I've just read recently that by July, 1st 2006 Google will remove the cap of API usage quota and will charge per usage basis. This will affect all Google API holder. As it's announced, it will charge 0.25 usd per 1000 usage. What I don't still understand is how Google count this API usage? What is counted as a unit? I would appreciate it if anyone can share his/her knowledge here. Thanks. IndrAstri
I believe that currently one 'unit' is one query that returns up to 10 results. So if you wanted to retrieve the first 1000 results it would count for 100 queries.
Some API Calls consist of multiple queries though. AFAIK The getSummary ones for instance: 1. Query which campaigns there are 2. for each campaign get the summary So if you run 20 campaigns it can add up quickly on those API calls. I submitted this travesty to Digg but didn;t get much attention: http://digg.com/software/Google_Will_Charge_For_AdWords_API_-_Many_Angry_Developers_ There's a link to the official announcement...
Thanks for all of you guys for the replies. Here is what worries me: I'm using an Adwords API program to manage my campaign. I don't think that I've used it massively (no more than 10 queries), but Google shows me that more than 70.000 units have been used. Multiply it by 0.25 equals to 17.5 USD. Since I still have not made enough money from my campaign efforts, that amount worries me. Despite the fact that this API program is worth having, I need a conviction that the web interface Google's given us is indeed more than enough to manage our campaign. Thank you again for your replies and ideas.
Keyword Status - 1 unit Change Keyowrd Bid - 10 units Traffic Estimator - 25 units Add keyword - 50 units Add Creative - 250 units Pull report - 1000 units There is a full rate sheet here http://www.google.com/support/adwordsapi/bin/answer.py?answer=21996 Hope this helps!