specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: The Movie Database
providerId: tmdb
created: '2026-05-30'
modified: '2026-05-30'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Catalog
- Entertainment
- Metadata
- Movies
- TV
- Video
description: >-
  TMDB does not operate a self-serve commercial pricing surface. Non-commercial use of the TMDB API
  (personal projects, hobby apps, research, OSS) is free behind an API key generated from your account
  settings — there is no published per-call price or paid tier. Commercial use (charging users,
  monetised products, ad-supported content, AI/ML training on TMDB data, sublicensing) requires a
  separate written agreement with TMDB negotiated by email; pricing is custom and not published. A
  cache TTL cap of 6 months applies to all uses. Use the rate-limits artifact for live request limits
  and the FinOps artifact for an internal cost-tracking shape — neither implies a public price list.
sources:
- https://www.themoviedb.org/api-terms-of-use
- https://developer.themoviedb.org/docs/getting-started
- https://developer.themoviedb.org/docs/rate-limiting
- https://www.themoviedb.org/settings/api
plans:
- id: tmdb-non-commercial
  name: Non-Commercial
  type: freemium
  description: Free, attribution-required use for personal projects, hobby apps, research, and OSS.
  entries:
  - label: API requests
    name: api_requests
    type: metered
    metric: request
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: usage
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: '$0.00'
    userMultiplied: false
  - label: Cache retention cap
    name: cache_retention
    type: quota
    metric: month
    limit: 6
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: '$0.00'
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Full TMDB API v3 surface (148 paths)
  - name: TMDB API v4 user/list endpoints
  - name: Image CDN access
  - name: Daily ID exports
  - name: Watch provider data (JustWatch-sourced)
  - name: Community forum support
- id: tmdb-commercial
  name: Commercial
  type: enterprise
  description: >-
    Required for any use that charges end users, monetises TMDB content, trains AI/ML systems on TMDB
    data, or sublicenses access. Pricing is negotiated bilaterally with TMDB and not published.
  entries:
  - label: Commercial license fee
    name: commercial_license
    type: flat
    metric: varies
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: year
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: 'contact sales'
    userMultiplied: false
  - label: Per-call rate (if metered in contract)
    name: api_requests_commercial
    type: metered
    metric: request
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: usage
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: 'see written agreement'
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Full TMDB API surface for revenue-generating use
  - name: AI/ML training rights (when negotiated)
  - name: Sublicensing rights (when negotiated)
  - name: Custom rate-limit accommodations
  - name: Direct support channel