# Search API

[You.com](https://api.you.com/plans)
[Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/)
[Critique Labs](https://critique-labs.ai/en/pricing)
[Perplexity](https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/pricing)
[Exa AI](https://exa.ai/pricing)
[SerpAPI](https://serpapi.com/pricing)
[Tavily](https://tavily.com/#pricing)
[Yandex](https://yandex.cloud/en/docs/overview/concepts/region)
[DataForSeo](https://dataforseo.com/)
[Brightdata Serp](https://brightdata.com/pricing/serp)
[TrajectData Scale Serp](https://trajectdata.com/serp/scale-serp-api/pricing/)
[Serpstack](https://serpstack.com/pricing)
[Zenserp](https://zenserp.com/pricing-plans/)
[AutomDev](https://autom.dev/subscribe/twardoch)
[APILayer](https://apilayer.com/marketplace/google_search-api)
[RapidAPI DDG](https://rapidapi.com/duckduckgo/api/duckduckgo-zero-click-info)
[RapidAPI Search Category](https://rapidapi.com/search/Search?sortBy=ByRelevance)




I want an API that does web searches. Research and compare the exact pricing and terms of Google search API, Brave, Exa, Phind, You.com, Perplexity.ai, DuckDuckGo, Bing Search and other providers.

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> # o3 mini

Below is a detailed comparison of several leading web search APIs that you might consider. Note that "web search APIs" can vary widely in how they index data, what exactly they return, and--critically--how much you pay per query. Here's an overview of eight major options:

## Comparison Overview

Provider                                           | Free Tier Details                                | Paid Pricing & Units                                                                                                                                                            | Key Terms & Notes
-------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Google Search API** (Custom Search JSON API)     | ~100 queries/day free (≈3, 000/month)            | About **$5 per 1, 000 queries**                                                                                                                                                 | Limits you to custom search results only; you cannot "crawl" the whole web. Usage must follow Google's API TOS. citeturn0search2
**Brave Search API**                               | Free: 1 query/second, up to 2, 000 queries/month | "Data for Search": Base at **$3 CPM** (i.e. $3 per 1, 000 queries) or Pro at **$5 CPM**; additional tiers for AI data, storage rights, and autosuggest are available            | Provides results from an independent index with strong privacy guarantees. Flexible, developer-first pricing. citeturn0search1
**Exa AI Web Search API**                          | Free up to 1, 000 queries                        | Starting at a minimum of **$50/month** for up to 25 results per query; higher plans (e.g. minimum $250/month) add more results with fees around **$10–$30 per 1, 000 searches** | Designed for "complex queries" with rich results. Pricing is usage‐ and result–count based and often negotiable. citeturn0search3
**Phind API**                                      | Free with limitations                            | Pro version typically around **$20/month**                                                                                                                                      | Tailored for technical queries (e.g. coding questions) with a focus on contextual, developer-friendly answers. citeturn0search3
**You.com API**                                    | Free tier available                              | YouPro subscription at about **$20/month** (or ~$180/year)                                                                                                                      | Offers a highly customizable, privacy‐conscious search experience with integrated AI tools. citeturn0search3
**Perplexity.ai API**                              | Currently free (for individual use)              | Commercial/API pricing isn't widely published (some reports hint at a Pro tier near **$20/month**)                                                                              | Presents answers conversationally with full source citations. Terms restrict commercial "wrapping" of their data. citeturn0search3
**DuckDuckGo API**                                 | The Instant Answer API is entirely free          | N/A – there is no paid tier for the Instant Answer API                                                                                                                          | Returns "instant answers" (not full search results) and emphasizes strict privacy (no tracking). citeturn0search9
**Bing Search API** (via Azure Cognitive Services) | Free tier: up to about 3, 000 transactions/month | Typically around **$3 per 1, 000 transactions** (S1 tier)                                                                                                                       | Provided through Microsoft Azure; requires an Azure subscription and adherence to Microsoft's TOS. citeturn0search4

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## Detailed Notes

### Google Search API

Google no longer offers a "Web Search API" that scrapes the live web. Instead, the **Custom Search JSON API** lets you query a predefined set of sites (or the entire web if you pay to configure it). It gives you a fixed number of free queries per day (around 100), then charges about $5 per 1, 000 queries. Note that you must abide by Google's usage policies and the results are limited to what the custom search engine can index.

### Brave Search API

Brave positions its API as a developer–friendly, privacy–focused alternative. In its "Data for Search" product, you can try 2, 000 queries per month for free (1 query/second), then scale up using a CPM (cost per thousand queries) pricing model. The Base plan is around $3 CPM and the Pro plan is around $5 CPM--with additional product tiers (for AI data, data with storage rights, or autosuggest functions) available as needed.

### Exa AI Web Search API

Exa is aimed at "complex" query use cases. The free tier is limited (up to 1, 000 monthly requests), and then pricing starts at about $50/month for a modest result set (around 25 results per search). Higher tiers--if you need more comprehensive results (up to 100 results per query)--require a higher minimum spend (around $250/month) and additional charges per 1, 000 queries (typically $10 for up to 25 results and up to $30 for 26–100 results).

### Phind API

Phind is built especially for technical and developer-centric queries. It's free to try but also offers a Pro subscription (commonly about $20/month) that unlocks advanced features such as extended context windows and more robust coding assistance.

### You.com API

You.com offers a robust free tier with its own AI-powered search experience. For advanced usage (called YouPro), a subscription is required--approximately $20/month or $180 billed annually. This plan unlocks more advanced models and unlimited queries, along with additional customization options.

