A donation API for streamers: build your own tools with DonoLink

Your standard dashboard is not always the screen in front of you during a livestream. You might use a custom production interface, a small monitor beside your camera or an app you built yourself. A donation API lets you bring channel activity into that environment. The DonoLink Developer API gives you personal read access to donations and stored stream events.

From your activity feed to your own application

The API combines two sources: paid donations in DonoLink, including imported history, and events DonoLink has stored through your platform connections. These include follows, subscriptions, gifted subscriptions, cheers and raids. Stored platform donations, such as YouTube Super Chat, can appear too. You do not need to process each source in a different response format.

Each event includes a stable ID, platform, type, display name, message and numeric value with a unit. Use these fields to show donations on your own display, prepare a stream recap or build a personal gifted-subscription counter. Always check the unit: TikTok diamonds are not euros, and raid viewers are not a donation amount.

Three practical uses for streamers and developers

• A custom production screen. Display relevant donations and events alongside your camera and scene controls. Filter by the platform or event type that matters to your workflow.
• A personal mobile app. Show a compact feed during an IRL stream. Save your progress so you can read stored events after a connection interruption.
• A post-stream overview. Read a bounded time period for your own recap. Keep donations, subscriptions and other platform values separate in your analysis.

These are things you can build. The API provides data; it does not install a complete mobile app or a ready-made third-party integration. For a standard OBS alert, you can continue using the existing DonoLink overlays without writing code.

Make your first API request

1. Create a DonoLink account and complete onboarding.
2. Open Settings and scroll to Developer. Create a key for your integration.
3. Store the key in your server secret configuration. Send it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header.
4. Check the owner with GET /api/v1/me, then read GET /api/v1/activity.

The API documentation includes a curl request, a JSON example and a downloadable OpenAPI specification. Read up to 100 events per page and follow the cursor through subsequent pages. Historical page count is not capped; requests are limited to 120 per account per 60 seconds, shared by every key.

A personal key with limited permissions

A key belongs to your own account and has only the activity:read scope. It cannot change donations, modify settings or withdraw money. DonoLink stores a hash of the key. You can see the complete key only immediately after creating it; later, you revoke it or create a replacement.

Read-only access is still sensitive: display names and donation messages may contain personal information. Keep keys out of public frontend code, Git repositories and your stream. Use secure storage for a personal native app. Applications serving multiple streamers must isolate each account’s secrets and data. An OAuth authorization flow for such apps is not available in v1.

Understand the history you are reading

The API reads what DonoLink actually stored. Connecting a streaming platform does not automatically fetch all earlier follows or subscriptions from Twitch, YouTube, Kick or TikTok. Imported donations carry their import source. Fully refunded or disputed donations and test alerts are excluded. Use the feed for activity, not as a bank statement or accounting ledger.

To keep your app up to date while you stream, read the IRL activity feed guide. It explains polling, historical pages and recovery after network loss. The history and live feed reference contains the accompanying code example.