Rate Limiting

Understanding API rate limits and how to handle them

The Lobstr.io API enforces rate limits to ensure fair usage and stable service performance. When you exceed the rate limit, the API returns a 429 Too Many Requests response.

Rate Limit Headers

Header
X-RateLimit-Limit
Description
Total requests allowed per minute
Header
X-RateLimit-Remaining
Description
Number of requests remaining in the current rate limit window
Header
X-RateLimit-Reset
Description
UNIX timestamp indicating when the rate limit window resets
Header
Retry-After
Description
Seconds until you can retry after hitting the limit

Endpoint-Specific Limits

Endpoint
`/v1/squids`
Limit
120 requests/minute
Endpoint
`/v1/tasks`
Limit
90 requests/minute
Endpoint
`/v1/runtasks`
Limit
90 requests/minute
Endpoint
`/v1/runs`
Limit
120 requests/minute
Endpoint
`/v1/results`
Limit
2 requests/second
Pro Tip

Pro Tip

Monitor the X-RateLimit-Remaining header to proactively slow down requests before hitting the limit.
Note

Note

The /v1/results endpoint has a stricter limit (2 req/sec) due to the data-intensive nature of result retrieval.
Warning

Warning

Repeatedly hitting rate limits may result in temporary IP blocks. Implement exponential backoff in your code.
Pro Tip

Pro Tip

Use the Retry-After header value to know exactly when to retry your request.