vLLM · Rate Limits

vLLM Rate Limits

vLLM does not impose project-level API rate limits. Throughput is bounded by GPU memory, model size, batch settings (--max-num-seqs, --max-model-len), and tensor/pipeline parallelism. Optionally, set --api-key to require auth and put a reverse proxy (Nginx, Envoy) in front to enforce per-client throttles.

vLLM Rate Limits is the machine-readable rate-limit profile for vLLM on the APIs.io network, in the API Commons Rate Limits shape.

It captures 2 rate-limit definitions, measuring n/a and concurrent-requests.

An exhausted limit returns HTTP 429.

This profile was written by API Evangelist and has not been verified against a page the provider published; treat every limit as unconfirmed until a dated transcription replaces it.

The profile also includes 2 backoff/retry policies defined and response codes documented for throttled.

Tagged areas include LLM, Inference, Open Source, GPU, and OpenAI Compatible.

2 Limits Exhausted: HTTP 429
Method: generated, dated 2026-05-08.
Written by API Evangelist on 2026-05-08 and not verified against a page the provider published. Treat every limit as unconfirmed until a dated transcription replaces it.
View Source
LLMInferenceOpen SourceGPUOpenAI CompatibleSelf-HostedRate LimitingQuotasThrottling

Limits

Project-level n/a
n/a
no built-in cap
Throughput is bounded by GPU and batching.
Per-deployment (operator-set) deployment
concurrent-requests
configured via --max-num-seqs
Operator tunes max concurrency at server start.

Policies

Reverse-Proxy Throttling
Front vLLM with Nginx/Envoy to enforce per-API-key or per-IP rate limits.
Batch Tuning
Tune --max-num-seqs, --max-model-len, and tensor parallelism for throughput vs. latency trade-offs.

Sources

Work with this as data

Every rate limit here is available over the APIs.io API and to AI agents over MCP.

MCP server

One button, every client — Claude, Cursor, VS Code and the rest.

https://apis.io/mcp

Tools for rate limits

4 MCP tools reach this
  • find_rate_limitsBrowse and filter every rate limit in the catalog.
  • apis_io_searchSTART HERE — APIs, providers and tags for one query, each with its total.
  • resolveTurn a domain, URL or GitHub org into the provider it belongs to.
  • find_cohortsEvery scored population of providers in the catalog.
All 92 tools →

Call it yourself

curl for this page
This rate limit 
curl "https://apis.io/api/v1/rate-limits/vllm-rate-limits"
All rate limits 
curl "https://apis.io/api/v1/rate-limits?limit=25"

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