We created an API account exactly two weeks ago. Our assistant is using the gpt-4o-mini model to rewrite text that we provide in chunks containing an array of JSON objects.
It works great, when it is actually accepting requests and not taking an eternity.
We decided to chunk our requests with a 1,000 character limit. Larger than that takes too long and we can’t get proper feedback to show overall progress.
Too small and we create hundreds of requests and exceed our daily limit too quickly.
Our highest total requests in a single day was 7,601 requests. And yet, when I create requests the response says:
“code”:“rate_limit_exceeded”,“message”:"Rate limit reached for gpt-4o-mini in organization <> on requests per day (RPD): Limit 10000, Used 10000, Requested 1. Please try again in 8.64s
I contacted help and they said the USAGE stats may be lagging real-time usage. But I can see the number tick up if I make a request.
Can anyone shed some light as to what is happening? I’m reaching MY limit with OpenAI.
The tier-1 rate limit is happening. For the gpt-4o-mini model, where TPD is tokens-per-day:
The “day” is a 24hr advancing window, and the front end limiter has an undescribed algorithm that also factors “spikiness”.
The try again time is when your bucket of daily calls will have been “refilled” enough by the algorithm. 86400 seconds per day / 10000, if you didn’t notice.
If you make another prepayment for API credits, and it being over seven days since the initial payment and that new payment brings the total paid to OpenAI over $50, you’ll be graduated to Tier 2 - where 10000 is your limit per two minutes, not per day.
This is useful. Thank you!
The tier stuff is buried at the bottom of Rate Limits.
I’m upgrading.
Update: I thought I was upgrading, but there is no option ANYWHERE to upgrade in Billing or in the API account site.
The upgrading comes with the prepaying. When you feed the beast more money, triggering recalculation of tier from the total paid so far and the age of the oldest payment, if then qualifying, you get a new tier showing very shortly after at the top of your “limits” page.
Just note that any credits you purchase don’t come back out, and they expire in a year.
The site says:
Once the following criteria are met, you’ll automatically move to the next tier:
- At least $50 spent on the API since account creation.
- At least 7 days passed since first successful payment.
I purchased additional credits and sent a request for upgrade in case that doesn’t do it. We likely won’t see more than 100-300 requests per minute throughout the day, but could potentially exceed 10,000 requests in a single day.
Yesterday, during testing, we hit 7,600 requests. We started receiving errors stating we exceeded the daily limit of 10,000 RPD, but no one can tell me why. I can’t wait for someone to figure out what is happening and fix the issue. So, my best course of action is to upgrade and hope that fixes it.
The Open AI help desk says:
The $50 threshold was met on April 3, 2025, so the system should reflect the tier change within 7 days of that date.
Which is not how I interpret their documentation. So I asked ChatGTP:
I have an Open AI API account using the gpt-4o-mini model. According to the documentation, two criteria are required before advancing from Tier 1 to Tier 2. Firstly, “At least $50 spent on the API since account creation” and secondly, “At least 7 days passed since first successful payment”. On March 18, 2025 I purchased $20 in credits and On April 3, 2025 I purchased an addition $50 in credits. Do I qualify for Tier 2?
It responded:
Based on the information you’ve provided, let’s break down the two criteria required to advance from Tier 1 to Tier 2:
At least $50 spent on the API since account creation:
You mentioned purchasing $20 in credits on March 18, 2025, and an additional $50 on April 3, 2025.
The total amount spent is $20 + $50 = $70, which satisfies the first condition of having at least $50 spent on the API.
At least 7 days passed since first successful payment:
Your first payment was on March 18, 2025.
The current date is April 4, 2025, which means 16 days have passed since your first payment on March 18, 2025. This satisfies the second condition of having at least 7 days passed since the first successful payment.
Conclusion:
You meet both criteria:You’ve spent more than $50 ($70 total).
More than 7 days have passed since your first payment (16 days).
Therefore, yes, you qualify to advance to Tier 2!
Classic!!! If ChatGPT and I are correct in our interpretation of the documentation, then I should be Tier 2. If we’re incorrect… then I don’t want to use their service… because it can’t interpret two simple bullet items!!!
This is a ridiculously stupid AI bot response. The contractor must have decided that Grok was cheaper.
The change should be nearly instant. Tier can be seen at the top of “limits” in the platform site.
There’s been reports of payments not triggering account turn-on recently; its possible that the code path for processing tier was also not reached by similar bug if you don’t receive tier elevation.
LOL… yeah the bot that said I qualify for Tier 2 is also the same bot from the help desk that said I have to wait 7 days to advance to Tier 2.
Oddly, the documentation states:
At least 7 days passed since first successful payment.
Not WITHIN 7 days, be at least 7 days have passed. So that could be 2037.
Yes, if a credit purchase payment in 2037 brings the total you paid to OpenAI to above $50, that also should result in an upgrade calculated immediately when the payment is processed. 