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Overview

ChatAds uses rate limiting to ensure fair usage and service stability. Limits are applied per team and shared across all API keys. All non-error requests count as requests for daily/monthly API limits; however, not all of these count as billable — meaning they don’t cost you money. See Reducing Costs to learn more.

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Rate Limit Tiers

PlanPer MinuteDaily RequestsMonthly Requests
Free600100100
PAYG60010,000Unlimited
The per-minute limit is a burst safety net shared across all plans. Daily and monthly limits vary by plan.
Daily requests for PAYG users is to help avoid spam. Feel free to reach out and request more.

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Rate Limit Headers

Each response includes rate limit information in the meta.usage object: 
{
  "meta": {
    "usage": {
      "monthly_requests": 50,
      "daily_requests": 20,
      "daily_limit": 100,
      "is_free_tier": true,
      "free_tier_limit": 100,
      "free_tier_remaining": 50
    }
  }
}

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Rate Limit Errors

When you exceed your rate limits, you’ll receive a 429 error with one of these codes:
Error CodeTriggerRetry-After Header
MINUTE_LIMIT_EXCEEDEDMore than 600 requests in 60 seconds60 (seconds)
DAILY_LIMIT_EXCEEDEDDaily request cap reached3600 (seconds)
MONTHLY_LIMIT_EXCEEDEDMonthly request cap reached3600 (seconds)
All rate limit errors include a Retry-After header indicating how long to wait (in seconds) before retrying. 
{
  "data": null,
  "error": {
    "code": "MINUTE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED",
    "message": "Per-minute rate limit exceeded. Retry after 60 seconds."
  },
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "d6a8f6f2-3b5a-4f0a-81ab-1b4a4c9dd5ea",
    "timestamp": "2026-01-15T12:00:00Z",
    "version": "1.0.0"
  }
}

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Best Practices

Monitor usage

Track your usage values to avoid hitting limits unexpectedly.

Implement backoff

When rate limited, wait before retrying. Use exponential backoff.

Cache responses

Cache affiliate responses for identical queries to reduce API calls.

Upgrade when needed

If you consistently hit limits, consider upgrading your plan.

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Upgrading Your Plan

To increase your rate limits:
  1. Go to app.getchatads.com/billing
  2. Switch to the PAYG plan
  3. Complete the upgrade
Plan changes take effect immediately. Your new limits are available right away.