# Quickstart Guide

> Go from zero to validating your first email in under 5 minutes.

**Category:** getting-started | **Last updated:** March 13, 2026

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This guide walks you through creating an account, getting an API key, and making your first validation request.

## 1. Create your account

Sign up at [fidro.io/register](/register). You'll get 200 free validations per month — no credit card required.

## 2. Get your API key

After signing up, you'll be guided through onboarding which generates a **test API key** automatically. You can also create keys from the [API Keys](/app/api-keys) page in your dashboard.

**Test keys** (`fidro_test_...`) return deterministic results using test data — perfect for development. **Live keys** (`fidro_live_...`) hit real validation infrastructure.

## 3. Make your first request

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.fidro.io/api/validate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "email": "user@example.com",
    "ip": "203.0.113.1"
  }'
```

The response includes a `risk_score` (0–100), a `recommendation` (`allow`, `review`, or `block`), and detailed check results for every signal we analysed.

## 4. Interpret the response

| Field | What it means |
|-------|--------------|
| `risk_score` | 0 = no risk, 100 = highest risk |
| `recommendation` | `allow` (score 0–40), `review` (41–70), `block` (71+) |
| `data.checks` | Individual check results with pass/fail and scores |
| `data.location` | IP geolocation data (country, city, ISP, etc.) |

## 5. Next steps

- [Add Fidro to your signup form](/docs/guides/add-to-signup-form) to validate users at registration
- [Understand risk scoring](/docs/guides/how-risk-scoring-works) to fine-tune your thresholds
- Read the full [API Reference](/docs) for all endpoints and parameters