diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index e64fede..b277fa9 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
+# GitHub Personal Access Token (optional but recommended)
+# Without a token, you may hit GitHub's rate limits (60 requests/hour)
+# With a token, you get 5,000 requests/hour
+# Generate at: https://github.com/settings/tokens
+# Requires 'gist' scope to read gists
+GITHUB_TOKEN=your_github_token_here
+
+# ASF Configuration (optional)
 ASF_PORT=1242
 ASF_HOST=localhost
 ASF_PASSWORD=hunter2
 ASF_COMMAND_PREFIX=!
 ASF_HTTPS=false
-ASF_BOTS=asf #https://github.com/JustArchiNET/ArchiSteamFarm/wiki/Commands#bots-argument
+ASF_BOTS=asf # https://github.com/JustArchiNET/ArchiSteamFarm/wiki/Commands#bots-argument
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b855c4f..9e0de80 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,16 +15,31 @@ Latest games claimed: https://gist.github.com/C4illin/77a4bcb9a9a7a95e5f291badc9
 3. `git clone https://github.com/C4illin/ASFclaim.git`
 4. `cd ASFclaim`
 5. `npm install`
+6. **(Optional but recommended)** Create a GitHub Personal Access Token to avoid rate limits:
+   - Go to https://github.com/settings/tokens
+   - Click "Generate new token" → "Generate new token (classic)"
+   - Give it a name like "ASFclaim"
+   - Select the `gist` scope (required to read gists)
+   - Copy the generated token
+   - Create a `.env` file with your GitHub token:
+     ```
+     GITHUB_TOKEN=your_github_token_here
+     ```
+   - **Rate limits**: Without token: 60 requests/hour | With token: 5,000 requests/hour
 
 ## Run
 1. Make sure ASF is running
 2. `node .`
-The program checks available licenses every 6 hours. 
+The program checks available licenses every 6 hours.
 
 ### Docker
 
 ```bash
-docker run --name asfclaim -e ASF_PORT=1242 -e ASF_HOST=localhost -e ASF_HTTPS=false -e ASF_PASSWORD=hunter2 -e ASF_COMMAND_PREFIX=! -e ASF_BOTS=asf ghcr.io/c4illin/asfclaim:master 
+# With GitHub token (recommended):
+docker run --name asfclaim -e GITHUB_TOKEN=your_github_token_here -e ASF_PORT=1242 -e ASF_HOST=localhost -e ASF_HTTPS=false -e ASF_PASSWORD=hunter2 -e ASF_COMMAND_PREFIX=! -e ASF_BOTS=asf ghcr.io/c4illin/asfclaim:master
+
+# Without GitHub token (may hit rate limits):
+docker run --name asfclaim -e ASF_PORT=1242 -e ASF_HOST=localhost -e ASF_HTTPS=false -e ASF_PASSWORD=hunter2 -e ASF_COMMAND_PREFIX=! -e ASF_BOTS=asf ghcr.io/c4illin/asfclaim:master
 ```
 #### Docker-compose:
 ```yml
@@ -36,7 +51,9 @@ services:
     container_name: asfclaim
     restart: unless-stopped
     depends_on: asf # remove this if asf is not running in docker
-    environment: # all are optional, defaults are listed below
+    environment:
+      - GITHUB_TOKEN=${GITHUB_TOKEN} # optional but recommended - prevents rate limiting
+      # all below are optional, defaults are listed
       - ASF_PORT=1242
       - ASF_HOST=localhost
       - ASF_PASSWORD=
@@ -64,6 +81,6 @@ https://github.com/specu/ASFclaim.py Python rewrite without any dependencies
 https://github.com/JourneyDocker/ASFclaim fork with different gist and discord notifications
 
 Instead of forking it, please consider sending a PR so we can make the best solution together!
-                        
+
 ## Stargazers over time
 [![Stargazers over time](https://starchart.cc/C4illin/ASFclaim.svg?variant=adaptive)](https://starchart.cc/C4illin/ASFclaim)
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 4937fc2..21b62c5 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ services:
   asf-claim:
     build: .
     # environment:
+      # - GITHUB_TOKEN=${GITHUB_TOKEN}  # optional: prevents rate limiting
       # - ASF_PORT=1242
       # - ASF_HOST=localhost
       # - ASF_PASSWORD=hunter2
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4f499c0..b750a2e 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -2,9 +2,18 @@ import fetch from "node-fetch";
 import { readFile, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { Octokit } from "@octokit/rest";
 import * as dotenv from "dotenv";
-const octokit = new Octokit();
 dotenv.config();
 
+const githubToken = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN;
+const octokit = new Octokit(githubToken ? { auth: githubToken } : {});
+
+if (githubToken) {
+	console.log("GitHub token provided - using authenticated requests (5000/hour rate limit)");
+} else {
+	console.log("No GitHub token provided - using unauthenticated requests (60/hour rate limit)");
+	console.log("Consider setting GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable to avoid rate limits");
+}
+
 const asfport = process.env.ASF_PORT || "1242";
 const asfhost = process.env.ASF_HOST || "localhost";
 const password = process.env.ASF_PASSWORD || "";