A.I. Agents - Token Limits per Minute (TPM) on OpenAI and Google Gemini
In this article, we detail the TPM limits of the latest OpenAI models (such as GPT-5, GPT-5.1, GPT-4.1, GPT-4o, etc.) and Google's (Gemini 2.0 line).
With the exponential growth of language model–based applications, understanding usage limits such as Tokens per Minute (TPM) has become essential to ensure performance, scalability, and stability in production environments.
✅ What Tokens per Minute (TPM) are
Tokens are the smallest units of text processed by a language model. A token can be a word, part of a word, or even a punctuation symbol. The Tokens per Minute (TPM) limit represents the maximum number of tokens a model can process per minute — including input (prompt) and output (response).
TPM limits at OpenAI (GPT-5, GPT-5.1, GPT-4.1, GPT-4o and Mini/Nano)
OpenAI offers a variety of models, each with different capabilities and usage limits. Typical TPM limits (subject to change):
Both OpenAI and Google will return rate limit errors (e.g., HTTP 429). To work around this:
You can raise your tier, following the specific rules for each model.
It is possible to limit the number of characters used in the chatbot according to your needs.
You can request a plan upgrade directly on the SprintHub platform.
Best Practices for Token Optimization
Simplify prompts – Avoid repetitions and unnecessary structures in your AI agent's rules.
Conclusion
With the increasing sophistication of language models, efficient management of limits like TPM becomes a technical differentiator. Understanding these limits not only helps avoid failures but also enables scaling applications more intelligently, sustainably, and economically.
