“Rate Limit Reached” — Some of My Items Didn't Post
Saw a “rate limit reached” message and not all your items posted? Nothing is broken. Instagram caps how many posts can go out automatically in a rolling 24-hour window — and if you already posted in the last day, those count against the same window. Here's exactly what's happening and how to get the rest out.
- Instagram allows about 50 automated posts per rolling 24 hours — not per calendar day.
- The window is a moving 24 hours, so it doesn't reset at midnight. If you posted yesterday, those posts still count until a full 24 hours has passed.
- Chances are you posted earlier today or yesterday — those posts used up part of the window, so this drop hit the cap sooner.
- You don't have to wait: post the rest yourself and Link them back to your drop, and they work exactly like the automatic ones.
Why this happens
Instagram limits how many posts an app like Thryft Ship can publish for you automatically. The cap is roughly 50 automated posts in any 24-hour period, and to keep your account safe, Thryft Ship stops rather than pushing past it. When you hit the limit, you'll see a “rate limit reached” message and the remaining items pause instead of posting.
Only automated posts count — the ones Thryft Ship publishes for you. Anything you post to Instagram yourself, by hand, doesn't count at all. That's exactly why the fix below works.
What most likely happened
If your drop stopped short of posting everything, it's almost always because Thryft Ship already posted for you recently. A few common cases:
- You ran a drop yesterday and are dropping again today, less than 24 hours later.
- You ran a smaller drop earlier today, and this drop's items got added on top of that count.
- You re-ran or retried a drop, which counts each automated attempt.
In all of these, the earlier automated posts ate into the same 24-hour window, so this drop reached the cap with fewer items than you expected. (Posts you make on Instagram yourself don't factor in at all.)
How to get the rest posted
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Post the rest yourself and Link them
The fastest fix — no waiting. Posts you make by hand don't count toward the limit, so post your remaining items to Instagram yourself right now, then click Link Post in Thryft Ship and match each one to the drop item it belongs to. That reconnects the post so the Sales Assistant tracks its comments and bids like normal. (If instead you want to add brand-new items that weren't in the drop, use Add posts on the “Add recent posts to this drop” card.) See What to Do If Your Drop Has More Than 50 Items for the step-by-step.
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Or wait for the window to clear
If you'd rather let it post automatically, wait until a full 24 hours has passed since your earlier posts — not just until the next morning. Once the window rolls forward, the remaining items can post.
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Space out big or back-to-back drops
If you regularly run large drops or post two days in a row, spreading them out (or planning to link the overflow) keeps you from hitting the cap mid-drop.
Common questions
Did I lose the items that didn't post?
No. They're safe and waiting — nothing was deleted. You just need to post them (and Link them) or wait for the window to clear.
It's a new day — why is it still limited?
Because Instagram's limit is a rolling 24 hours, not a calendar day. A new date on the calendar doesn't reset it — you need a full 24 hours to pass since your earlier posts.
Do linked posts work the same as auto-posted ones?
Yes — comments, checkout links, and orders all work exactly the same. Linking is the recommended way to get around the limit without waiting.
Do my own manual posts count against the limit?
No. Only automated posts (the ones Thryft Ship publishes for you) count. Anything you post to Instagram yourself is free — which is why posting the rest by hand and linking them is the fastest way around the cap.
How many posts can go out automatically?
Around 50 in a 24-hour window. Exactly how many depends on your account, but the safest habit is to plan on linking anything beyond that.