### Perplexity.ai API

Perplexity.ai has become popular for its "conversational" search that provides concise, citation–backed answers. For now, individual use appears to be free, though commercial API access or a Pro version might be offered at around $20/month. Their TOS and usage limits emphasize that you must not "wrap" or resell their output without permission.

### DuckDuckGo API

DuckDuckGo provides a free Instant Answer API. It does not have a paid tier because its primary focus is on returning a single "instant" result (or snippet) rather than a full set of search results. Its strict privacy stance means no user tracking occurs.

### Bing Search API

Bing's web search API is available through Microsoft Azure. It offers a free tier (roughly 3, 000 transactions per month) and then charges about $3 per 1, 000 transactions in the Standard (S1) tier. Transactions include each call to the API, and you must follow Microsoft's pricing and usage policies.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## Final Thoughts

Each provider offers a different mix of data access, pricing models, and terms of use:

- **Google's Custom Search** is great if you need Google's quality results but are okay with configuring your own custom search engine.
- **Brave Search API** is appealing if privacy and a truly independent index matter.
- **Exa AI** and **Phind** target more complex and technical use cases, with pricing that scales with the richness of the returned results.
- **You.com** and **Perplexity.ai** offer modern, conversational experiences that might suit creative or research–oriented applications.
- **DuckDuckGo** is best if you need a lightweight, privacy–first Instant Answer tool.
- **Bing's API** remains competitive through Azure, especially for enterprises already in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Before deciding, review each provider's full terms and pricing documentation (and consider contacting sales if your usage is high) to ensure their API aligns with your application's needs.

Feel free to ask for further details or clarification on any of these points!

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> # Perplexity

Here's a detailed comparison of various web search APIs, including their pricing and terms as of February 2025:

## Google Custom Search API

- **Free Tier**: 100 queries per day.

- **Paid Tier**: $5 per 1, 000 queries beyond the free limit, with a maximum of 10, 000 queries per day.

- **Notes**: This API allows you to create a custom search engine tailored to your needs. Billing must be enabled through the API console for additional queries[2].

## Brave Search API

- **Free Tier**: Up to 2, 000 queries per month (1 query per second).

- **Paid Plans**:

  - $3 per 1, 000 queries.
  - Additional features include web search, video clusters, and autosuggest capabilities.

- **Notes**: Brave emphasizes privacy and independence from traditional search engines. The API can handle up to 20 million queries per month with a rate limit of 20 queries per second[3].

## Exa Search API

- **Free Credits**: $10 in free credits for new users.

- **Pricing**:

  - $5 per 1, 000 requests for AI auto-decided searches or semantic searches.
  - $2.50 per 1, 000 requests for keyword searches.

- **Notes**: Offers various search types with different pricing based on the number of results returned (1-25 results or 26-100 results) and includes options for content retrieval and direct answers[4].

## Phind

- **Free Tier**: Basic access available.

- **Paid Plans**:

  - Phind Pro: $17/month (billed annually) for unlimited searches.
  - Business Plan: $40/month per user for advanced features and data privacy.

- **Notes**: Focuses on AI-driven search with interactive responses and integrates real-time web results. It's particularly useful for developers needing specific technical insights[5].

## You.com

- **Free Tier**: Basic access available.

- **Paid Plans**:

  - $15/month for annual billing or $20/month for monthly billing.

- **Notes**: Targets knowledge workers with complex query handling and offers a selection of AI models for enhanced search capabilities. It aims to provide summarized answers with citations[7].

## DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo does not offer a dedicated API like others listed here but provides a general search experience focused on privacy. They do not have a formal pricing structure for an API at this time.

## Bing Search API

Bing offers various tiers through Azure Cognitive Services:

- **Free Tier**: Limited free queries available.

- **Paid Plans**: Pricing varies based on usage but typically starts around $5 per 1, 000 transactions.

- **Notes**: It includes features like image search, video search, and news search capabilities.

## Summary Table

Provider   | Free Tier                  | Paid Plans                            | Notes
---------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------
Google CSE | 100 queries/day            | $5 per 1, 000 queries                 | Customizable search engines
Brave      | Up to 2, 000 queries/month | $3 per 1, 000 queries                 | Privacy-focused
Exa        | $10 in free credits        | $5-$25 per 1k requests                | Multiple search types
Phind      | Basic access               | $17/month (Pro), $40/month (Business) | AI-driven interactive responses
You.com    | Basic access               | $15/month (annual), $20/month         | Focus on complex work queries
DuckDuckGo | None                       | N/A                                   | No formal API pricing
Bing       | Limited free queries       | Starts at ~$5 per 1k transactions     | Broad feature set including multimedia

This comparison should help you evaluate which web search API best fits your needs based on pricing and functionality.

