Rate limits
Sendbird applications are rate-limited to ensure the best experience for users. If you exceed a rate limit, Sendbird server will return an error message that includes the encountered rate limit as well as how long you should wait before retrying.
Note : Sendbird organizations created after May 28, 2020, 00:00:00 UTC are automatically rate-limited, while those created before this date will be given sufficient time to adjust their applications before rate limits apply. Go to the Settings > Application > General on the Sendbird Dashboard to see which rate limits your organizations are subject to. If you need a higher rate limit for API requests, contact our sales team for further assistance.
Rate-limited methods
Rate limits apply to the SDK methods associated with objects including channel, user, message objects, and more. For example, a user can send up to five messages per second to an open or a group channel. The following table lists the default rate limits per user.
| SDK method | Calls per second | Calls per minute |
|---|---|---|
Listing objects | 20 | 120 |
Retrieving objects | 20 | 120 |
Creating objects | 10 | 120 |
Updating objects | 10 | 120 |
Deleting objects | 10 | 120 |
Profile image upload | 2 | 40 |
File upload | 4 | 60 |
Updating channel metacounter | 20 | 400 |
Rate-limited real-time events
Some real-time events taking place on client apps are rate-limited in order to sustain stable operation. The following table lists the default rate limits for those events.
| Event | Calls per second |
|---|---|
Sending a message | 5 |
Marking messages as read | 3 |
Sending typing indicator to other members | 0.1 |
Other events | 3 |
Note : Limits on sending typing indicator to channel members apply to both users and channels.
Error responses
When a request is rate-limited, a RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED (500910) or TOO_MANY_MESSAGES (900200) error will be returned.
Note : See the Error codes page for more information.