diff --git a/backend/src/models/index.ts b/backend/src/models/index.ts
index 6347475..8df98cf 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/models/index.ts
@@ -94,12 +94,18 @@ export interface Product {
   image_url: string | null;
   refresh_interval: number;
   last_checked: Date | null;
+  next_check_at: Date | null;
   stock_status: StockStatus;
   price_drop_threshold: number | null;
   notify_back_in_stock: boolean;
   created_at: Date;
 }
 
+// Generate jitter between -5 and +5 minutes (in seconds)
+function getJitterSeconds(): number {
+  return Math.floor(Math.random() * 600) - 300;
+}
+
 export interface ProductWithLatestPrice extends Product {
   current_price: number | null;
   currency: string | null;
@@ -216,11 +222,14 @@ export const productQueries = {
     refreshInterval: number = 3600,
     stockStatus: StockStatus = 'unknown'
   ): Promise<Product> => {
+    // Set initial next_check_at to a random time within the refresh interval
+    // This spreads out new products so they don't all check at once
+    const randomDelaySeconds = Math.floor(Math.random() * refreshInterval);
     const result = await pool.query(
-      `INSERT INTO products (user_id, url, name, image_url, refresh_interval, stock_status)
-       VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6)
+      `INSERT INTO products (user_id, url, name, image_url, refresh_interval, stock_status, next_check_at)
+       VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP + ($7 || ' seconds')::interval)
        RETURNING *`,
-      [userId, url, name, imageUrl, refreshInterval, stockStatus]
+      [userId, url, name, imageUrl, refreshInterval, stockStatus, randomDelaySeconds]
     );
     return result.rows[0];
   },
@@ -276,10 +285,16 @@ export const productQueries = {
     return (result.rowCount ?? 0) > 0;
   },
 
-  updateLastChecked: async (id: number): Promise<void> => {
+  updateLastChecked: async (id: number, refreshInterval: number): Promise<void> => {
+    // Add jitter of ±5 minutes to spread out checks over time
+    const jitterSeconds = getJitterSeconds();
+    const nextCheckSeconds = refreshInterval + jitterSeconds;
     await pool.query(
-      'UPDATE products SET last_checked = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP WHERE id = $1',
-      [id]
+      `UPDATE products
+       SET last_checked = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+           next_check_at = CURRENT_TIMESTAMP + ($2 || ' seconds')::interval
+       WHERE id = $1`,
+      [id, nextCheckSeconds]
     );
   },
 
@@ -293,8 +308,8 @@ export const productQueries = {
   findDueForRefresh: async (): Promise<Product[]> => {
     const result = await pool.query(
       `SELECT * FROM products
-       WHERE last_checked IS NULL
-       OR last_checked + (refresh_interval || ' seconds')::interval < CURRENT_TIMESTAMP`
+       WHERE next_check_at IS NULL
+       OR next_check_at < CURRENT_TIMESTAMP`
     );
     return result.rows;
   },
diff --git a/backend/src/services/scheduler.ts b/backend/src/services/scheduler.ts
index 4bccf6f..a42467e 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/scheduler.ts
+++ b/backend/src/services/scheduler.ts
@@ -108,11 +108,12 @@ async function checkPrices(): Promise<void> {
           console.warn(`Could not extract price for product ${product.id}`);
         }
 
-        // Update last_checked even if price extraction failed
-        await productQueries.updateLastChecked(product.id);
+        // Update last_checked and schedule next check with jitter
+        await productQueries.updateLastChecked(product.id, product.refresh_interval);
 
-        // Add a small delay between requests to avoid rate limiting
-        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
+        // Add a randomized delay between requests (2-5 seconds) to avoid rate limiting
+        const delay = 2000 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 3000);
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
       } catch (error) {
         console.error(`Error checking product ${product.id}:`, error);
         // Continue with next product even if one fails
diff --git a/database/init.sql b/database/init.sql
index 93f81d5..0aa7551 100644
--- a/database/init.sql
+++ b/database/init.sql
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS products (
   image_url TEXT,
   refresh_interval INTEGER DEFAULT 3600,
   last_checked TIMESTAMP,
+  next_check_at TIMESTAMP,
   stock_status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'unknown',
   price_drop_threshold DECIMAL(10,2),
   notify_back_in_stock BOOLEAN DEFAULT false,
@@ -63,6 +64,17 @@ BEGIN
   END IF;
 END $$;
 
+-- Migration: Add next_check_at column for staggered checking
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+  IF NOT EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1 FROM information_schema.columns
+    WHERE table_name = 'products' AND column_name = 'next_check_at'
+  ) THEN
+    ALTER TABLE products ADD COLUMN next_check_at TIMESTAMP;
+  END IF;
+END $$;
+
 -- Price history table
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS price_history (
   id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,