Can you explain the bandwidth/download limit for shared links?

Hey Youssef087, thanks for posting your question to our Community today!

The limits have changed since the thread above was posted. You can see the updated bandwidth/download limits here.

Basically each download—even if it’s made by the same person multiple times—counts against your account's bandwidth limit. 

For example, if you have a 1 GB file and someone downloads it five times, that’s 5 GB of bandwidth.

So, your plan might offer unlimited downloads, but if you surpass the bandwidth limit, your links will probably be banned.

I hope this helps, but let me know if you have any questions.

so for the limit of 400gb , and a file of 5 Kb size , i ll be able to make  80000000 connections daily without a problem ??!

Hi Youssef087, are you using the Dropbox API to access the shared link directly, or just by providing the link in the app via another method?

Jay  Hannah 

my question here is very simple :
If i dont exceed the daily quota of bandwidth (exemple 400 gb) , the number of times i can make a download is really “unlimited” ?
For a file of 5kb , i ll be able to make 80 millions downloads daily?
Or “unlimited” its just theoretical and there a real limit , despite not exceeding the quota bandwidth.

Thank you

Hi Youssef087 

As Jay said there is also a limit of 100,000 connections. So if every connection you make to the API to download counts towards that. For example if it was a small file and needed just one API call then you'd be able to do it 100,000 times. If it needed multiple that would decrease. 

Mark  , what about direct link download ?  there is any limit of many time i can make a download despite not exceeding the daily quota ? 

Yes - it is exactly the same. There is a limit of 100,000 connections across the whole account. 

So thats 100,000 connections across every single shared link/file etc. as well as the bandwidth limits. 

No Mark  i dont think so , i just tested it my self , i downloaded a 5kb file (direct download) 180.000 times ( in 6 hours) and the link still working !!!

as Hannah  mentionned before "The limits have changed since the thread above was posted." , your reply https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/View-download-and-export/WHAT-IS-THE-LIMIT-FOR-DOWNLOADS-IF-I-CHOOSE-PROFESSIONAL-PLAN/td-p/524947 , more than a year ago its what makes me start this thread , and i m sure its not correct anymore (or never was) , the 100 000 limit its not correct for direct link neither Api download .

i m looking for a correct anwser cause the next release of a mobile app will be relying on how many times a direct link can be used daily ??!!!

Thank you

You will need to get support from the API team via the API forum as that is a different set up to the standard links etc. (note that where you posted now is not for developers). Try asking over at https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Developer-API/ct-p/101000041 but make sure you are specific that the request is about API's and not standard bandwidth