We want you to use our API as much as possible. However, sometimes we must limit the numbers of API calls run. This document outlines the default rate-limiting configurations for our API and the reasoning behind those limits.

If you feel these limits hinder your API usage, contact your Account Director or Integration Specialist to create custom settings.

Queries Per Second Limit

The queries-per-second (QPS) limit is the number of queries you can run per second.

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Rate-limit your Pipl API integration

We require Pipl API customers to implement a rate-limiting mechanism in their integrations to prevent HTTP status 403 throttling errors. Please see the tutorial on throttling your queries for best practices.

Why do we have this limit?
Limits enable us to deliver consistently high performance for all customers and to protect them from accidental overuse.

What is the default limit?
The default limit is different for queries that use live feeds and those that do not. With live feeds, limits help us protect our external feed providers from extreme usage spikes.

Defaults are:

• 20 total queries
• 10 queries that includes live feeds

Where can I see my limit and current status?
Refer to the HTTP headers of the API responses.

What if I need more?
Please contact your Account Director or Integration Specialist.

Live Feeds

What are live_feeds?
Live feeds are data partners outside of Pipl's infrastructure that can provide additional data—2-3% more—specifically within the USA.

Why do queries with live feeds have a lower QPS limit?
Live feeds have a lower default QPS limit in order to limit load on external data providers. Queries with live feeds also have increased latency. Consider turning live_feeds to false to increase your query throughput and decrease latency.

Key Quota Limits

In addition to our rate-limiting systems, we enable customers to configure hard quotas on specific API keys. Key quotas can be set as a number of matches/queries per day, week, or month. Quotas will apply to the number of billed queries, so if your API key is billed per-match then the quota will limit the number of matches whereas if your API key is billed per call, then the quota will limit your calls.

Why do we have this quota limit?
This enables you to set limits for specific applications, development environments (QA/staging) or for specific employees based on the key issued.

What is the default limit?
There are no default key quotas.

Can I set my own key quota limits?
Yes. Organization administrators—usually the person who opened the account— can manage custom quotas on the API keys page. They can set a monthly, daily, or weekly quota per key.

Where can I see my limit and current status?
If you set custom quota limits, they will be displayed on your key management page. The HTTP headers of the API responses also show the quota.

Notifications via email alerts will be sent out to account administrators when reaching 80% and 100% of quota.

Read more about this in the tutorial on monitoring usage and spend.

Account Spend Limit

The account spend limit is a monthly limit on the amount of money you can spend on API queries. Once you reach the limit, further API queries will be rejected.

Why do we have this limit?
This limit protects customers from accidental overuse and protects Pipl from credit line abuse.

What is the default limit?
$1,000 per month.

Where can I see my limit and current status?
In your API billing overview page.

Notifications via email alerts will be sent out to account administrators when reaching 80% and 100% of spend.

What if I need more?
Once we verify your identity and payment information, simply contact us and request a new spend limit based on your needs and approved credit line.