Rate Limits
Nova enforces per-account rate limits to ensure fair usage. Limits reset every minute. If you exceed your limit, the API returns a 429 Too Many Requests response — implement exponential backoff and retry.
Limits by Tier
| Tier | Requirement | RPM | TPM (text) | Images/min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | No top-up required | 10 | 50,000 | 2 |
| Tier 1 | Any top-up ($25+) | 60 | 200,000 | 10 |
| Tier 2 | $100+ lifetime spend | 200 | 1,000,000 | 40 |
| Tier 3 | $500+ lifetime spend | 1,000 | 5,000,000 | 200 |
Handling 429s
Use exponential backoff: wait 1s, then 2s, then 4s, up to 5 retries. The response headerRetry-After indicates the earliest time to retry.