I keep getting a "download failed - limit exceeded" error message. What should I do?
You may be getting this error message due to one of the following reasons:
You are not using an API key in your API calls.
If you are not using an API key in your API calls, you would be subject to Nasdaq's API usage limits for anonymous users which is only 20 calls per 10 minutes and 50 calls per day for all anonymous users combined. Since these limits are quite low, you are more likely to hit and exceed these limits. Learn more about API usage limits here.
Solution: We recommend appending your API key to your API calls so that you are subject to higher API usage limits. You can learn more about appending your API key to your API calls here. If you are using the Python package, you can set your API key as per the authentication instructions here. For the R Package, please see here. For the Excel Add-In, please see here.
You are downloading data directly from the Nasdaq Data Link website but are not logged in to Nasdaq Data Link
If you are downloading data directly from the Nasdaq Data Link website but are not logged in to Nasdaq Data Link, you would be limited in how much data you can download from the website. Technically, you would be subject to Nasdaq Data Link's API usage limits for anonymous users which is only 20 calls per 10 minutes and 50 calls per day for all anonymous users combined. Since these limits are quite low, you are more likely to hit and exceed these limits.
Solution: We recommend logging in at data.nasdaq.com and downloading data from the website while you are logged in. If you do not have an account yet, you may sign up for one here. It is free to create an account and no credit card is required.
You are exceeding Nasdaq Data Link's API usage limits even when using your API key or even while logged in to Nasdaq Data Link
If you are using your API key and/or if you are logged in to Nasdaq Data Link while downloading data from the Nasdaq Data Link website, and you are still getting this error message, this means that you are exceeding Nasdaq Data Link's API usage limits which are outlined here.
Solution: We recommend slowing down your requests and spacing them apart to comply with our rate limits.