Rate Limiting

We enforce rate limits to ensure our API remains accessible and efficient for all users. Normally each API call consumes a single request. However, if the response includes more than a single symbol, it can consume multiple requests. Often, users can navigate around a rate limit by making the most of the diverse filters we provide (e.g., instead of retrieving an entire option chain, apply specific filters to narrow down the results).

The rate limit is a hard limit. Once the limit has been reached, you will no longer be able to make requests until the request counter resets. Requests in excess of the rate limit will generate 429 responses.

Rate Limits By Plan

Different plans have specific rate limits, with most plans enforcing a daily rate limit while our Commercial Plan uses a per minute rate limit.

	Free Forever	Starter	Trader	Commercial Plans
Daily Limit	100	10,000	100,000	No Limit
Per Minute Limit	No Limit	No Limit	No Limit	60,000

Summary

• Free Forever Plan: 100 requests/prices per day.
• Starter Plan: 10,000 requests/prices per day.
• Trader Plan: 100,000 requests/prices per day.
• Commercial Plan: 60,000 requests/prices per minute.

The usage counter for all plans with a daily limit are reset at 9:30 AM Eastern Time (NYSE opening bell).

Requests vs Prices

Each time you make a request to the API, the system will increase your counter. Normally each successful response will increase your counter by 1 and each call to our API will be counted once. However, if you request prices for multiple symbols in a single API call using the option chain endpoint, a request will be used for each option symbol that is included in the response.

caution

For users working with options, take care before repeatly requesting quotes for an entire option chain. Each option symbol included in the response will consume a request. If you were to download the entire SPX option chain (which has 20,000+ option symbols), you would exhaust your request limit very quickly. Use our extensive option chain filtering parameters to request only the strikes/expirations you need.

Headers to Manage the Rate Limit

We provide the following headers in our responses to help you manage the rate limit and throttle your applications when necessary:

• X-Api-RateLimit-Limit: The maximum number of requests you're permitted to make (per day for Free/Starter/Trader plans or per minute for commercial users).
• X-Api-RateLimit-Remaining: The number of requests remaining in the current rate day/period.
• X-Api-RateLimit-Reset: The time at which the current rate limit window resets in UTC epoch seconds.
• X-Api-RateLimit-Consumed: The quantity of requests that were consumed in the current request.

Detailed Rules

• Each successful response increases the counter by a minimum of 1 request.
• Only status 200/203 responses consume requests.
• NULL responses are not counted.
• Error responses are not counted.
• Responses may consume more than 1 request if the response includes prices for more than 1 symbol (e.g. an OPTIONCHAIN endpoint).
• Responses that include more than one symbol, but do not include the bid, ask, or mid columns do not consume prices and are counted as a single request.
• Certain free trial symbols like AAPL stock, AAPL options, or the VIX index do not consume requests.

Strategies To Avoid Rate Limiting

• Exclude the bid, ask, mid symbols from your option chain requests if the current price is not needed.
• Use the extensive option chain filters such as strikeLimit to exclude unnecessary strikes from your requests.