Rate Limits
Rate limiting protects the platform for all users. Sandbox tier users are rate-limited; Startup and Scale tiers have no limits.
| Tier | Requests / Minute | Monthly Included | Overage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | 10 req/min | 500 calls | N/A (balance-based) |
| Startup | Unlimited | 10,000 calls | $0.02 / call |
| Scale | Unlimited | 50,000 calls | $0.001 / call |
Sandbox Rate Limiting Details
Sandbox uses a sliding window algorithm. We track the timestamps of your last N requests in memory. If 10 or more requests fall within the last 60 seconds, additional requests are rejected with HTTP 429 until the oldest timestamp exits the window.
Rate-limited requests do not cost any credits and are not counted toward your usage quota.
Handling 429 in Your Code
Option 1 — Retry with delay (Sandbox)
Catch the 429, wait 10–15 seconds, then retry. Since Sandbox limits are per-minute, a 10-second pause is usually sufficient.
Option 2 — Queue with backpressure
Implement a token bucket or request queue on your side that caps outbound calls to the Guardrail API at your tier's limit.
Option 3 — Upgrade your tier (Recommended for production)
Startup and Scale tiers have zero rate limits. If you're hitting 429s in real usage, it's time to upgrade.