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: Transistor
providerId: transistor
created: '2026-07-05'
modified: '2026-07-05'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Podcasting
- Podcast Hosting
- API
- Rate Limiting
- Quotas
description: >-
  Transistor publishes a single, explicit API rate limit: 10 requests per 10
  seconds. Exceeding the limit returns an HTTP 429 error and blocks API access
  for 10 seconds. Transistor also advises against using the API as a primary
  live data source for website content, recommending caching of API responses
  instead. Separate from API request limits, each subscription plan caps
  monthly podcast downloads and the number of private podcast subscribers.
notes: >-
  The 10-requests-per-10-seconds limit is documented on the Transistor
  developer site as of 2026-07-05. Implement client-side throttling, retry with
  backoff on 429, and cache responses. Verify the current limit on the
  developer documentation during reconciliation.
sources:
- https://developers.transistor.fm/
responseCodes:
  throttled: 429
limits:
- name: API Requests
  scope: account
  metric: requests
  limit: 10 per 10 seconds
  notes: Exceeding this returns HTTP 429 and blocks access for 10 seconds.
- name: Monthly Downloads
  scope: account
  metric: downloads
  limit: per plan (20K Starter, 100K Professional, 250K Business, custom Enterprise)
  notes: Download allowance is a billing quota set by the subscription plan, not an API request limit.
- name: Private Subscribers
  scope: account
  metric: subscribers
  limit: per plan (50 Starter, 500 Professional, 3000 Business, custom Enterprise)
  notes: Private podcast subscriber cap set by the subscription plan.
policies:
- name: Throttle Window
  description: Requests are counted in a rolling 10-second window; more than 10 in that window trips the limit.
- name: Cooldown
  description: After a 429, API access is blocked for 10 seconds before requests are accepted again.
- name: Caching Guidance
  description: Transistor recommends caching API responses and not using the API as a live data source for website content.
- name: Backoff Strategy
  description: Clients should implement exponential backoff with jitter and honor the cooldown after a 429 response.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com