A skip tracing API at 4¢ per match, flat.

• 4¢per match
• $0per miss
• 98.9%typical hit rate

What the skip tracing API does

One endpoint, any language. Send a property address with your API key as a Bearer token; a match returns the owner's contact record as JSON and charges 4¢, a miss returns found: false and charges nothing. Keys are created in the dashboard under Settings, then API.

POST https://app.dataskip.io/api/v1/skip-trace

$ curl -X POST https://app.dataskip.io/api/v1/skip-trace \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer pc_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "address": "44 Pine St",
      "city": "Bridgewater",
      "state": "MA",
      "zip": "02324"
    }'

{
  "success": true,
  "found": true,
  "charged": 4,
  "contact": {
    "fullName": "J••• C•••••",
    "propertyAddress": "44 Pine St",
    "mailingAddress": "44 Pine St"
  },
  "phones": [
    { "number": "(•••) •••-0182", "type": "mobile", "dnc": false },
    { "number": "(•••) •••-4415", "type": "landline", "dnc": true }
  ],
  "emails": ["j•••••@•••••.com"]
}

What the skip tracing API returns on a match

A hit is a record DataSkip successfully matches with owner contact data. Typical lists see a 98.9% hit rate, and records that return nothing cost nothing. Results cover property ownership and contact information only: DataSkip is not a background check service and does not return criminal, credit, or employment records. US properties only, all 50 states.

Skip tracing API pricing

The API uses the exact same rates as the dashboard: there is no API surcharge and no separate developer tier. There is also no volume discount on skips; the rate is already flat at any list size. Volume pricing applies to data buying only.

Flat cents vs credit systems: comparing skip tracing API pricing

Skip tracing API prices usually come in three shapes: flat pay per hit in cents, credit systems where lookups cost different credit amounts, and subscriptions with bundled lookups. Two details decide the real cost. First, check what inputs the advertised rate requires: some services quote their lowest per-hit rate for lookups where you already supply the owner's name, and charge double or more when the API has to identify the owner from the address alone. If you are starting from a property list, the address-only rate is your real rate. Second, check how misses, minimums, instant single lookups, and credit expiry are billed; a low headline rate can grow once those are counted.

Bulk skip tracing API: CSV jobs from code

For lists, do not loop the single-lookup endpoint. The bulk pipeline processes up to 250,000 records in one job, shows you the matched count and exact cost before anything is charged, and returns an enriched CSV. Jobs created through the API also appear in the dashboard.

1. Create a job with POST /api/user/skip-trace and your CSV's column mapping.
2. Upload the CSV to the returned upload URL.
3. Poll until the job reaches preview: it reports total rows, matched rows, and the total charge.
4. Confirm to run the charge, or cancel for free. Only matched rows are billed, at 4¢ each.
5. Download the enriched CSV: matched rows gain owner names, phones, and emails; unmatched rows come back unchanged.

Endpoint-by-endpoint details, job statuses, and error codes are in the skip tracing API documentation. The same pipeline powers skiptrace bulk in the CLI.

The skiptrace npm package: CLI and SDK

The REST API works from any language, and the official npm package skiptrace adds a CLI and a typed JS/TS SDK on top (Node 18+, Apache-2.0). The CLI is script-friendly with distinct exit codes for match, miss, usage error, and API error.

$ npm install -g skiptrace

$ skiptrace "123 Example St, Phoenix AZ 85001"

See the developer docs for the full CLI reference, SDK types, and Python and PHP examples, or the package itself on npm.

Built for AI agents

Machine-readable references ship alongside the human docs: a site summary at llms.txt, a markdown mirror of the API reference at developers.md, and a copy-paste integration brief for coding agents on the developers page. Point your agent at any of them and it can wire up lookups, bulk jobs, and error handling without scraping HTML.

All DataSkip figures above match the current rate sheet. Descriptions of other pricing models are general industry patterns, not claims about any specific company. Updated August 2026.