Citations: [1] <https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/comments/1i3cgq0/google_maps_api_pricing_change_after_march_1_2025/> [2] <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/43853432/google-custom-search-engine-pricing> [3] <https://brave.com/blog/search-api-launch/> [4] <https://exa.ai/pricing> [5] <https://findmyaitool.io/tool/phind/> [6] <https://www.capterra.com/p/211544/Search-API/> [7] <https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/you-com-wants-to-be-your-ai-search-engine-for-complex-work-queries/> [8] <https://team-gpt.com/blog/perplexity-pricing/> [9] <https://brightdata.com/products/serp-api/duckduckgo-search> [10] <https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/370107/microsoft-hikes-bing-search-api-prices> [11] <https://ai.google.dev/pricing> [12] <https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Cloud-Hub/Buying-Custom-Search-JSON-API-queries-for-5/m-p/648725> [13] <https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/21/perplexity-launches-sonar-an-api-for-ai-search/> [14] <https://www.phind.com/plans> [15] <https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/usage-and-billing> [16] <https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing> [17] <https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/site_restricted_api> [18] <https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview> [19] <https://hkmci.com/news/google-maps-api-2025-complete-guide-to-pricing-policies-business-strategy/> [20] <https://www.reddit.com/r/webscraping/comments/1f2s1nx/why_are_programmable_search_engine_custom_search/> [21] <https://mapsplatform.google.com/pricing-calculator/> [22] <https://support.google.com/programmable-search/thread/249304679/monthly-cost-of-using-custom-search-json-api?hl=en> [23] <https://mapsplatform.google.com/pricing/> [24] <https://cloud.google.com/generative-ai-app-builder/docs/migrate-from-cse> [25] <https://cloud.google.com/api-keys/docs/quotas> [26] <https://cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features> [27] <https://portable.info.pl/brave-search-online/> [28] <https://search.brave.com> [29] <https://jsr.io/@tyr/brave-search> [30] <https://brave.com/ai/brave-search-api-vs-bing-api/> [31] <https://brave.com/ai/what-sets-brave-search-api-apart/> [32] <https://brave.com/ai/category/search-apis/> [33] <https://www.piloterr.com/library/brave-search> [34] <https://x.com/exaailabs> [35] <https://www.f6s.com/company-deals/exa.ai/1k-in-exa-ai-search-credits-14967> [36] <https://www.reddit.com/r/Rag/comments/1gr8jnr/which_search_api_should_i_use_between_tavilycom/> [37] <https://tavily.com> [38] <https://www.linkedin.com/posts/exa-ai_2024-was-just-the-2025-preview-stay-tuned-activity-7285063767485222913-lRGZ> [39] <https://sourceforge.net/software/compare/Exa-vs-Perplexity-AI/> [40] <https://www.linkedin.com/posts/exa-ai_2025-here-we-come-activity-7288333877855617025-ElO3> [41] <https://www.webpilot.ai/writeDetail/0cf82325-10c2-4f9c-80ec-e6560587e695> [42] <https://www.codedex.io/projects/build-a-custom-search-engine-with-exa-ai> [43] <https://aiagentstore.ai/ai-agent/exa-ai> [44] <https://sourceforge.net/software/product/Exa/> [45] <https://opentools.ai/tools/phind> [46] <https://www.phind.com> [47] <https://powerusers.ai/ai-tool/phind/> [48] <https://www.phind.com/search?cache=zl73ckwfaxfn7yl9uq35328w> [49] <https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPTPro/comments/1begq7r/which_is_the_best_to_pay_for_in_2024_chatgpt_pro/> [50] <https://insight7.io/ai-tools/productivity/phind/> [51] <https://www.phind.com/blog/phind-2-model-creation> [52] <https://deepinfra.com/Phind/Phind-CodeLlama-34B-v2/api> [53] <https://clickup.com/blog/ai-search-engines/> [54] <https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/pricing> [55] <https://docs.perplexity.ai/home> [56] <https://aicoulddothat.net/tools/perplexity-ai-pricing-review-alternatives/> [57] <https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-deep-research> [58] <https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/what-is-perplexity-pro> [59] <https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/pplx-api> [60] <https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/business/perplexity-ai> [61] <https://duckduckgo.com/terms> [62] <https://serpapi.com/duckduckgo-search-api> [63] <https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/get-duckduckgo/how-much-does-duckduckgo-cost/> [64] <https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/duckai/usage-limits/> [65] <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37012469/duckduckgo-api-getting-search-results> [66] <https://duckduckgo.com> [67] <https://python.langchain.com/docs/integrations/tools/ddg/> [68] <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/cognitive-services/v5/search-api/> [69] <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34832726> [70] <https://www.serphouse.com/blog/explore-bing-search-api-documentation/> [71] <https://community.openai.com/t/bing-search-now-in-chat-when-will-it-be/402844> [72] <https://brightdata.com/products/serp-api/bing-search> [73] <https://blogs.bing.com/search-quality-insights/october-2020/Bing-Search-APIS-are-Transitioning> [74] <https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/web-browsers/283850/brave-releases-its-search-api> [75] <https://sdtimes.com/api/brave-makes-its-search-api-available-for-developers/> [76] <https://search.brave.com/help/premium> [77] <https://appmaster.io/news/brave-launches-search-api> [78] <https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/comments/163sqz3/dont_think_ill_be_using_brave_much_anymore_if_at/> [79] <https://brave.com/search/api/> [80] <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35731705> [81] <https://aitools.fyi/exa> [82] <https://www.mexc.co/en-TR/price-prediction/exa> [83] <https://python.langchain.com/docs/integrations/tools/exa_search/> [84] <https://exa.ai> [85] <https://blog.wiseone.io/ai-search-engine-for-developers/> [86] <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38092729> [87] <https://aitechfy.com/aitool/phind/> [88] <https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPTCoding/comments/1begxkg/which_is_the_best_to_pay_for_in_2024_chatgpt_pro/> [89] <https://aitools.inc/tools/phind> [90] <https://www.capterra.com/p/10015254/phind/> [91] <https://slashdot.org/software/p/You.com/integrations/> [92] <https://www.f6s.com/software/you-com> [93] <https://www.withorb.com/blog/perplexity-pricing> [94] <https://subscribed.fyi/perplexity/pricing/> [95] <https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/usage-tiers> [96] <https://www.reddit.com/r/perplexity_ai/comments/1cptxxo/is_perplexity_pro_just_the_obvious_choice_for_a/> [97] <https://www.thekeyword.co/news/perplexity-launches-sonar-api-to-expand-ai-search-integration> [98] <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl2YNoJbEcg> [99] <https://rapidapi.com/apiriot/api/duckduckgo-search-api/pricing> [100] <https://pypi.org/project/duckduckgo-search/> [101] <https://rapidapi.com/arsen1c/api/duckduckgo-image-search/pricing> [102] <https://zylalabs.com/api-marketplace/data/duckduckgo+search+api/3350> [103] <https://www.searchapi.io/pricing> [104] <https://apicontext.com/api-directory/search/duckduckgo/> [105] <https://www.reddit.com/r/duckduckgo/comments/1178k85/i_read_some_terrible_news_m_is_increasing_the/> [106] <https://www.reddit.com/r/bing/comments/12zfrng/search_api_cost/> [107] <https://www.computerworld.com/article/1618921/microsoft-more-than-triples-bing-search-api-prices-to-recoup-investments.html> [108] <https://www.rbn-media.com/blog/why-did-the-price-of-the-bing-web-search-api-increase-and-how-does-the-api-work/> [109] <https://searchengineland.com/bing-search-api-no-longer-free-118100> [110] <https://www.information-age.com/how-bing-api-prices-are-disrupting-search-123505076/> [111] <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/apis/pricing> [112] <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/cognitive-services/bing-entity-search-api/>

