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: TheCocktailDB
providerId: thecocktaildb
created: '2026-06-13'
modified: '2026-06-13'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Rate Limiting
  - Recipes / Open Data
  - Cocktails
description: >-
  TheCocktailDB advertises unlimited API usage with no official rate limits enforced.
  The FAQ states "No limits, the API is unlimited usage." Patreon supporters receive
  production keys with explicit unlimited access. Best practice is to cache responses
  to reduce server load on this volunteer-run, non-profit service.
sources:
  - https://www.thecocktaildb.com/api.php
  - https://www.thecocktaildb.com/faq.php
headers: {}
responseCodes:
  throttled: 429
limits:
  - name: Free Public API
    scope: global
    metric: requests
    limit: unlimited
    notes: >-
      No official rate limits enforced per FAQ ("No limits, the API is unlimited usage").
      Good-citizen caching of responses is strongly encouraged to support the non-profit service.
  - name: Patreon Supporter API
    scope: global
    metric: requests
    limit: unlimited
    notes: >-
      Production API keys for Patreon supporters explicitly provide unlimited API usage
      with no rate limits.
recommendations:
  - Cache API responses locally to reduce load on the volunteer-run service
  - Avoid hammering the API with unnecessary repeated requests
  - Use the full database download option if bulk data access is needed