How rate limiting works
The PingRep API applies rate limits per action and per user to ensure fair usage and platform stability. When you exceed a limit, the API returns a 429 Too Many Requests response.
Rate limits vary by action type and subscription tier. Some actions like authentication have fixed limits to prevent abuse, while others scale with your plan.
Rate limit headers
Every API response includes rate limit headers so your application can track usage proactively.
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-RateLimit-Limit | Maximum number of requests allowed in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Remaining | Number of requests remaining in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Reset | Unix timestamp (seconds) when the rate limit window resets |
Limits by action
Authentication actions
These limits are fixed across all tiers to prevent credential abuse.
| Action | Limit | Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic link request | 3 | 15 minutes | Per email address |
| Token verification | 5 | 5 minutes | Per email address |
Tier-based actions
These limits scale with your subscription tier.
| Action | Free | Pro | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat messages | 10/hour | 100/hour | 500/hour |
| Directory search | 20/hour | 200/hour | 1,000/hour |
| AI Ask (per profile) | 5/hour | 50/hour | 250/hour |
| API key operations | 10/hour | 50/hour | 200/hour |
Per-profile limits
AI Ask limits are applied per profile, not per account. If you have 5 profiles on the Max tier, each profile gets its own 250 requests/hour allowance.
Handling 429 responses
When you receive a 429 response, the X-RateLimit-Reset header tells you exactly when to retry.
Best practices
- Check headers proactively. Monitor
X-RateLimit-Remainingand slow down before hitting zero. - Use exponential backoff. If the reset header is missing, back off exponentially starting at 1 second.
- Cache responses. For directory searches and profile data, cache results to reduce redundant calls.
- Batch where possible. Combine multiple operations into fewer API calls when the endpoint supports it.
Repeated abuse
Accounts that consistently and aggressively exceed rate limits may be temporarily suspended. If you need higher limits, upgrade your tier or contact support@pingrep.com.