are denominated in it, so read this before comparing figures across collectives.

collective.stats.balanceobject

Current balance, returned as an amount in cents plus a currency — not a float.

transactionsobject

Paginated financial history with type, amount, description and counterparty.

expensesobject

Submitted expenses with status, amount and payee, which is where the transparency really shows.

membersobject

Contributors and backers with roles and contribution totals.

errorsarray

GraphQL returns HTTP 200 even for query errors — always check this array before reading `data`.

• Display a project's real funding and expenses on its own site
• Research the financial sustainability of open source projects
• Build a sponsor or backer wall from live contributor data
• Track monthly recurring funding for a collective over time

If Open Collective does not fit, these social media apis cover similar ground. Every one was called before publishing, and each links to its own reference page with a working curl command and the response it returned.