Rate Limiting

Cicle applies rate limits to all API key requests to protect the service from abuse and ensure fair usage.

How It Works

Rate limits restrict the number of requests an API key can make within a time window. When the limit is exceeded, the API returns 429 Too Many Requests.

Rate Limit Tiers

Different endpoints have different limits based on their resource cost:

Tier	Requests per Window	Window
Secure	5	1 hour
High	15	1 hour
Medium	35	1 hour
Low	75	1 hour
Very Low	140	1 hour

API Key Rate Limits

API keys are tracked independently from user sessions. Each API key gets its own rate limit bucket per route.

Handling Rate Limit Errors

When you exceed the rate limit:

HTTP Status: 429

{
  "message": "Too many requests. Please try again later."
}

Best Practices

Implement exponential backoff. Wait progressively longer between retries (e.g., 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s).

Cache responses. Avoid duplicate requests for the same data within a short period.

Use bulk endpoints. When modifying multiple items, use multi-team operations instead of individual requests.

Monitor your usage. Track how many requests your integration makes per hour and optimize accordingly.

Bulk Operation Tips

Instead of making many individual requests, use these bulk endpoints when available:

Single Operations	Bulk Alternative
`PATCH /cards/:id` (multiple times)	`PATCH /cards/update-multi-team`
`PATCH /cards/archived` (multiple times)	`PATCH /cards/archived-multi-team`
`PATCH /cards/copy` (multiple times)	`PATCH /cards/copy-multi-team`
`PATCH /cards/move-multi-team` (multiple times)	`PATCH /cards/move-multi-team`

Using bulk endpoints significantly reduces the number of requests and helps you stay within rate limits.

How It Works#

Rate Limit Tiers#

API Key Rate Limits#

Handling Rate Limit Errors#