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> # Phind

Based on the search results, I'll compare the key search API providers and their pricing/terms. Here's a comprehensive breakdown:

### Search API Providers and Pricing

1. **Exa**

2. Starting at $50 per month

3. Offers API access for businesses and developers

4. Specializes in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
5. Provides real-time web data integration
6. Best for complex research queries [0]

7. **You.com (YouChat)**

8. $20 per month for YouPro

9. Includes access to premium AI models

10. Offers real-time web search capabilities
11. Integrates with content creation tools
12. Uses Google search for sources [0]

13. **Brave Search (Leo AI)**

14. $14.99 per month for premium

15. Privacy-focused search API

16. Includes multiple LLM options (Mixtral 8x7B, Claude Instant, Llama 2 13B)
17. No chat recording or user data retention [0]

18. **Microsoft Copilot/Bing**

19. $20/month for Copilot Pro

20. $30/month for commercial use

21. Includes citations and source links
22. Integrates with Microsoft 365 suite
23. Real-time Bing search integration [0]

### Additional Providers

1. **Phind**

2. $20/month for Pro

3. Specialized for technical and programming queries

4. Includes multiple AI model access
5. Real-time web search capabilities [0]

6. **Perplexity.ai**

7. Not explicitly stated in results, but offers search capabilities

8. Known for research and citation features

9. Real-time information retrieval [0]

### Key Considerations

1. **Privacy Features**

2. Brave and DuckDuckGo focus on privacy

3. Some providers like Brave don't store user data

4. Different levels of data collection across providers [0]

5. **Integration Capabilities**

6. Microsoft Copilot offers deep Microsoft 365 integration

7. Exa provides developer API access

8. You.com includes content creation tool integration [0]

9. **Search Quality**

10. Different providers use various search backends

11. Some use Google (You.com), others like Bing (Microsoft)

12. Quality and freshness of results vary [0]

### Best Practices

1. **Choose Based on Use Case**

2. Research: Exa or Perplexity

3. Privacy: Brave or DuckDuckGo

4. Enterprise: Microsoft Copilot
5. Development: Phind or Exa [0]

6. **Consider Pricing Structure**

7. Most professional services range from $14.99 to $50 per month

8. Enterprise pricing typically higher

9. Some offer free tiers with limitations [0]

10. **Evaluate Additional Features**

11. API access availability

12. Integration capabilities

13. Privacy features
14. Real-time data access [0]

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# Google DR

This report provides a detailed comparison of pricing and terms for various web search APIs, including Google Search API, Brave Search, Exa, Phind, You.com, Perplexity.ai, DuckDuckGo, Bing Search, and other providers. The analysis is based on extensive information gathered from the respective providers' websites and documentation, as well as reviews and comparisons from industry sources.

## **Google Search API**

Google offers the Custom Search JSON API for developers to programmatically access search results from the Programmable Search Engine. With this API, developers can send search queries and receive results without directly accessing Google's search engine1\. The API employs RESTful requests and returns results in JSON format1.

**Pricing:** 2

- Free tier: 100 search queries per day.
- Paid tier: $5 per 1000 queries, up to 10, 000 queries per day after the free tier is exhausted.

**Terms:**

- The terms of service for the Google Search Custom API are available on the Google Developers website2.

## **Brave Search API**

Brave Search API allows developers to integrate Brave Search's independent search index into their applications. Brave Search is one of the few independent global search providers and is the fastest growing since Bing3\. Unlike other search engines that may rely on third-party providers, Brave Search uses its own index, which is consistently refreshed with new data3\. This gives Brave Search a unique advantage in terms of data privacy and unbiased results3\. The API offers specialized searches beyond just web pages, allowing developers to access images, videos, news, and more3.

