Subscription Tiers
CTGT API offers two tiers designed for different needs:Free Tier
Perfect for getting started
- 3 AI models
- 20 req/min, 100 req/hour
- 500 req/day
- 100K tokens/day
- Pay-as-you-go
- No credit card required
Paid Tier
For production applications
- All 10 AI models
- 100 req/min, 1,000 req/hour
- 10,000 req/day
- 10M tokens/day
- Pay-as-you-go
- Priority support
Rate Limits Comparison
| Limit | Free Tier | Paid Tier | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requests per minute | 20 | 100 | 5x |
| Requests per hour | 100 | 1,000 | 10x |
| Requests per day | 500 | 10,000 | 20x |
| Tokens per day | 100,000 | 10,000,000 | 100x |
| Available models | 3 | 10 | 3.6x |
Rate limits reset at the start of each time period (minute, hour, day).
Rate Limit Headers
Every API response includes rate limit information in the headers:X-RateLimit-Limit: Maximum requests allowed in the current windowX-RateLimit-Remaining: Requests remaining in current windowX-RateLimit-Reset: Unix timestamp when the limit resets
Example: Checking Rate Limits
Handling Rate Limits
When you exceed your rate limits: Status Code:429 Too Many Requests
Response:
Best Practices
Implement Exponential Backoff
Implement Exponential Backoff
Monitor Your Rate Limit Headers
Monitor Your Rate Limit Headers
Cache Responses When Possible
Cache Responses When Possible
Batch Similar Requests
Batch Similar Requests
Optimize Costs
Choose the Right Model
Use cheaper models for simple tasks:
- Gemini Flash Lite: $0.30 input
- GPT-5 Nano: $0.25 input
Control Token Limits
Set
max_tokens to limit response length:Optimize Prompts
Shorter prompts = lower costs:
- Be concise
- Remove unnecessary context
- Keep messages focused
Cache Common Responses
Store and reuse responses for:
- FAQ answers
- Common queries
- Static content
Pricing Summary
Pay-as-you-go Pricing
Both tiers pay for token usage at the same rates:| Model Category | Input (per 1M) | Output (per 1M) |
|---|---|---|
| Most Affordable | 0.50 | 2.70 |
| Mid-Range | 4.00 | 14.00 |
| Premium | 10.00 | 30.00 |
See the Models & Pricing page for complete pricing details.
Example Cost Scenarios
Scenario 1: Small Project (Free Tier)
Usage:- 500 requests/day
- Average 100 input + 300 output tokens per request
- Using Gemini 2.5 Flash
- Input: 500 × 30 × 100 tokens = 1.5M tokens = $0.75
- Output: 500 × 30 × 300 tokens = 4.5M tokens = $12.15
- Total: $12.90/month
Scenario 2: Medium Project (Paid Tier)
Usage:- 5,000 requests/day
- Average 200 input + 500 output tokens per request
- Mix of Gemini Flash and GPT-5
- Usage: ~$150-200
- Total: $150-200/month
Scenario 3: Large Project (Paid Tier)
Usage:- 50,000 requests/day
- Using advanced models (Claude Sonnet, GPT-5.2)
- Complex queries with higher token counts
- Usage: ~$1,500-2,500
- Total: $1,500-2,500/month
All scenarios assume normal usage patterns. Your costs may vary based on actual token consumption.