generated: '2026-08-28'
method: searched
source: https://docs.budgetpixel.com/concepts/rate-limits
corroborated_by:
- openapi/budgetpixel-openapi.yaml info.description
- live probe of https://api.budgetpixel.com/v1/models 2026-08-28
limit_count: 3
response_headers:
- X-RateLimit-Limit
- X-RateLimit-Remaining
- X-RateLimit-Reset
- Retry-After
exhaustion_status: 429
header_semantics:
  X-RateLimit-Limit: total requests allowed in the current window
  X-RateLimit-Remaining: requests left in the current window
  X-RateLimit-Reset: SECONDS until the window resets (not a unix timestamp)
  Retry-After: seconds to wait, sent only on 429
probed_evidence:
  url: https://api.budgetpixel.com/v1/models
  method: GET
  auth: none
  http_status: 401
  observed_headers:
    x-ratelimit-limit: '1200'
    x-ratelimit-remaining: '1199'
    x-ratelimit-reset: '60'
  note: The rate-limit headers are emitted even on an unauthenticated 401, so an agent can read its standing
    before it has a key. The 1200 value confirms the per-IP bucket applies when no key identifies the
    caller.
limits:
- scope: per-api-key
  window: 1 minute (fixed)
  limit: 600
  unit: requests
  burst: null
  applies_to: all /v1 endpoints
  note: Documented as a default that may be tuned; the docs tell callers to read the headers rather than
    hard-code it.
- scope: per-source-ip
  window: 1 minute (fixed)
  limit: 1200
  unit: requests
  burst: null
  applies_to: all /v1 endpoints
  note: Whichever of the key or IP limit is hit first applies. Confirmed live on an anonymous request.
- scope: per-account
  window: 1 minute (rolling)
  limit: 60
  unit: uploads
  applies_to: POST /v1/uploads (operationId uploadMedia)
  note: A tighter cap on top of the per-key and per-IP limits, because uploads are free and unmetered.
    Returns the same 429 + Retry-After.
concurrency:
  note: 'Separate from request rate limits: generation jobs have a per-plan concurrency cap on in-flight
    jobs -- Starter 2, Basic 3, Premium 5, Pro 7, Ultra 10 (the same cap as the web workshop). Polling
    status never counts against it, and concurrency NEVER appears in the X-RateLimit-* headers, so an
    agent cannot detect it from response headers alone.'
  source: https://budgetpixel.com/pricing + https://docs.budgetpixel.com/concepts/rate-limits
social_limit:
  scope: per-account
  window: 1 hour
  limit: 20
  unit: posts
  applies_to: create_social_post (MCP) / POST /v1/posts
  source: https://docs.budgetpixel.com/mcp-server
error_body:
  error:
    code: rate_limited
    message: Rate limit exceeded. Retry after 60 seconds.
    type: rate_limit_error
retry_guidance: Rejected requests STILL COUNT against the window, so a tight retry loop keeps the caller
  limited indefinitely. On 429, sleep the full Retry-After before sending anything else; add jitter when
  several workers share a key or IP.