Yes, Trello has a REST API at api.trello.com that reads and writes boards, lists, cards, actions and more. You get an API key by creating a Power-Up, then a user token, and send both with each request. The rate limits are 300 requests per 10 seconds per key and 100 per 10 seconds per token.
A REST API, reached through a Power-Up
The Trello API is a REST API. Requests go to api.trello.com/1/, and a simple first call is GET /1/members/me/boards, which lists your boards. The me shortcut stands in for a member ID and means the user the token belongs to.
Core resources include boards, lists, cards, actions, webhooks and search, and the REST reference also covers checklists, custom fields, labels, members and organisations. If you can do it on a board, there's usually an endpoint for it.
The docs I worked from don't tie the API to a particular Trello plan, so I won't say which plans include it.
The key opens nothing; the token opens everything
Getting set up has one odd step. To generate an API key you first need to have created a Trello Power-Up. Then you open the Trello Auth tab of that Power-Up on the admin page and select Generate a new API Key.
The two credentials do very different jobs. The API key is meant to be publicly accessible and on its own grants no access to anyone's data. The token is what unlocks a user's data, and together with the key it can read and write across that user's whole Trello account. The Atlassian Trello developer docs say to keep tokens secret, and I'd go further: treat a Trello token like a password, because that's effectively what it really is. Never paste one into a shared document or a public code repository.
| Credential | What it does | Keep it secret? |
|---|---|---|
| API key | Identifies your Power-Up; grants no data access alone | No, it's meant to be public |
| Token | Reads and writes the granting user's whole Trello account, with the key | Yes, always |
Tokens come from the 1/authorize route or basic OAuth 1.0. The authorize URL lets you set the expiration and scope, for example expiration=1day and scope=read. For a reporting script, a read-only token that expires is far safer than one that can write forever.
The rate limits
- 300 requests per 10 seconds for each API key.
- 100 requests per 10 seconds for each token.
- A separate 100 requests per 900 seconds on /1/members/.
Go over and Trello returns a 429 with an error of API_TOKEN_LIMIT_EXCEEDED or API_KEY_LIMIT_EXCEEDED, so you can tell which limit you hit. Rate limit details also come back in response headers, including the interval, the maximum and the remaining count.
Making fewer calls
Trello's docs suggest two habits that keep you well under the limits. First, use webhooks instead of polling: register a webhook on a board or card and Trello tells you when something changes. Second, use nested resources such as /1/boards/{boardId}/cards, so one call returns what many single requests would.
One warning from the same page: very large requests for cards with their actions can fail with API_TOO_MANY_CARDS_REQUESTED. Fetch the cards first and the actions afterwards. If the webhook idea is new to you, my explainer on APIs versus webhooks walks through it.
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How other project tools compare
Asana's API allows 150 requests per minute on free domains and 1,500 per minute on upgraded domains, as of Nov 2026, returning 429 with Retry-After when exceeded. Notion allows 600 requests per minute on Business and Enterprise workspaces and 180 on all other plans. Linear offers a GraphQL API authenticated with OAuth 2.0 or personal API keys.
My verdict for small teams
Trello's API is easy to start with once you've made a Power-Up for the key. Ask for read-only, expiring tokens wherever you can, lean on webhooks and nested calls, and you'll rarely see a 429. If you're automating Trello for campaigns, my Trello marketing strategy guide shows what's worth pulling out of your boards.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Trello API available on all plans?
Trello's developer docs don't tie the REST API to a plan. You need a Power-Up to generate an API key.
How do I get a Trello API key?
Create a Power-Up, open its Trello Auth tab on the admin page and choose Generate a new API Key.
What can I do with it?
Read and write boards, lists, cards, actions, checklists, labels, custom fields and more.
What are the rate limits?
300 requests per 10 seconds per API key and 100 per 10 seconds per token.
Does Trello support webhooks?
Yes. Registering a webhook on a Trello object lets Trello notify you of events instead of you polling.
