# Provenance stamped 2026-10-07 (roadmap#943): written by an API Evangelist sweep (undated — the file carries no date and git cannot supply one), not
# harvested from the provider. `method: generated` so the economics campaign may replace it with a
# dated, verbatim transcription; every figure below is unverified until it does.
method: generated
name: KEGG REST API Plans
description: >
  The KEGG REST API at rest.kegg.jp is available free of charge for academic
  users. Commercial access to the KEGG API requires a separate subscription or
  license through Pathway Solutions. FTP data access (for bulk downloads and
  local KEGG mirrors) requires a paid academic or commercial subscription. The
  free academic REST API tier supports all seven operations and all KEGG
  databases; the only restriction is a 3 requests-per-second rate limit and a
  maximum of 10 entries per GET or CONV request.
provider: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)
url: https://www.kegg.jp/kegg/rest/

plans:

  - name: Academic REST API (Free)
    description: >
      Free access to the KEGG REST API for academic researchers and
      non-commercial users. Covers all seven API operations (info, list, find,
      get, conv, link, ddi) across all KEGG databases. No API key or
      registration is required; use of an institutional or personal email is
      recommended for support inquiries. Access may be blocked if rate limits
      are exceeded.
    free: true
    rateLimit:
      requests: 3
      period: second
    features:
      - INFO operation — database release statistics
      - LIST operation — entry identifiers and names for all databases
      - FIND operation — keyword, formula, molecular weight, and sequence search
      - GET operation — flat-file, KGML, JSON, image, aaseq, ntseq, mol, kcf formats
      - CONV operation — identifier conversion (KEGG ↔ NCBI, UniProt, PubChem, ChEBI, ATC)
      - LINK operation — cross-database relational lookup
      - DDI operation — drug-drug interaction adverse event queries
      - Access to pathway, brite, module, ko, genes, genome, compound, glycan, reaction, enzyme, disease, drug, network, variant, dgroup databases
      - HTTP 200 / 400 / 404 status code responses
    restrictions:
      - For academic use only; commercial use is prohibited without a license
      - Maximum 10 entries per GET or CONV call
      - HTTPS required (HTTP access deprecated since June 2022)

  - name: KEGG FTP Academic Subscription — End User
    description: >
      Paid annual subscription providing weekly-updated FTP access to the full
      KEGG dataset for an individual laboratory or department. Does not permit
      setting up a public-facing local KEGG copy or distributing data to third
      parties. Managed by NPO Bioinformatics Japan and Pathway Solutions.
    free: false
    price:
      currency: USD
      amount: 2000
      period: year
      notes: >
        Approximate cost cited in public sources as of 2024–2026. Confirm
        current pricing via the request form at pathway.jp/en/request.html.
    features:
      - Weekly-updated FTP data download (pathway, brite, module, ko, genes, ligand, KGML)
      - FASTA sequence files
      - Academic service provider license eligibility

  - name: KEGG FTP Academic Subscription — Service Provider
    description: >
      Academic service provider subscription for research groups developing
      and distributing software tools, web services, or databases that
      incorporate KEGG data. Permits deployment of local KEGG-based services
      for users within the institution. Managed jointly by NPO Bioinformatics
      Japan and Pathway Solutions.
    free: false
    price:
      currency: USD
      amount: 5000
      period: year
      notes: >
        Approximate organizational cost cited in public sources as of
        2024–2026. Confirm current pricing via the request form at
        pathway.jp/en/request.html.
    features:
      - All End User FTP subscription features
      - Right to provide KEGG-based services to affiliated users
      - KEGG mirror site access including API for authorized service delivery

  - name: Commercial License (Pathway Solutions)
    description: >
      Commercial licensing for non-academic entities requiring internal or
      external use of KEGG data and APIs. Available as End User (internal R&D
      use) or Service Provider (external service delivery). Pricing is
      determined by inquiry through Pathway Solutions; terms are non-negotiable.
    free: false
    price:
      currency: USD
      amount: null
      notes: >
        Pricing available on request through pathway.jp/en/licensing.html.
        Tiers include standard, group (with affiliates), and enterprise
        (unlimited affiliates).
    features:
      - Download and internal use of KEGG FTP data for business purposes
      - Optional KEGG mirror site access (including KEGG API) for R&D
      - Service Provider option for deploying KEGG-based products to customers
    registration: https://www.pathway.jp/en/licensing.html
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - negotiated
  units: []
  plans:
  - name: Academic REST API (Free)
    access: other
    model: unstated
    model_how: derived
    units: []
    periods: []
  - name: KEGG FTP Academic Subscription — End User
    access: other
    model: unstated
    model_how: derived
    units: []
    periods: []
  - name: KEGG FTP Academic Subscription — Service Provider
    access: other
    model: unstated
    model_how: derived
    units: []
    periods: []
  - name: Commercial License (Pathway Solutions)
    access: other
    model: negotiated
    model_how: derived
    units: []
    periods: []