API Rate Limiting
Many input connectors let you cap the rate at which Monad makes outbound requests
to the source API. Setting a limit keeps a connector comfortably under the
provider's quota, avoiding 429 Too Many Requests errors and the throttling/backoff
delays they cause.
How it works
When you set a rate limit, Monad applies a token-bucket limiter to the connector's
outbound HTTP requests, smoothing them to the rate you choose. This is proactive:
it prevents you from hitting the provider's limit in the first place. Independently,
Monad always honors a provider's Retry-After header and backs off on a 429, so
a connector stays correct even without a configured limit.
Configuring a limit
The API Rate Limit setting is an object with two fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Rate | A positive number — how many requests are allowed per unit of time. |
| Unit | per_second (default), per_minute, or per_hour. |
For example, Rate = 30, Unit = per_minute limits the connector to 30 requests/minute (0.5/sec).
Defaults and limits
- Leave it blank to use the connector's default behavior. For most connectors this
means unthrottled (Monad still backs off on
429); some connectors apply a built-in default — see the connector's own page. - Each connector enforces a maximum based on the provider's documented API ceiling. A value above that maximum is rejected when you save the configuration.
- The platform minimum is 0.1 requests/second; a limit slower than that is rejected.
Choosing a value
- Start from the provider's documented rate limit (linked on each connector's page).
- If your API token is shared with other tools, set a limit below the provider's ceiling to leave headroom.
- Plan tiers matter: many providers' limits depend on your subscription, so the connector's maximum is a conservative ceiling, not a guarantee for your account.