Managing your API usage and request volume
This article will help you to manage your API usage and troubleshoot potential issues with your request volume.
In this article
What counts as one API request?
Each HTTP request to our latest.json, historical/*.json and /convert API endpoints counts as a single request towards your usage quota (regardless of the number of currencies or data points returned).
Requests to our currencies.json and usage.json API endpoints are 'free', and don't count towards your quota.
Requests to our time-series.json API endpoint count as a single request for each day of data returned. (For example, a time-series request for two weeks of historical exchange rate information will count as 14 API requests.)
Viewing your usage stats and remaining requests
You can view your recent API usage statistics in your Account Dashboard, including daily values, month-to-date total and the daily average for your App ID.
Requesting app ID usage via the API
You can use our usage.json API endpoint to get basic plan information and usage statistics for your app ID via our API, to help build your integration. Please view the documentation for details.
Requests to this endpoint do not count towards your monthly quota and will only return non-sensitive information.
Troubleshooting your API request volume
Why is my usage so high?
For the majority of our clients, we've found that exceeding their monthly usage allowance is due to one of the following scenarios:
- A scheduled system task or cron job is running too frequently, or in multiple places, or was never switched off.
- Website traffic has increased or spiked, causing a higher volume of requests.
- A bug in a third-party or open source integration, extension or plugin is causing extra requests.
- A staging environment or automated test suite is requesting the data unnecessarily.
- A consultancy has integrated their app ID into multiple clients' websites.
- Somebody else has access to the app ID.
In the final case, we can regenerate your app ID.
For all other scenarios, if you wish to lower your account's request volume, we recommend speaking to the developers who worked on the project or scanning your codebase for "openexchangerates.org" URLs, to identify where the requests are originating from.
Which IP address is making these requests?
We don't currently provide specific IP address or domain tracking for your App ID.
What happens if I go over my allowance?
If you exceed your API request allowance in a given period, we'll get in touch via email to discuss ways we can keep supporting you.
You may choose to lower your usage or subscribe to a plan with a higher monthly request volume. Your app ID and any connected integrations will remain active (we won't restrict access without attempting to make contact several times first).
If we don't hear back from you after reaching out several times (or if your usage volume stays over the quota for two months or more) we may then restrict your access. You can restore your access by contacting us.
Can I have multiple users/app IDs?
If you need multiple App IDs or users for your Open Exchange Rates account, please contact us.