specification: API Commons Rate Limits
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/RateLimits
provider: Plivo
providerId: plivo
created: '2026-05-08'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-08, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-08'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Communications
  - CPaaS
  - Voice
  - SMS
  - Messaging
  - Rate Limiting
  - Quotas
  - Throttling
description: >-
  Plivo applies a default REST API rate limit of 300 requests per 5-second window per account. When the limit is exceeded, the API returns HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests). Outbound messaging additionally has carrier-imposed throughput caps (1 MPS per US long code, higher for Powerpacks, toll-free, and short codes), and outbound voice is throttled by the account's max-call-attempts setting. Higher REST limits and message throughput tiers can be negotiated for enterprise accounts.
notes: >-
  Reconciled against Plivo published account-API documentation. Messaging-throughput numbers are carrier-driven (10DLC, toll-free, short code, WhatsApp), not Plivo limits per se — verify the latest figures with The Campaign Registry / Plivo support before relying on them in code.
sources:
  - https://www.plivo.com/docs/account/api/
  - https://www.plivo.com/docs/messaging/concepts/sms-throughput/
  - https://www.plivo.com/docs/voice/concepts/concurrent-calls/
responseCodes:
  throttled: 429
  serverError: 500
limits:
  - name: REST API
    scope: account
    metric: requests
    limit: 300
    timeFrame: 5-seconds
    notes: >-
      Default Plivo REST API rate limit. Applies across the entire account (sum of all subaccounts unless separately limited).
  - name: Outbound SMS — US 10DLC Long Code
    scope: phone-number
    metric: messages
    limit: 1
    timeFrame: second
    notes: >-
      Standard MPS (messages per second) per registered 10DLC long code. Higher MPS available based on campaign vetting / brand score.
  - name: Outbound SMS — US Toll-Free
    scope: phone-number
    metric: messages
    limit: 3
    timeFrame: second
    notes: >-
      Default MPS per verified toll-free number. Carriers can authorize higher throughput post-verification.
  - name: Outbound SMS — Powerpack
    scope: powerpack
    metric: messages
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: second
    notes: >-
      Powerpacks scale throughput by spreading traffic across the underlying number pool; aggregate MPS is sum of pool member MPS.
  - name: Concurrent Calls
    scope: account
    metric: concurrent-calls
    limit: 100
    timeFrame: simultaneous
    notes: >-
      Default account-level cap on simultaneous voice calls (max_calls). Configurable upward for paid accounts.
headers:
  - name: Retry-After
    description: Seconds the client should wait before re-issuing a throttled request.
policies:
  - name: Backoff Strategy
    description: >-
      Implement exponential backoff with jitter on HTTP 429 responses; honor Retry-After when present.
  - name: Carrier Compliance
    description: >-
      For US A2P SMS at scale, register brand and campaign via the 10DLC API to unlock the throughput tier matching your campaign's vetted score.
  - name: Account Limits
    description: >-
      max_calls (concurrent-call ceiling) is set per account; raise via the Account API or by contacting Plivo support before scaling outbound voice campaigns.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com