Use of the Bitly API is subject to two different limits:
- Rate limits: The Bitly API has per-minute and per-hour rate limits. Most Bitly plans come with our standard API rate limit. Higher rate limits are available with an Enterprise subscription.
- Monthly limits: Each of our subscription plans has a different monthly limit for API requests, and your account's other monthly limits also apply to links and QR Codes created through the API.
To learn more about our rate limits, visit our site for developers, dev.bitly.com. To check your monthly limits for API calls and other features, go to the billing and usage page in your account settings.
To avoid hitting your API limits:
- Make sure that you're not making unnecessary API calls. Some widgets and third-party tools, like the Javascript wrapper for Twitter's Tweet button, call the Bitly API every time a visitor loads the page.
- Double-check if you're using a VPN. A rate limit error may be triggered if you're on a VPN that has a lot of usage from different Bitly customers. In this case, try switching VPN IP addresses/endpoints (if possible), change VPNs, or turn off the VPN.
- Check your third-party apps and integrations. Some third-party apps and integrations make repeated calls to the Bitly API. These count toward your monthly API limits, in addition to any links or QR Codes you create or edit through the app or integration.
Since Bitly links never change or expire, we recommend that you shorten long URLs and cache the corresponding Bitly short URLs for repeated use. When the short URL for a page is stored locally, it can then be shared using a number of cut-and-paste buttons and widgets.
If you contact Bitly Support to help you with troubleshooting an API limit issue, please include:
- A description of how you are using the Bitly API
- Which API endpoints you are using
- An estimate of current request volumes for a 24-hour period
- The email associated with your Bitly account