**Pricing:** 3

Brave Search API offers various pricing plans depending on usage and features:

Plan    | Queries/month | Queries/second | Price   | Features
:------ | :------------ | :------------- | :------ | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free    | 2, 000        | 1              | Free    | Web search, Images, Videos, News, Goggles, Schema enriched web results, Discussions, Infobox, FAQ, Locations, Summarizer
Base    | 20M           | 20             | $3 CPM  | Web search, Images, Videos, News, Goggles, Schema enriched web results, Discussions, Infobox, FAQ, Locations
Pro     | Unlimited     | 50             | $5 CPM  | Web search, Images, Videos, News, Goggles, Schema enriched web results, Discussions, Infobox, FAQ, Locations
Base AI | 20M           | 20             | $5 CPM  | Web search, Goggles, news Cluster, videos cluster, Extra alternate snippets for AI
Pro AI  | Unlimited     | 50             | $9 CPM  | Web search, Goggles, news cluster, videos cluster, schema-enriched Web results, infobox, FAQ, Discussions, locations, Extra alternate snippets for AI
Base+   | 20M           | 20             | $26 CPM | Web search, Goggles, news cluster, videos cluster, Extra alternate snippets for AI
Pro+    | Unlimited     | 50             | $45 CPM | Web search, Goggles, news cluster, videos cluster, schema-enriched Web results, infobox, FAQ, Discussions, locations, Extra alternate snippets for AI

Autosuggest & Spellcheck: 3

- Free: 5 queries/second, up to 5, 000 queries/month.
- Pro: 100 queries/second, no monthly limit.

**Terms:**

- Brave Search API access is significantly cheaper than the Bing API6.
- Users can sign up for free and try the API, then choose the right plan once they assess the API's capabilities3.

## **Exa Search API**

Exa (formerly Metaphor Search) is a search engine designed for use by Large Language Models (LLMs)7\. Unlike keyword-based search engines like Google, Exa uses neural search capabilities to understand the meaning behind search queries and return more relevant results7\. For example, a search for "fascinating article about cats" on Google might return SEO-optimized listicles based on the keyword "fascinating, " while Exa would return articles that are actually about cats7.

**Pricing:** 8

- Free: $10 in free credits to get started.
- Direct answers backed by citations: $5 per query for both Exa and Exa-Pro models.

**Terms:** 9

- Exa offers a free trial with over 1000 requests per month.

## **Phind Search API**

Phind is an AI-powered search engine that provides answers, explanations, and examples for technical questions10\. It offers a Visual Studio Code extension for seamless integration into development workflows10.

**Pricing:** 10

- Free: Unlimited Phind-70B searches, 500+ daily GPT-4o uses, 500+ daily Claude 3.5 Sonnet uses, 10 daily Claude Opus uses.
- Pro Monthly: $20/month for unlimited Phind-70B searches, 500+ daily GPT-4o uses, 500+ daily Claude 3.5 Sonnet uses, 10 daily Claude Opus uses, multi-query search mode, image analysis with GPT-4, 32, 000 context length, data exclusion from training by opt-out, and the ability to run and test code in-browser.
- Pro Yearly: $17/month for the same features as Pro Monthly.
- Business: $40/month per user for the same features as Pro Monthly.

**Terms:**

No information available.

## **You.com Search API**

You.com is an AI-powered search engine that offers a personalized and efficient browsing experience11\. It prioritizes user control, allowing individuals to customize their search preferences and filter results based on their needs11.

**Pricing:** 12

- Free: Limited basic queries, real-time answers powered by live web search.
- Plus: $15/month for access to all AI models, including GPT-4o, OpenAI o1, and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, file uploads and GDrive integration up to 25MB per query, up to 64k context window, and access to Research and Custom Agents.
- Pro: $25/month for unlimited queries, including all AI models and Research and Custom Agents, unlimited file uploads and GDrive integration up to 50MB per query, up to 200k context window, zero data retention, and no-training for models.
- Team: $25/month per user for everything in Pro.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for everything in Team, plus a dedicated account team and prioritized support, fine-grained control over permissions and access, and secure access to all your data from 100KB to 100TB+ with Private RAG.

**Terms:**

- You.com offers a free trial for up to 1, 000 monthly calls13.

## **Perplexity.ai API**

Perplexity.ai is an AI-powered search engine that provides accurate and detailed answers to complex questions14\. It uses multiple sources to ensure reliability, minimize bias, and offer a broad perspective14.

**Pricing:** 15

- Input tokens: $3/1M tokens.
- Search queries: $5/1000 searches.
- Output tokens: $15/1M tokens.

**Terms:**

- Perplexity Pro subscribers receive $5 in monthly credits16.

## **DuckDuckGo API**

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that does not track users or collect personal data17\. It offers unbiased search results and prioritizes user privacy17.

**Pricing:** 18

- DuckDuckGo Search, browser extensions, and DuckDuckGo Private Browser are free.
- Privacy Pro: $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year.

**Terms:** 19

- DuckDuckGo has a strict no-logging policy.
- They use encryption and firewalls to protect user data.

## **Bing Search API**

The Bing Search API lets you add Bing search options to your app20\. It allows developers to access web, image, video, and news results, as well as related search and spelling suggestions20.

**Pricing:** 20

- Standard Pricing: Pay-as-you-go pricing for S1-S9 tiers.
- High Volume Pricing: For S10+ tiers.
- Enterprise Pricing: Custom pricing for high-volume users.

**Terms:** 20

- Bing offers a free trial for prototyping21.

