---
specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: AT Protocol
providerId: atproto
created: '2026-06-12'
modified: '2026-06-12'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Social Networking
  - Decentralized
  - Federated
  - Open Source
  - Bluesky
description: >-
  AT Protocol is a free, open protocol with no tiered pricing for API access.
  The public read API (AppView) is available without authentication. Write
  operations require an account on a Personal Data Server (PDS), which can be
  self-hosted for free or hosted by Bluesky (bsky.social) at no charge.
  Third-party PDS hosting costs vary by provider. There is no paid commercial
  API tier; the protocol is governed as open infrastructure.
sources:
  - https://atproto.com/
  - https://bsky.social/about/faq
plans:
  - id: atproto-free
    name: Free (Open Protocol)
    type: free
    description: >-
      Full read access to the Bluesky AppView (public.api.bsky.app) without
      authentication. Read-only operations like fetching feeds, profiles, posts,
      and threads are unrestricted. Firehose event stream accessible without
      credentials.
    entries:
      - label: Public Read API Access
        name: public_read_api
        type: boolean
        metric: access
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Firehose WebSocket Access
        name: firehose_access
        type: boolean
        metric: access
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
  - id: atproto-account
    name: Registered Account (bsky.social PDS)
    type: freemium
    description: >-
      Free Bluesky account on the bsky.social PDS enabling authenticated write
      operations including posts, likes, follows, and profile management.
      Subject to content write rate limits (5,000 points/hour, 35,000
      points/day) and API request limits (3,000 requests per 5 minutes per IP).
    entries:
      - label: Content Write Points
        name: write_points_hourly
        type: quota
        metric: write_points
        limit: 5000
        timeFrame: hour
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Content Write Points Daily
        name: write_points_daily
        type: quota
        metric: write_points
        limit: 35000
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: API Requests (per IP)
        name: api_requests_per_ip
        type: quota
        metric: requests
        limit: 3000
        timeFrame: hour
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false
  - id: atproto-self-hosted
    name: Self-Hosted PDS
    type: free
    description: >-
      Operators can run their own Personal Data Server (PDS) using the open
      source atproto reference implementation at no licensing cost. Infra
      costs depend on chosen cloud provider. The protocol supports full
      federation with Bluesky relay and AppView services.
    entries:
      - label: PDS Software License
        name: pds_license
        type: boolean
        metric: access
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.00'
        userMultiplied: false