Rate Limiting

The API enforces multiple layers of rate limiting to ensure fair usage and protect service stability. All limits are enforced per account (not per key), except burst limits which are per API key.

Rate Limit Layers

BurstPer API key

30 requests / 10 seconds

Short-term spike protection. Prevents hammering the API with rapid-fire requests.

Applies to: All /v1 endpoints

DailyPer account

Varies by plan

Resets at midnight UTC. Shared across all API keys on your account.

Applies to: Authenticated endpoints

Limits by Plan

Plan	Daily	Burst	Price Sources
Free	250	30 / 10s	eBay, TCGPlayer
Pro	10,000	30 / 10s	eBay, TCGPlayer, Cardmarket
Scale	100,000	30 / 10s	eBay, TCGPlayer, Cardmarket

Response Headers

Every authenticated response includes rate limit headers so you can track your usage programmatically.

X-RateLimit-LimitYour plan's daily request limit

X-RateLimit-RemainingDaily requests remaining

X-RateLimit-ResetISO8601 timestamp when daily limit resets

X-RateLimit-Burst-LimitBurst limit (30) — only on 429 responses

X-RateLimit-Burst-RemainingBurst requests remaining — only on 429 responses

Retry-AfterSeconds until you can retry — only on 429 responses

X-PlanYour current plan (Free, Pro, Scale)

429 Response Examples

Burst rate limit exceeded (30 req/10s)

{
  "error": "Too many requests. Slow down.",
  "code": "BURST_RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED",
  "retryAfter": 7
}

Daily limit exceeded

{
  "error": "Daily rate limit exceeded. Resets at 2026-01-18T00:00:00Z",
  "usage": {
    "plan": "Free",
    "daily": {
      "remaining": 0,
      "limit": 250,
      "resetsAt": "2026-01-18T00:00:00Z"
    }
  }
}

Best Practices

Handling 429 Errors

Check the Retry-After header for wait time in seconds
Implement exponential backoff: wait 1s, 2s, 4s between retries
Distinguish between burst (seconds) and daily (hours) limits

Reducing API Calls

Cache responses — prices update every few hours, not seconds
Use the X-RateLimit-Remaining header to pace requests
Batch lookups where possible instead of individual card requests