In for enhancing performance of applications, a cloud application programming interface (API) abstraction layer receives a request from an application of a given entity for core services shared among a plurality of entities. A requestor of the request is determined, and the performance level information for the requestor is determined based on entity specific performance rules defined by the given entity. The entity specific performance rules defined by the given entity are applied to requests from the application of the given entity and are not applied to requests from the other entities of the plurality of entities. The performance level information is included in the request. The request is routed for servicing by one or more of the core services using the performance level information in the request without affecting servicing of requests from other entities of the plurality of entities.