Contents x
Rate Limits
    • Print
    • Dark
      Light
    Contents

    Rate Limits

      • Print
      • Dark
        Light
      Article summary

      Backblaze implements rate limiting safeguards to ensure that all customers have consistent access to high-performance storage, protecting against potential disruptions caused by misuse or abuse of the APIs by other users.

      All new accounts start with a default limit of 500 requests per second for upload and download operations.

      If you need higher limits, requests can be reviewed and approved based on your usage needs. For larger projects or ongoing business requirements, Backblaze recommends working with the Sales team or your account manager. If you are not currently engaged with Sales, the Support team may be able to assist with temporary or exceptional cases, such as disaster recovery.

      Rate Limit Response Codes

      The following response codes can be returned when rate limits are reached.

      Backblaze B2 Native API and Partner API Responses

      HTTP STATUS CODEOVERVIEW
      429 - Too Many RequestsThe client has reached the limit of requests within a specific time period. This response may include a Retry-After header, where the value is the number of seconds a developer should wait before re-requesting the resource.

      Backblaze S3-Compatible API Responses

      HTTP STATUS CODEOVERVIEW
      503 - SlowDownThe client has reached the limit of requests within a specific time period. This response may include a Retry-After header, where the value is the number of seconds a developer should wait before re-requesting the resource.

      Rate Limit Mitigation

      You can take the following steps to help avoid rate limit responses: 

      • Refactor code to eliminate unnecessary requests.
      • Cache data when appropriate.
      • Handle 429 or 503 SlowDown responses with a retry mechanism that implements exponential backoff.
      Retry Mechanisms
      The Backblaze B2 SDKs follow the guidelines that are provided in the Backblaze B2 Integration Checklist. If you are using a library that does not have a retry mechanism or you call the API endpoints directly from your code, refer to the integration checklist for guidance.

      You can find information about retry behavior for the AWS SDKs here.

      If you have implemented these strategies and still encounter rate limit response codes, contact the Support team or your account manager for further assistance.

      Was this article helpful?
      What's Next