Capping API usage

Depending on the API, you can explicitly cap requests by limiting the requests per day,requests per minute,orrequests per minute per user.

You might want to limit the billable usage by setting caps. For example, to prevent getting billed for usage beyond the free courtesy usage limits, you can set requests per day caps.

View and modify the limits on the number of requests

You can set limits to all requests to any billable API. Most APIs set default limits, but you can change that limit up to a maximum specified by Google. Some APIs set a low limit until you enable billing on your project.

To view or change the limits for your API, do the following:

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to theAPIs & Services Dashboard page.

    Go to APIs & Services Dashboard

  2. From the projects list, select a project or create a new one.
  3. Click the name of the API you're interested in.
  4. ClickQuotas.If theQuotastab is not present in the tab nav, it means the API you've selected doesn't have quotas defined.
  5. To find the quota you want to cap, enter the appropriate properties and values in theFilter field. For example, to find theSubnetworksquota, enter Quota:Subnetworks.
  6. Click the checkbox next to the quota you want to cap, and then click EDIT QUOTAS.
  7. Complete the quota change form, including the new limit that you want to set.
  8. ClickSUBMIT REQUEST.

Some APIs let you request a higher limit by submitting a form. Some APIs let you specify a higher quota only if billing is enabled on the project.

The Premium Plan quota sections pertain to the Google Maps Premium Plan,which is no longer offered. Unless you are a current Google Maps Premium plan customer, don't edit those sections.

Limiting requests per user

To prevent individual users from using up your API quota, some APIs include a default per user per minute limit.

To check if your API includes a default per user per minute limit, look for it in your API quotas as described in the instructions for View and modify the limits on the number of requests. If such a default limit exists for that API, you can modify that value to limit the quota available to each user by following the steps in these instructions. If your API does not include this default limit in its quotas, adding or modifying it is not supported.

Individual users are identified by a unique string. If you're creating a server-side application (where the calling code is hosted on a server that you own) that makes requests on behalf of users, your requests to the API that you're limiting usage for must include thequotaUserparameter. This parameter is defined in theSystem parametersdocumentation.

To identify a user, use thequotaUser=userIDURL query parameter. This value is for short-term quota enforcement only, so you don't need to use a real user ID. You can choose any arbitrary string under 40 characters long that uniquely identifies a user.

ThequotaUserparameter is only used for capping requests per user per minute. If you don't send thequotaUserparameter, then all calls are attributed to your server machines, in which case calls can't be capped by user.

If your API does not include a default per user per minute limit, then quotaUservalues are ignored.

View and edit all quotas for APIs in a project

You can review, edit, and request higher quota limits for all billable APIs in a given project by viewing theQuotaspage in theIAM & Adminsection of Google Cloud console.

To view and edit quotas for all billable APIs in your project, do the following:

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to theQuotas page.

    Go to Quotas

  2. From the projects list, select a project or create a new one. TheQuotaspage for the selected project displays, listing one line item for each type of quota available in each service.
  3. ClickFilter tableto query your quota by a specific property.
  4. Check the box next to the quota(s) you want to edit. Billing must be enabled on the project in order to click some of the checkboxes.
  5. Click EDIT QUOTAS.
  6. In theQuota changespane that displays, expand the service view, then edit the quotas in that service as needed, and then clickDONE.
  7. Repeat to edit the quotas in each of the selected services.
    • The current quota limits are pre-populated in the input boxes.
    • A service with an alert icon () on submission has input errors.
    • You can add more quotas to edit by selecting them as described before.
    • You can remove a service from theQuota changespane by hovering over the unexpanded service view, and then clicking the delete icon ().
  8. When you are done editing quotas, clickNEXT.
  9. If your quota edit request needs review, theContact detailsform displays. Complete the form with your contact details.
  10. Click SUBMIT REQUEST.