Dashboard

Test vs Live Environments

Last Updated: January 5, 2026

VerifyHuman uses a Stripe-style environment system with separate Test and Live modes. This allows you to develop and test your integration without consuming real credits or processing real verifications.

Table of Contents

Overview

Feature Test Mode Live Mode
Purpose Development & testing Production usage
Credits Simulated (not consumed) Real credits consumed
AI Processing Simulated responses Real verification provider
Data Retention Separate from live Production database
Billing No charges Actual charges apply

Environment Toggle

The environment toggle appears in the top navigation bar of your dashboard. It allows you to switch between Test and Live modes instantly.

Toggle States:

Switching Environments:

  1. Click the environment toggle in the navigation bar
  2. Select "Test" or "Live"
  3. The page will refresh with data from the selected environment

Note: The environment toggle only affects your dashboard view. Your API keys are environment-specific and determine which mode your integrations use.

Test Mode

Test mode is designed for development, debugging, and integration testing.

Characteristics

Test Mode Behavior

VerifyHuman Verifications:

VerifyAge Verifications:

VerifyIdentity/Compliance:

When to Use Test Mode

Live Mode

Live mode processes real verifications using AI services and consumes credits.

Characteristics

Live Mode Behavior

VerifyHuman Verifications:

VerifyAge Verifications:

VerifyIdentity/Compliance:

When to Use Live Mode

API Key Environments

API keys are created for specific environments. The environment is embedded in the key metadata.

Creating Environment-Specific Keys

  1. Go to Dashboard > API Keys
  2. Click "Create New API Key"
  3. Select Environment: Test or Live
  4. Configure scopes and create key

Key Identification

While keys use the same vhk- prefix, they are associated with their creation environment:

Environment Usage
Test keys Only work in test mode, no credits consumed
Live keys Only work in live mode, credits consumed

Key Restrictions

Data Separation

Test and Live environments maintain completely separate data:

Separated Data

Data Type Separation
Verifications Separate tables/queries
API Keys Environment-tagged
Usage Statistics Filtered by environment
Reports Environment parameter required
Export Jobs Environment-specific

Shared Data

Data Type Notes
User Accounts Single account accesses both
Subscription Plans Same plan for both environments
Organization/Team Team settings apply to both

Transitioning to Live

When you're ready to move from testing to production:

Pre-Launch Checklist

  1. API Key Configuration

    • Create Live environment API keys
    • Update production environment variables
    • Remove test keys from production config

  2. Integration Verification

    • Test critical flows in live mode (limited scope)
    • Verify webhook endpoints if used
    • Confirm error handling works correctly

  3. Credit Verification

    • Ensure sufficient credits available
    • Set up billing alerts
    • Configure auto-upgrade if needed

  4. Security Review

    • Enable Two-Factor Authentication
    • Review API key scopes
    • Configure domain whitelisting (optional)

Launch Steps

  1. Switch dashboard to Live mode
  2. Deploy production code with Live API keys
  3. Monitor initial verifications in dashboard
  4. Check verification success rates
  5. Review credit consumption

VerifyFlow Test Mode

VerifyFlow published Flows have dedicated test and live hosted pages.

How it works

When you publish a VerifyFlow, VerifyHuman automatically creates two hosted pages:

Page Environment Credits Purpose
Live hosted page Live Real credits Share with users
Test hosted page Test None Validate setup

Both pages are created in the same publish step.

The Test Mode banner

Every test hosted page displays a yellow Test Mode banner so users cannot mistake a sample run for a real verification. The banner cannot be hidden.

Opening the test page

From the Flow detail page, find the Test Mode card and click Open in Test Mode, or copy the test link to share internally.

What test mode changes

→ Full VerifyFlow Test Mode documentation

Best Practices

Development Workflow

1. Local Development → Test Mode
2. Staging Environment → Test Mode
3. Pre-Production Testing → Limited Live Testing
4. Production → Live Mode

Environment Variables

Use separate environment variables for test and live keys:

# Development (.env.development)
VERIFYHUMAN_API_KEY=vhk-test-xxxxx

# Production (.env.production)
VERIFYHUMAN_API_KEY=vhk-live-xxxxx

Testing Best Practices

  1. Use Test Mode for Development

    • All feature development in test mode
    • No risk of consuming credits

  2. Limited Live Testing

    • Only for final verification before launch
    • Use real images/data sparingly

  3. Separate Staging from Production

    • Staging uses test keys
    • Production uses live keys

  4. Monitor Both Environments

    • Check test environment for integration issues
    • Check live environment for production health

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake Consequence Prevention
Using live keys in development Wastes credits Use test keys locally
Forgetting to switch to live Integration appears broken Deploy checklist
Using test keys in production All verifications fail Environment variable check
Not testing in live before launch Unexpected production issues Pre-launch live testing

Troubleshooting

"Invalid API key for environment"

Your API key doesn't match the current environment:

Solution: Create key for the correct environment.

"Verifications not appearing in dashboard"

You may be viewing the wrong environment:

"Test verifications consuming credits"

Test mode should never consume credits. Check:

See Also