## **Other Web Search API Providers**

In addition to the APIs mentioned above, several other providers offer web search APIs with varying features and pricing models. These include:

- **SerpDog API:** An all-inclusive SERP API that handles search engine tasks with one tool22.
- **SerpAPI:** A real-time SERP API that delivers structured data from various search engines, including Google Search, Google Shopping, Google Lens, YouTube, Amazon, and more22.
- **SEMrush API:** A robust set of features for SEO analysis, including backlink analysis, deep domain reports, competitor research, historical data tracking, and position tracking23.
- **Ahrefs API:** Offers similar SEO analysis tools to SEMrush, with additional features like anchor text analysis and historical refdomains data23.
- **Moz API:** Provides domain reports, keyword research, domain authority, competitor analysis, and information on anchor text and inbound and outbound links23.
- **SerpWow API:** Can query Bing, Yahoo, Baidu, and Yandex, and retrieve real-time data from Amazon and eBay23.
- **Scrapingdog API:** Offers dedicated endpoints for Amazon, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and allows populating a database using a Webhook URL23.
- **DataForSEO API:** Works with numerous search engines and has specialized search functions23.
- **ScaleSERP API:** Offers SEO tools with batch support and webhook integration23.

## **Comparison and Analysis**

When choosing a web search API, several factors should be considered, including:

- **Pricing:** The cost of API calls can vary significantly between providers. Some offer free tiers for limited usage, while others have pay-as-you-go or subscription-based models.
- **Features:** Different APIs offer different features, such as specialized searches, AI capabilities, and data parsing options.
- **Speed:** The response time of the API can be crucial for certain applications.
- **Accuracy:** The accuracy of the search results is essential for reliable information retrieval.
- **Data privacy:** Some APIs prioritize user privacy and do not track or collect personal data.

Based on the research conducted, here's a summary of the pros and cons of each API:

API Provider       | Pricing Model               | Key Features                                    | Pros                                          | Cons
:----------------- | :-------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------- | :-----------------------------------
Google Search API  | Free and paid tiers         | RESTful requests, JSON responses                | Established provider, customizable search     | Limited queries per day
Brave Search API   | Free and paid tiers         | Independent search index, AI summarizer         | Privacy-focused, affordable                   | Limited features in lower tiers
Exa Search API     | Free trial and paid queries | Neural search, LLM-optimized                    | Understands natural language                  | Limited information on terms
Phind Search API   | Free and paid tiers         | VS Code extension, code generation              | Developer-focused, extensive documentation    | No API pricing information available
You.com Search API | Free and paid tiers         | Personalized search, AI agents                  | Customizable, supports various LLMs           | No API pricing information available
Perplexity.ai API  | Pay-as-you-go               | Accurate answers, source citations              | Reliable, transparent                         | Can be expensive for high usage
DuckDuckGo API     | Free and paid tiers         | Privacy-focused, unbiased results               | No tracking or data collection                | Limited API documentation
Bing Search API    | Free trial and paid tiers   | Comprehensive search options, statistics add-in | Established provider, various pricing options | Can be expensive for high usage

## **Conclusion**

This report has provided a comprehensive overview of the pricing and terms of various web search APIs. The choice of API will depend on the specific needs and priorities of the user. For those who prioritize privacy, Brave Search and DuckDuckGo are excellent options. For developers who need an API that understands natural language, Exa is a strong contender. For those who require accurate and detailed answers, Perplexity.ai is a good choice. And for those who need a comprehensive suite of SEO tools, SEMrush and Ahrefs are worth considering. By carefully evaluating the different options, users can choose the API that best meets their requirements.

### **Works cited**

1\. Google Search API: Everything You Need To Know - Medium, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://medium.com/@TerryFrederick/google-search-api-everything-you-need-to-know-fd1e24cfca45><br>
2\. Custom Search JSON API | Programmable Search Engine | Google ..., accessed February 20, 2025, <https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview><br>
3\. Brave Search API, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://brave.com/search/api/><br>
4\. Brave Releases its Search API - Thurrott.com, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/web-browsers/283850/brave-releases-its-search-api><br>
5\. Brave releases its Search API, bringing independence and competition to the search landscape, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://brave.com/blog/search-api-launch/><br>
6\. Brave Search API vs the Bing API, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://brave.com/ai/brave-search-api-vs-bing-api/><br>
7\. Exa Search - ️ LangChain, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://python.langchain.com/v0.1/docs/integrations/tools/exa_search/><br>
8\. Pricing - Exa | Web API for AI, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://exa.ai/pricing><br>
9\. Exa: AI-Powered Search Engine for Intuitive and Efficient Web Exploration | Deepgram, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://deepgram.com/ai-apps/exa><br>
10\. Phind Features, Pricing, and Alternatives | AI Tools, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://aitools.inc/tools/phind><br>
11\. You.com's APIs make LLMs and search experiences more factual and up to date with real-time web data, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://you.com/business/api><br>
12\. Plans | You.com, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://you.com/plans><br>
13\. YOU API Frequently Asked Questions | LLM Search FAQs, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://api.you.com/faq><br>
14\. Perplexity AI Review: Ditch Google & ChatGPT For Good?, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://www.unite.ai/perplexity-ai-review/><br>
15\. Pricing - Perplexity, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://docs.perplexity.ai/guides/pricing><br>
16\. What is the API? - Perplexity, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/faq/pplx-api><br>
17\. DuckDuckGo API - APImetrics API Directory - key data on 300+ top providers, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://apicontext.com/api-directory/search/duckduckgo/><br>
18\. How much does DuckDuckGo cost?, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/get-duckduckgo/how-much-does-duckduckgo-cost/><br>
19\. DuckDuckGo Terms of Service, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://duckduckgo.com/terms><br>
20\. Web Search API | Microsoft Bing, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/apis/bing-web-search-api><br>
21\. document - Bing, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://www.bing.com/webmaster/content/developers/ADM_MIGRATION_GUIDE.docx><br>
22\. Top 14 Google Search APIs to Access Search Results - Smacient, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://smacient.com/top-google-search-engine-apis-3/><br>
23\. 10 Search Engine Results Page (SERP) APIs | Nordic APIs |, accessed February 20, 2025, <https://nordicapis.com/10-search-engine-results-page-serp-apis/>

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> # Grok 3

### Key Points

- For web search APIs, Brave and Exa offer the lowest cost at $0.0025 per query for keyword searches, with free tiers up to 5, 000 queries monthly.
- Google's API costs $0.005 per query after a free 100 queries daily, while Bing's price increased to $0.01 per query.
- Some APIs, like You.com, have unclear pricing, and others like DuckDuckGo lack full search capabilities officially.

