API Rate Limits

To ensure reliable service for all users, Gradual's API implements rate limiting. This guide explains how rate limits work and how to handle them in your application.

How Rate Limits Work

Our rate limiting works like a bank account for API requests:

Your Request Account

Each operation type has:

• Account balance: A number of "credits" you can spend
• Spending rate: How fast you can spend credits
• Automatic refill: Credits refill continuously at a fixed rate
• Daily spending limit: A maximum you can spend per day

Example: Read Operations

Your account starts with 100 credits

• Each API request costs 1 credit
• Credits refill at 10 per second
• Daily limit: 300,000 requests

How it works in practice:

✅ Burst scenario: Send 100 requests instantly

• Result: All succeed! Account balance: 0 credits
• Wait 1 second → Balance: 10 credits (refilled)
• Wait 10 seconds → Balance: 100 credits (fully refilled)