HTTP API Column "Ninja" is running super slow. This is a recurring problem with the HTTP API column. I have already checked the backend and everything's running smoothly. There's a problem with clay sending requests. https://app.clay.com/workspaces/361467/workbooks/wb_0t93j1byZsdmDpK3Qjj/tables/t_0t93j1bSEZAGNjow2zF/views/gv_0t8ywztfFmXup2JDg8g
For slow HTTP API performance, try configuring rate limits in your column settings. Set a Request Limit and Duration that matches your API's specifications - this helps prevent bottlenecks. [1]
Also check if you're using field paths to only pull needed data instead of the full response - this speeds up processing significantly. [2]
If the slowness persists, try our built-in AI tool Sculptor (top-right corner) - it can help optimize your HTTP API setup and troubleshoot performance issues. Let me know if Sculptor helps or if you need further assistance!
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Hey,
Can you share a bit more detail so we can pinpoint where it’s slowing down?
Is it slow on every row, or only certain rows?
Roughly how long does one run take (ex: 5s vs 60s+)?
Does it happen only when you run many rows at once, or even a single row?
What’s the endpoint you’re calling (domain is enough) and are you using GET or POST?
Any 429/5xx/timeouts showing in the response body, or is it just “running” for a long time?
Are you using retries, long timeouts, or large payloads in that column?
If you can paste a single request + response sample (headers/body sanitized), that helps a lot.
Once you send those, we can confirm whether it’s a Clay queue/throughput issue vs the endpoint rate-limiting or hanging, and tell you exactly what to change.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Every row
rate limit is 5 rows per sec. Results are populated within 1s
It happens even on a single row
mailtester.ninja api GET request
Queued for a long time
NO
See below:
Request: https://happy.mailtester.ninja/ninja?email=sales@asaptec.com&key=sub_1SamcnAJu6gy4fiY2tr5h1LH&logs=true Respnonse: { "mx": "asaptec-com.mail.protection.outlook.com", "pxy": "happy", "code": "ok", "host": "ses0", "logs": [ "2026-01-19T04:10:11+00:00 Get Old Token \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:11+00:00 MX: asaptec-com.mail.protection.outlook.com \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:11+00:00 hazel.peterson@nobuyuki.ninja \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:11+00:00 http://info4.nobuyuki.ninja/ninja2?email=sales@asaptec.com&from=hazel.peterson@nobuyuki.ninja&mx=asaptec-com.mail.protection.outlook.com&logs=logs \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 {\n \"code\": \"250\",\n \"message\": \"2.1.5 Recipient OK\\r\\n\",\n \"logs\": \"HOST info4.nobuyuki.ninja 5.135.228.106 --- 220 BN1PEPF00006003.mail.protection.outlook.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service ready at Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:10:11 +0000 [08DE54724EE278A8]\\r\\n >>> EHLO info4.nobuyuki.ninja\\r\\n --- 250-BN1PEPF00006003.mail.protection.outlook.com Hello [5.135.228.106]\\r\\n --- 250-SIZE 157286400\\r\\n --- 250-PIPELINING\\r\\n --- 250-DSN\\r\\n --- 250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES\\r\\n --- 250-STARTTLS\\r\\n --- 250-8BITMIME\\r\\n --- 250-BINARYMIME\\r\\n --- 250-CHUNKING\\r\\n --- 250 SMTPUTF8\\r\\n >>> MAIL FROM: <hazel.peterson@nobuyuki.ninja>\\r\\n --- 250 2.1.0 Sender OK\\r\\n >>> RCPT TO: <sales@asaptec.com>\\r\\n --- 250 2.1.5 Recipient OK\\r\\n >>> QUIT\\r\\n --- 221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel\\r\\n\"\n} \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 HOST info4.nobuyuki.ninja 5.135.228.106 --- 220 BN1PEPF00006003.mail.protection.outlook.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service ready at Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:10:11 +0000 [08DE54724EE278A8]\r\n >>> EHLO info4.nobuyuki.ninja\r\n --- 250-BN1PEPF00006003.mail.protection.outlook.com Hello [5.135.228.106]\r\n --- 250-SIZE 157286400\r\n --- 250-PIPELINING\r\n --- 250-DSN\r\n --- 250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES\r\n --- 250-STARTTLS\r\n --- 250-8BITMIME\r\n --- 250-BINARYMIME\r\n --- 250-CHUNKING\r\n --- 250 SMTPUTF8\r\n >>> MAIL FROM: <hazel.peterson@nobuyuki.ninja>\r\n --- 250 2.1.0 Sender OK\r\n >>> RCPT TO: <sales@asaptec.com>\r\n --- 250 2.1.5 Recipient OK\r\n >>> QUIT\r\n --- 221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel\r\n \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 Ending at 1 \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 