Mistral rate limits, context window & usage caps (2026)
Mistral AI API rate limits, context window and usage caps. Rate limits and context window sizes - Free and Pro plans compared.
Context Window
32000
tokens · ~24K words
Plans
2
tiers tracked
API Tiers
2
rate limit tiers
Mistral usage limits by plan
| Rpm | 1 requests/min | Free API tier |
| Tpm | 500000 tokens/min | Free API tier |
| Context Window | 32000 tokens(~24K words) | Mistral 7B Instruct |
| Max Tokens Output | 8192 tokens | Per response |
| Models Available | 2 models | Mistral 7B, Mixtral 8x7B |
| Rpm | 60 requests/min | Paid API tier |
| Tpm | 2000000 tokens/min | Paid API tier |
| Context Window | 128000 tokens(~96K words) | Mistral Large |
| Max Tokens Output | 8192 tokens | Per response |
| Models Available | 5 models | All Mistral models |
Mistral API rate limits by tier
API access uses a tiered rate limit system. Higher tiers unlock more requests per minute (RPM) and tokens per minute (TPM).
| Tier | RPM | TPM |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 | 500,000 |
| Paid | 20 | 2,000,000 |
RPM = requests per minute · TPM = tokens per minute. Limits shown are approximate and may vary by model.
What happens when you hit Mistral's limits?
Check the reset window - most limits refresh within 1–60 minutes
Use exponential backoff: 1s → 2s → 4s up to 60s max
If you hit limits regularly, upgrade your plan to increase caps
Mistral limit reset schedule
⚡
Per minute
API RPM limits - reset every 60 seconds
🕐
Per hour
Short rolling windows for message quotas
⏱
Per 5 hours
Common for consumer plan message limits
📅
Per day / month
Image gen credits and file storage caps
Exact reset period per limit type is shown in the "Notes" column of the plan table above. Mistral uses rolling-window resets - quotas refresh continuously, not at a fixed midnight cutoff.
More Mistral intelligence
Live status →
Check if rate limit errors are due to an active outage
Pricing →
Compare Mistral plan costs and API token pricing
Free tier →
Compare free limits across all AI tools
Limits sourced from Mistral AI's official documentation. Updated when plan changes are announced.
Mistral limits - frequently asked questions
What is the Mistral message limit?
Mistral message limits vary by plan - see the full breakdown by tier in the table above.
Does Mistral have a file upload limit?
Yes, Mistral enforces file upload limits that vary by plan. See the detailed breakdown above.
When do Mistral limits reset?
Reset periods vary by limit type - many Mistral limits reset on a rolling window (e.g., per 5 hours or per 24 hours). Check the notes column in the table above for specific reset schedules.
What happens when you hit Mistral's rate limit?
Mistral will temporarily block new requests when you exceed your plan's limits. You may see an in-app message or receive an HTTP 429 response. Wait for the reset window to pass or upgrade your plan.
What is Mistral's context window?
Mistral's context window is 32000 tokens (~24K words). This is the maximum amount of text - including your conversation history - the model can process in a single request.