specificationVersion: '0.1'
id: omdb-rate-limits
name: OMDb API Rate Limits
description: >
  OMDb enforces daily request quotas tied to API key tier. Free keys are capped
  at 1,000 requests per day. Patreon patrons receive elevated daily limits.
  There is no documented per-minute or per-second burst limit in official
  documentation, though community reports indicate approximately 100 calls per
  60 seconds per connection for sustained bursting.
url: https://www.omdbapi.com/
created: '2026-06-12'
modified: '2026-06-12'

limits:

  - scope: free-tier
    name: Free Daily Request Limit
    description: >
      API keys registered without a Patreon membership are limited to 1,000
      requests per calendar day. The counter resets at midnight UTC.
    window:
      unit: day
      value: 1
    quota: 1000
    enforcement: hard
    resetPolicy: midnight-utc
    errorResponse:
      httpStatus: 401
      message: "Request limit reached!"
    notes: >
      Exceeding the limit returns a 401 error with the message
      "Request limit reached!" Users must wait for the daily reset or
      upgrade to a Patreon tier.

  - scope: patron-tier
    name: Patron Daily Request Limit
    description: >
      Patreon patrons receive a higher daily request allowance. The exact
      value scales with pledge level. Community reports indicate allowances
      up to 100,000 requests/day for higher pledge levels.
    window:
      unit: day
      value: 1
    quota: 100000
    enforcement: hard
    resetPolicy: midnight-utc
    notes: >
      Exact quota depends on active Patreon tier. Poster API requests
      (img.omdbapi.com) count separately toward the patron's daily limit.

  - scope: connection
    name: Sustained Burst Rate
    description: >
      Informal community-observed limit of approximately 100 requests per
      60-second window per connection. Not formally documented by OMDb.
    window:
      unit: second
      value: 60
    quota: 100
    enforcement: soft
    notes: >
      This limit is derived from community observation and is not part of
      official OMDb documentation. Exceeding this rate may result in
      temporary throttling.