> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sendcloud.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rate limits

Rate limiting is a technique employed by APIs to manage the volume and frequency of incoming requests, ensuring a stable and high-quality experience for all users. It helps prevent resource starvation, maintain cost control, and provide a layer of security against potential attacks.

To ensure fair usage, prevent system overloading, and protect API resources, our API has **rate limits** that limit the number of requests that can be made within a specific time frame and request safety.

These rate limits differ depending on whether the request is considered [safe or unsafe](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Safe/HTTP).

<Info>
  It is essential to follow these guidelines to avoid exceeding the API rate limits and receiving HTTP 429 responses.
  Failure to comply may disrupt your API usage and lower service quality.
</Info>

## Default rate limits

|                                                      | Default rate limits        | Burst allowance\*        |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| **Safe** methods: `GET`                              | `1000` requests per minute | n/a                      |
| **Unsafe** methods: `POST`, `PATCH`, `PUT`, `DELETE` | `100` requests per minute  | `15` requests per second |

\*A **burst allowance** sets the maximum number of concurrent requests the API can handle. It allows for a temporary increase in the request rate to accommodate short periods of high traffic without exceeding the overall rate limits.

## Tips

* To avoid getting blocked or throttled, it is important to adhere to the rate limits that are set. These limits specify the maximum number of requests allowed within a certain period. Please make sure that your application stays within these limits.
* It's important to handle rate-limit responses properly. If you receive an `HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests)` response, the rate limit has been surpassed.
* Regularly monitor and analyze your application's rate limit usage to identify potential bottlenecks or excessive usage patterns. This will help you proactively adjust your application's behavior and optimize resource consumption.