Learn about Upwork API rate limits — 10 requests per second per IP — and get tips to prevent 429 errors using caching, throttling, and efficient API calls.
In this article
What are the API request limits on Upwork?
The API allows up to 10 requests per second per IP address. If your app goes over that limit, you’ll get an HTTP 429 “Too Many Requests” error.
Keep in mind:
- Rate limits are enforced per IP, not per user or application
- Caching API responses for more than 24 hours is not allowed under Upwork’s Terms of Service
How can I avoid hitting the rate limit?
To keep your integration running smoothly:
- Use caching wisely: If your app shows the same data often (like user profiles or job listings), store it locally for up to 24 hours
- Avoid calling the API on every page load: Instead, call it once, cache the results, and serve that to your users
- Throttle requests if needed: Adding a short delay between requests can help if you’re approaching the 10-per-second limit