Throttle Limits
LinkedIn API keys are throttled by default. The throttles are designed to ensure maximum performance for all developers and to protect the user experience of all users on LinkedIn.
There are three types of throttles applied to all API keys:
- Application throttles: These throttles limit the number of each API call your application can make using its API key.
- User throttles: These throttles limit the number of calls for any individual user of your application. User-level throttles serve several purposes, but in general are implemented where there is a significant potential impact to the user experience for LinkedIn users.
- Developer throttles: For people listed as developers on their API keys, they will see user throttles that are approximately four times higher than the user throttles for most calls. This gives you extra capacity to build and test your application.
Be aware that the developer throttles give you higher throttle limits as a developer of your application. But your users will experience the User throttle limits, which are lower. Take care to make sure that your application functions correctly with the User throttle limits, not just for the throttle limits for your usage as a developer.
To test your application using the user throttles, either remove yourself from the developer list of your API key or grant access to your application from a different account that is not a developer.
In addition to these specific controls on the API calls, some features in LinkedIn also have limits, so by watching the error message you get back, you can tell which limit may apply.
Note: Daily counters reset at midnight UTC.
Calls for the user's own data
These calls all concern the user's own data.
| API | Uses | Daily Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Current User's Standard Profile | Returns profile details | Application: 100k |
| Current User's Public Profile | Returns full public profile details | Application: 100k |
| Post Network Updates | Creates a network update appearing to all connections |
Application: 5k |
| Send Message | Sends a message to up to 10 connections |
Application: 5k |
| Send Invitation | Invites people to connect |
Application: 15k |
| Update Status | Updates status on LinkedIn |
Application: 100k |
Calls for the user's network data
These calls all return data from the user's network.
| API | Uses | Daily Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Get Network Updates | Returns the network updates from the LinkedIn home page |
Application: 500k |
| Connections | Returns the mini-profile for all connections | Application: 5k |
| People Search | Returns the profile for each search result |
Up to 100 returns per search, 10 returns per page. Each page is one API call. |
| Other's standard profiles | Returns the mini-profile for any profile visible to the requesting user |
Application: 100k |
| Other's public profiles | Returns the public mini-profile for any profile visible to the requesting user |
Application: 100k |
Calls for Groups data
These calls return data for companies and jobs.
| API | Uses | Display Requirements | Daily Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get My Groups | List of groups a member belongs to, has requested to join, is an admin for | - LinkedIn attribution - Group Join Link - Link to site Group page - Member permission |
Application: 100k |
| Join Group | - Member awareness of auto-join |
Application: 100k |
|
| Get Groups Details | Groups properties and posts for a known group id. | - LinkedIn attribution - Group Join Link - Link to site Group page |
Application: 100k |
| Get a Post | Post details, including creator, all comments, likers | - LinkedIn attribution - Group Join Link - Link to site Group page - Comment/Like/Follow buttons or links to site post page |
Application: 100k |
| Create Post | - Member awareness of action |
Application: 100k |
|
| Comment, Like, Follow a Post | - Member awareness of action |
Application: 100k |
|
| Get a Comment | Comment Details | - LinkedIn attribution - Group Join Link - Link to site Group page |
Application: 100k |
Calls for Jobs, and Company data
These calls return data for companies and jobs.
| API | Uses | Daily Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Get Jobs | Returns job postings from LinkedIn |
Application: 100k |
| Job Search | Searches job postings on LinkedIn |
Application: 100k |
| Get Companies | Returns company profiles from LinkedIn |
Application: 100k |
| Company Search | Searches company profiles on LinkedIn |
Application: 100k |
Throttled Responses
When you've been throttled, either on a user or application throttle, you'll get a 403 HTTP status code with a response body containing an XML document.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<error>
<status>403</status> <timestamp>1264619093714</timestamp>
<error-code>0000</error-code>
<message>Throttle limit for calls to this resource is reached.</message>
</error>