GoHighLevel API and webhook recipes
GoHighLevel has a full REST API and a webhook system that lets you connect it to any other tool. These 10 recipes cover the most common patterns: managing contacts and opportunities, booking appointments, handling payment events, building Marketplace apps and syncing data to external databases.
What the GoHighLevel API covers
The REST API covers nearly every object in the platform: contacts, opportunities, pipelines, calendars, appointments, conversations, messages, campaigns, forms, surveys, payments, memberships and sub-accounts. For many agencies and builders, the four most-used areas are contacts (create and update), opportunities (pipeline stage moves), calendar (check availability and book) and conversations (send SMS or email).
The API uses standard REST patterns: GET to read, POST to create, PUT or PATCH to update, DELETE to remove. Authentication is a Bearer token in the Authorization header. For internal tools, generate an API key in your agency dashboard. For Marketplace apps used by other accounts, use the OAuth 2.0 flow covered in the OAuth recipe.
When to use the API and when to use a workflow
GoHighLevel Workflows handle most automation needs without code. Use the API when you need to read or write data from an external system that has no native integration, when you need bulk operations faster than a workflow can run, or when you are building a product for other GoHighLevel users.
The decision guide in this hub compares Zapier, Make, n8n and direct API calls so you can pick the right tool without overcomplicating it.
Recipes
- APIBuild an MCP Server on Top of the GoHighLevel APIExpose GoHighLevel contacts, appointments, and opportunities as callable MCP tools for AI agents. Step-by-step guide with Node.js code to build, test, and connect a GHL MCP server to Claude, GPT-4, and other AI systems.
- APIGoHighLevel Calendar API: Appointment Booking RecipesBook appointments in GoHighLevel from any external form, chatbot, or voice AI agent. Recipes for listing available slots and creating appointments via the REST API, with cURL, Node.js, and Python examples.
- API and RecipesGoHighLevel Contacts API: Create and Update RecipesPractical recipes for creating, updating, and upserting contacts via the GoHighLevel REST API. Includes cURL, Node.js, and Python samples with response examples and common error fixes.
- APIGoHighLevel Inbound Webhooks: Stripe and Shopify Payment Event RecipesTrigger GoHighLevel workflows from Stripe and Shopify payment events. Recipes for setting up an inbound webhook URL in GHL, verifying Stripe signatures, and mapping Shopify order data to contacts and opportunities.
- APIGoHighLevel OAuth 2.0 Marketplace App SetupBuild a GoHighLevel marketplace app with OAuth 2.0. Step-by-step guide covering app registration, the authorization code flow, token exchange, token refresh, and accessing sub-account data on behalf of your users.
- APIGoHighLevel Opportunities API: Pipeline Stage Update RecipesMove leads through your GoHighLevel pipeline programmatically. Recipes for creating opportunities, updating pipeline stages, and syncing deal status from external CRMs and payment tools.
- APIGoHighLevel Outbound Custom Webhooks with Ed25519 Signature VerificationGoHighLevel signs outbound webhook payloads with Ed25519. Learn how to verify these signatures in Node.js and Python, and how to safely receive GHL events in your own backend.
- APIGoHighLevel to Airtable Two-Way SyncKeep GoHighLevel contacts and opportunities in sync with an Airtable base. Recipes for pulling GHL data into Airtable, pushing Airtable changes back to GHL, and avoiding infinite update loops.
- APISync GoHighLevel to Google Sheets and a Data WarehouseExport GoHighLevel contacts, opportunities, and appointments to Google Sheets or a data warehouse like BigQuery or PostgreSQL. Recipes for incremental sync, pagination, and scheduled export using the GHL REST API.
- APIZapier, Make, n8n vs Direct GHL API: How to DecideShould you use Zapier, Make, or n8n to connect GoHighLevel, or write direct API calls? This guide covers the trade-offs for speed, cost, reliability, and control, with a decision matrix and code samples for each approach.
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Does GoHighLevel have a public REST API?
Yes. GoHighLevel has a full REST API that covers contacts, opportunities, calendars, conversations, campaigns, pipelines, forms and more. You authenticate with either an API key (for agency-owned sub-accounts) or OAuth 2.0 (for Marketplace apps). The official docs live on the HighLevel developer site.
What is the rate limit for the GoHighLevel API?
GoHighLevel enforces rate limits at the sub-account level. The standard limit is 100 requests per 10 seconds per location. Burst requests above that return a 429 status. Use exponential backoff and respect Retry-After headers to stay within limits.
Can I use GoHighLevel webhooks without writing code?
Yes. GoHighLevel supports no-code webhook triggers inside Workflows. You can fire an outbound webhook from any workflow action step. For inbound events such as payment webhooks from Stripe, you create a custom webhook trigger URL inside GoHighLevel and point your third-party app at it. Zapier, Make and n8n give you a visual layer on top of both.
What is the difference between a GoHighLevel API key and OAuth 2.0?
An API key is a static credential tied to a specific sub-account. Use it for internal automations where you control both sides. OAuth 2.0 is for published Marketplace apps where end users grant your app access to their own GoHighLevel accounts. If you are building a product for other GoHighLevel users, use OAuth 2.0.
Is there an MCP server for GoHighLevel?
Yes. GoHighLevel ships an official MCP server that lets AI tools like Claude, Cursor and n8n read and write your account. You can also build your own custom MCP server if you need actions the official one does not cover, and the recipe on this hub walks through wrapping the API endpoints so Claude can call them.