What is a Rate Limit?

What is a Rate Limit?

A rate limit is the maximum number of API requests a client may make in a given time window - for example, 100 requests per minute. Providers enforce limits to protect infrastructure and ensure fair usage across customers.

What Happens When You Hit the Limit?

The API returns HTTP 429 Too Many Requests, often with a Retry-After header telling you how long to wait. Subsequent requests within the window continue to fail until it resets.

How to Stay Under the Limit

Cache responses, batch requests, and use webhooks instead of polling. Read the X-RateLimit-Remaining header on each response to throttle proactively. When you do hit 429, back off with exponential delay and jitter rather than retrying immediately.