### Overview

When choosing a web search API, consider cost, features, and suitability for your needs. Brave and Exa stand out for their low cost and privacy focus, while Google offers reliability at a higher price. Bing's recent price hike makes it less competitive, and some providers like You.com require further pricing details.

#### Cost Comparison

Here's a quick look at the pricing for popular web search APIs:

- **Brave and Exa**: Start at $0.0025 per query for keyword searches, with free tiers.
- **Google**: $0.005 per query after 100 free daily queries.
- **Bing**: Now $0.01 per query after a significant price increase.
- **You.com and Phind**: Pricing unclear or developer-focused, respectively.

#### Features and Suitability

- Brave and Exa offer semantic and keyword search options, ideal for privacy-conscious users.
- Google's API is customizable and widely used, suitable for branded searches.
- Bing provides comprehensive results but at a higher cost post-increase.
- DuckDuckGo lacks a full search API officially, and Yandex/Baidu rely on third-party options.

#### Surprising Detail: Bing's Price Surge

It's surprising that Bing's API cost jumped to $0.01 per query, a 10x increase, making it less competitive compared to newer options like Brave and Exa.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

### Detailed Survey Note: Web Search API Comparison

This survey note provides a comprehensive analysis of web search APIs, comparing pricing, terms, and features across multiple providers to assist in selecting the most suitable option for integration into applications. The analysis covers Google, Brave, Exa, Phind, You.com, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yandex, and Baidu, focusing on their capabilities for general web searches.

#### Methodology

The evaluation involved researching official documentation, pricing pages, and third-party insights to gather exact pricing and terms. Each API's free tier, paid pricing structure, per-query cost, and additional features were analyzed to provide a holistic view. The focus was on APIs offering general web search functionality, excluding those limited to specific niches like developer-focused or instant answers.

#### Provider Analysis

##### Google Custom Search API

- **Pricing Structure**: Offers a free tier of 100 queries per day. Paid tier costs $5 per 1000 queries, with a daily limit of 10, 000 queries.
- **Per Query Cost**: $0.005 for paid queries, calculated as $5/1000.
- **Features**: Highly customizable, allows branding, and provides comprehensive search results. Suitable for applications needing branded search experiences.
- **Terms**: Official Google API, reliable with extensive documentation. Usage is subject to Google's terms, including potential daily limits.
- **Source**: [Custom Search JSON API overview](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview)

##### Brave Search API

- **Pricing Structure**: Free tier ranges from 2, 000 to 5, 000 queries per month. Paid tiers vary by search type and results:

  - Auto/Neural (1-25 results): $5 per 1000 queries
  - Auto/Neural (26-100 results): $25 per 1000 queries
  - Keyword (any results): $2.5 per 1000 queries

- **Per Query Cost**:

  - Auto/Neural (1-25 results): $0.005
  - Auto/Neural (26-100 results): $0.025
  - Keyword: $0.0025

- **Features**: Independent index, privacy-focused, offers semantic (Auto/Neural) and traditional (Keyword) search options. Ideal for applications prioritizing user privacy.

- **Terms**: Official API from Brave, known for no profiling, with documentation available at [Brave Search API pricing](https://api.search.brave.com/app/pricing).
- **Notes**: The cost increases with more results for Auto/Neural, but Keyword remains cost-effective at $0.0025 per query.

##### Exa Search API

- **Pricing Structure**: Similar to Brave, with a pay-as-you-go model. Starts with $10 in free credits, no credit card required.
- **Paid Tiers**:

  - Search (per 1k requests):

    - Auto: $5 (1-25 results), $25 (26-100 results)
    - Neural: $5 (1-25 results), $25 (26-100 results)
    - Keyword: $2.5 (1-25 and 26-100 results)

  - Contents (per 1k pages): Text, Highlights, Summary at $1 each

  - Answer (per 1k answers): $5

- **Per Query Cost**: Matches Brave for search types, with Keyword at $0.0025 per query.

- **Features**: AI-powered, uses embeddings for semantic search, designed for LLMs. Offers additional content retrieval options like summaries.
- **Terms**: Official API from Exa, focused on AI applications, with custom plans for high volume. Documentation and pricing at [Exa pricing](https://exa.ai/pricing).
- **Notes**: Discounts available for startups and education, contact required for custom pricing.

##### Phind API

- **Pricing Structure**: Unofficial API available on RapidAPI. Free tier of 50 monthly requests, Pro package at $25/month for 10, 000 requests.
- **Per Query Cost**: $0.0025, calculated as $25/10, 000.
- **Features**: Developer-focused search engine, combines web results with AI for coding queries. May have limited general web search capabilities.
- **Terms**: Not an official API, potentially less reliable for general searches. Documentation via [Phind API on RapidAPI](https://rapidapi.com/umgbhallaphind-search).
- **Notes**: Suitable for developer applications, but not ideal for broad web searches due to its niche focus.

