> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://flutterwaveinc.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rate Limit

> Learn about API rate limits and how to work with them

In our constant strives to achieve and maintain 99.9999% uptime and safeguard against abuse or burst of incoming traffic. We have a working guideline to ensure you are not rate limited.

If you are rate limited, you will receive a http code `429` (Too Many Requests) response. This applies to the specific merchant account making the API call.

## Tips to Prevent Rate Limiting

1. **Webhooks**: Rather than poll perpetually, we recommend monitoring changes in a transaction's webhook status. To learn more, visit our [webhooks section](/webhooks).
2. **Structured polling**: Do not poll indefinitely to get the status of a transaction/transfer. Instead, call an endpoint in a structured and sparse manner or in response to an event.

## Handling Rate Limits Graceful

To gracefully handle rate limits, the best option is to look out for the http response code `429` and implement a graceful retry. The retry mechanism should have a backoff mechanism to ensure the rate limits are again not exceeded

<Warning>
  We will impose stiffer restrictions to your requests, if we notices intentional strategies or abuse to bypass the the rate limits guidelines.
</Warning>