If you've noticed a high number of API calls in your Airtable usage dashboard, this is expected behavior — it's a result of how Glide keeps your app's data in sync with Airtable.
How Glide syncs with Airtable
Glide automatically syncs your Airtable data on the following schedule:
Every ~3 minutes when the app is actively being used
Every ~1 hour when the app hasn't been opened or interacted with for over an hour
As soon as users start using the app again, Glide automatically switches back to the 3-minute interval. No action is needed on your end — this all happens automatically.
Note: Extra Sync Mode does not apply to Airtable. The sync intervals above are fixed and cannot be adjusted.
Why the API call count adds up
Each sync generates multiple API calls, even if nothing has changed in your data:
Each connected table requires at least 2 API calls per sync
An additional 4–5 API calls are used to initialize each sync process
This means the total volume of API calls can grow quickly, particularly if your app has many connected tables or is used frequently throughout the day.
Example usage breakdown
To illustrate, here's what a typical app with 3 connected Airtable tables and continuous usage looks like:
Sync attempts per day: ~480
Airtable API calls per week: ~33,600
This is within the normal range and reflects expected behavior based on usage patterns and the number of tables connected.
Check your Airtable API usage
You can review your API usage directly in Airtable by going to:
Account → Workspace settings → Usage
This will show you API activity across all your workspaces.
Need to reduce API calls?
If you're approaching Airtable's API limits, consider:
Reducing the number of connected tables where possible
Consolidating data into fewer tables
Reviewing how frequently your app is actively used
If you have questions or need help reviewing your setup, reach out to our support team.