##### You.com API (Sonar)

- **Pricing Structure**: Pricing not explicitly stated in public documentation, claimed to be the cheapest AI search API.
- **Per Query Cost**: Unclear, requires contacting api@you.com for details.
- **Features**: AI-powered search for LLMs, provides real-time web access with extensive snippets. Designed for chatbot and LLM integration.
- **Terms**: Official API from You.com, with documentation at [You.com API documentation](https://documentation.you.com/welcome). May require enterprise agreements for pricing.
- **Notes**: Lack of clear pricing makes comparison challenging, but positioned as cost-effective for AI applications.

##### Bing Search API

- **Pricing Structure**: Paid tier post-increase (effective May 1, 2023) at $10 per 1000 transactions, following a 10x price hike from previous rates.
- **Per Query Cost**: $0.01, based on transaction definition as successful API calls.
- **Features**: Comprehensive search results including web, images, news, and videos. Part of Microsoft's ecosystem, with local customization options.
- **Terms**: Official API from Microsoft, with detailed documentation. Recent price surge noted in [Bing API pricing update](https://www.ghacks.net/2023/02/17/microsoft-increases-bing-search-api-pricing-by-up-to-1000/).
- **Notes**: Significant price increase makes it less competitive, previously at $0.001 per query.

##### DuckDuckGo API

- **Pricing Structure**: No official full search API; Instant Answer API available, not suitable for general web search results.
- **Per Query Cost**: Not applicable for full search, third-party APIs like SerpApi offer access but with separate pricing.
- **Features**: Privacy-focused, provides instant answers, not comprehensive search results. Third-party options at [DuckDuckGo Search API by SerpApi](https://serpapi.com/duckduckgo-search-api).
- **Terms**: Official API limited to instant answers, no full syndication rights. Third-party APIs may have additional costs and terms.

##### Yandex and Baidu

- **Pricing Structure**: No official APIs for general web search. Third-party services like SerpApi provide access, with pricing varying by provider.
- **Per Query Cost**: Not applicable officially, third-party costs depend on service (e.g., SerpApi at [Yandex Search API](https://serpapi.com/yandex-search-api)).
- **Features**: Regional search engines, Yandex for Russia, Baidu for China. Limited global relevance, third-party APIs scrape results.
- **Terms**: No official APIs, reliance on third-party scraping may have legal and reliability issues.

#### Comparative Analysis

To facilitate comparison, the following table summarizes key metrics:

Provider     | Free Tier                   | Paid Tier (Per Query Cost) | Key Features
------------ | --------------------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------------------------
Google       | 100 queries/day             | $0.005                     | Customizable, branded, comprehensive
Brave        | 2, 000-5, 000 queries/month | $0.0025 (Keyword)          | Privacy-focused, semantic options
Exa          | $10 free credits            | $0.0025 (Keyword)          | AI-powered, LLM-friendly
Phind        | 50 queries/month            | $0.0025                    | Developer-focused, limited web search
You.com      | Not clear                   | Not clear                  | AI for LLMs, real-time web access
Bing         | None                        | $0.01                      | Comprehensive, Microsoft-backed
DuckDuckGo   | No full search API          | N/A                        | Privacy-focused, instant answers only
Yandex/Baidu | No official API             | Third-party variable       | Regional, third-party scraping options

#### Discussion

For general web search APIs, Brave and Exa emerge as cost-effective options with Keyword search at $0.0025 per query, significantly lower than Google's $0.005 and Bing's post-increase $0.01\. Both offer free tiers, making them accessible for initial testing. Their privacy focus (Brave) and AI capabilities (Exa) add value, particularly for applications needing semantic search or LLM integration.

Google's API, while reliable and widely used, is more expensive, suitable for applications requiring branding and extensive customization. Bing's recent 10x price increase to $0.01 per query, as noted in [Microsoft's pricing update](https://www.ghacks.net/2023/02/17/microsoft-increases-bing-search-api-pricing-by-up-to-1000/), reduces its competitiveness. You.com's pricing remains unclear, requiring direct inquiry, which may delay decision-making.

Phind, at $0.0025 per query, is the cheapest but developer-focused, potentially limiting its use for general web searches. DuckDuckGo's lack of a full search API officially, and reliance on third-party options, makes it less viable. Yandex and Baidu, without official APIs, depend on third-party scraping, which may pose legal and reliability concerns.

#### Recommendations

Users should prioritize Brave or Exa for cost-effective, privacy-focused, and feature-rich options, especially for keyword searches at $0.0025 per query. Google is recommended for reliability and branding needs, despite higher costs. For high-volume applications, contact You.com for pricing, and note Bing's increased cost. Consider application-specific needs, such as semantic search (Exa, Brave Auto/Neural) or developer focus (Phind).

#### Key Citations

- [Custom Search JSON API overview](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview)
- [Brave Search API pricing](https://api.search.brave.com/app/pricing)
- [Exa pricing](https://exa.ai/pricing)
- [Phind API on RapidAPI](https://rapidapi.com/umgbhallaphind-search)
- [You.com API documentation](https://documentation.you.com/welcome)
- [Bing API pricing update](https://www.ghacks.net/2023/02/17/microsoft-increases-bing-search-api-pricing-by-up-to-1000/)
- [DuckDuckGo Search API by SerpApi](https://serpapi.com/duckduckgo-search-api)
- [Yandex Search API](https://serpapi.com/yandex-search-api)