1 retries \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 sales@asaptec.com > 250 > 2.1.5 Recipient OK\r\n \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 luca.smith@nobukado.ninja \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:12+00:00 http://infob9.nobukado.ninja/ninja2.php?email=jackpeterson.clarapeterson@asaptec.com&from=luca.smith@nobukado.ninja&mx=asaptec-com.mail.protection.outlook.com&logs=logs \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:13+00:00 {\n \"code\": \"550\",\n \"message\": \"5.4.1 Recipient address rejected: Access denied. For more information see https:\\/\\/aka.ms\\/EXOSmtpErrors [CH2PEPF00000147.namprd02.prod.outlook.com 2026-01-19T04:10:13.383Z 08DE545AA4F79CCD]\\r\\n\",\n \"logs\": \"HOST infob9.nobukado.ninja 51.77.79.113 --- 220 CH2PEPF00000147.mail.protection.outlook.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service ready at Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:10:12 +0000 [08DE545AA4F79CCD]\\r\\n >>> EHLO infob9.nobukado.ninja\\r\\n --- 250-CH2PEPF00000147.mail.protection.outlook.com Hello [51.77.79.113]\\r\\n --- 250-SIZE 157286400\\r\\n --- 250-PIPELINING\\r\\n --- 250-DSN\\r\\n --- 250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES\\r\\n --- 250-STARTTLS\\r\\n --- 250-8BITMIME\\r\\n --- 250-BINARYMIME\\r\\n --- 250-CHUNKING\\r\\n --- 250 SMTPUTF8\\r\\n >>> MAIL FROM: <luca.smith@nobukado.ninja>\\r\\n --- 250 2.1.0 Sender OK\\r\\n >>> RCPT TO: <jackpeterson.clarapeterson@asaptec.com>\\r\\n --- 550 5.4.1 Recipient address rejected: Access denied. For more information see https:\\/\\/aka.ms\\/EXOSmtpErrors [CH2PEPF00000147.namprd02.prod.outlook.com 2026-01-19T04:10:13.383Z 08DE545AA4F79CCD]\\r\\n >>> QUIT\\r\\n --- 221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel\\r\\n\"\n} \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:13+00:00 HOST infob9.nobukado.ninja 51.77.79.113 --- 220 CH2PEPF00000147.mail.protection.outlook.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service ready at Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:10:12 +0000 [08DE545AA4F79CCD]\r\n >>> EHLO infob9.nobukado.ninja\r\n --- 250-CH2PEPF00000147.mail.protection.outlook.com Hello [51.77.79.113]\r\n --- 250-SIZE 157286400\r\n --- 250-PIPELINING\r\n --- 250-DSN\r\n --- 250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES\r\n --- 250-STARTTLS\r\n --- 250-8BITMIME\r\n --- 250-BINARYMIME\r\n --- 250-CHUNKING\r\n --- 250 SMTPUTF8\r\n >>> MAIL FROM: <luca.smith@nobukado.ninja>\r\n --- 250 2.1.0 Sender OK\r\n >>> RCPT TO: <jackpeterson.clarapeterson@asaptec.com>\r\n --- 550 5.4.1 Recipient address rejected: Access denied. For more information see https://aka.ms/EXOSmtpErrors [CH2PEPF00000147.namprd02.prod.outlook.com 2026-01-19T04:10:13.383Z 08DE545AA4F79CCD]\r\n >>> QUIT\r\n --- 221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel\r\n \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:13+00:00 Ending at 1 \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:13+00:00 1 retries \r\n", "2026-01-19T04:10:13+00:00 jackpeterson.clarapeterson@asaptec.com > 550 > 5.4.1 Recipient address rejected: Access denied. For more information see https://aka.ms/EXOSmtpErrors [CH2PEPF00000147.namprd02.prod.outlook.com 2026-01-19T04:10:13.383Z 08DE545AA4F79CCD]\r\n \r\n" ], "rate": 2, "user": "Sales", "delay": 0, "email": "sales@asaptec.com", "limit": 500000, "detail": "", "domain": "asaptec.com", "message": "Accepted", "duration": 2.16, "connections": 1 }
I think the problem is from the custom rate limit feature in clay.
But there are errors and this is not sustainable as the rate limit of the api is 5/s and I start getting errors.
If I set the rate limit to that - it DOES NOT SEND requests. Its just queued. I even checked on just 10 rows at a time by having a response timeout of 1s (if it does not get response in 1s, it'll show error) And more than a minute passed and still the rows were queued, meaning it did not even send a request.
Hi there, sorry to hear this is happening! I ran 10 rows without the custom rate limit and was able to send them successfully, but this was a smaller batch. Have you considered trying the "Retry on failure" toggle? Let me know if you're open to this, and I can try running the rest of the 8K rows that have errors.
Do it and you'll face the same stuff Natalie. I have been trying to make this work this whole day but its random. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. And big rows like 8k batch does not work at all. It works so slow that its stupid that we are paying this much for clay when its not even sending a request.
