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API Documentation

Usage and limits

How usage is measured in units, where to track it, usage limits and fair use of the CoverageMap APIs.

Usage of the CoverageMap APIs is measured in units. Each API defines what a unit is, usually one location looked up in one dataset, and bills only for work that was delivered.

Units

  • Units are counted per subscription, so each API is metered on its own.
  • Only successful work is billed. Rejected requests never use units.
  • Endpoints that only describe your options, such as provider lists, are free and do not count against your usage.

How many units each request uses is described on each API's billing page:

Tracking usage

Usage is recorded as requests complete and is shown per day in the Subscriptions section of the Enterprise dashboard, together with the cost so far this period. Past periods are in the Invoices section.

Usage limits

Some subscriptions, such as free trials, have a fixed allowance. Before doing any work the API checks that the whole request fits in what is left:

  • A request that would go over the allowance is rejected with API key would exceed its usage limit. Nothing is billed, and a smaller request can still succeed.
  • Once the allowance is used up, requests are rejected with API key has exceeded its usage limit until you upgrade or, on plans that renew, the next period starts.

Paid plans without an allowance keep working and bill the extra usage.

Rate limits

There is no fixed limit on the number of requests you can make. We monitor usage patterns and may throttle or block traffic that looks abusive, such as denial of service attempts, excessive requests from a single IP address or data scraping, so the APIs stay fast for everyone.

Best practices

  • Batch work into as few requests as each API allows instead of one request per item.
  • Store responses you have already paid for rather than requesting the same data again.
  • Back off and retry on server errors, and never retry a request that returned a 400 unchanged.
  • Watch your usage in the dashboard while you roll out a new integration.