BDS0.1
ENPT

API

How fast and how far an integration can read and write: rate limits, page and batch sizes, upsert keys and the metadata API.

Reviewed 2026-11-05Markdown

An integration reads and writes records through the API. The limits below apply per base, per token and per request.

Terms

Term Meaning
Token The credential an integration sends with every request. One token belongs to one user or service account.
429 The response Airtable returns when a client sends too many requests.
Page One block of records in a read. A read of more records continues with an offset.
Upsert A write that updates the record whose merge fields match, and creates it when none matches.
Metadata API The part of the API that reads and changes the schema: tables, fields and views.

Limits

Limit Value
Requests per second per base 5
Requests per second per token 50
Wait after a 429 30 seconds
API calls per workspace per month unlimited on Business
Records per page 100
Records per write request 10
Upsert merge fields 1 to 3
Edits through the API in a two-way destination not allowed

Rate limits

The 50 requests per second per token cover all traffic of one user or service account across every base.

Sync traffic is not documented as part of the API rate limit. Treat the two as separate budgets.

Upsert

The merge fields of an upsert must be stored fields. A formula, a lookup or a rollup cannot be a merge key.

Metadata API

The metadata API reads the schema. It creates tables and fields. It cannot delete fields. It cannot create views. It cannot read the rows of a view.

Sources