specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Spoonacular
providerId: spoonacular
created: '2026-06-03'
modified: '2026-06-03'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Food And Drink
  - Recipes
  - Nutrition
  - Meal Planning
  - Usage Based
description: >-
  Spoonacular prices the Recipe and Food API as a set of monthly subscription
  tiers built on a points-based usage model. Every API call costs points
  (typically 1 point per request plus 0.01 points per result, with surcharges
  for nutrition data, image generation, and video extraction). Each tier
  includes a daily points quota; once exhausted, the Free tier returns HTTP 402
  while paid tiers bill overage per additional point at the tier's overage rate.
  Daily quotas reset at midnight UTC. Plans above $250/month qualify for an SLA.
sources:
  - https://spoonacular.com/food-api/pricing
  - https://spoonacular.com/food-api/docs
plans:
  - id: spoonacular-free
    name: Free
    type: freemium
    description: No-cost tier for evaluation and small projects, hard-capped at the daily quota.
    entries:
      - label: Daily points quota
        name: daily_points
        type: quota
        metric: point
        limit: 50
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$0'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Overage
        name: overage
        type: metered
        metric: point
        limit: 0
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: 'none (returns 402 at limit)'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: All recipe, ingredient, product, menu item, meal planning, and wine endpoints
      - name: 1 request/second, 2 concurrent requests
  - id: spoonacular-cook
    name: Cook
    type: subscription
    description: Entry paid tier for production apps with modest volume.
    entries:
      - label: Monthly subscription
        name: subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: 1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$29'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Daily points quota
        name: daily_points
        type: quota
        metric: point
        limit: 1500
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: 'included'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Overage
        name: overage
        type: metered
        metric: point
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$0.005'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: All endpoints
      - name: 5 requests/second, 5 concurrent requests
  - id: spoonacular-culinarian
    name: Culinarian
    type: subscription
    description: Mid paid tier with a higher daily quota and lower overage cost.
    entries:
      - label: Monthly subscription
        name: subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: 1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$79'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Daily points quota
        name: daily_points
        type: quota
        metric: point
        limit: 4500
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: 'included'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Overage
        name: overage
        type: metered
        metric: point
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$0.004'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: All endpoints
      - name: 10 requests/second, 10 concurrent requests
  - id: spoonacular-chef
    name: Chef
    type: subscription
    description: High-volume paid tier with the largest published daily quota and lowest overage cost.
    entries:
      - label: Monthly subscription
        name: subscription
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: 1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$149'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Daily points quota
        name: daily_points
        type: quota
        metric: point
        limit: 10000
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: 'included'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Overage
        name: overage
        type: metered
        metric: point
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$0.002'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: All endpoints
      - name: 20 requests/second, 20 concurrent requests
  - id: spoonacular-enterprise
    name: Enterprise
    type: enterprise
    description: Custom-negotiated tier with custom quotas, rate limits, and an SLA (99%-99.9% uptime).
    entries:
      - label: Custom contract
        name: custom
        type: subscription
        metric: month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: '$300+'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Daily points quota
        name: daily_points
        type: quota
        metric: point
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: day
        geo: global
        unit: '1'
        price: 'custom'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Custom quota, rate limits, and concurrency
      - name: SLA 99%-99.9% uptime
      - name: Priority support