# Web Search API Writeups Review

## o3 mini ⭐⭐⭐
A decent tabular comparison that gets straight to the point. The formatting is clean and the data is well-organized. However, it lacks depth in the analysis and misses some crucial pricing details. The "Final Thoughts" section feels a bit superficial. Props for including privacy considerations though.

## Perplexity ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A solid, well-structured analysis with good attention to detail on pricing tiers. The summary table is particularly useful. Loses a star for some redundant information and overly formal language. The citations are a nice touch, even if they're mostly just numbered placeholders.

## Phind ⭐⭐
Started strong with key points but quickly devolved into bullet point hell. The formatting is inconsistent and there's significant repetition. While it contains useful information, the presentation is messy and hard to follow. At least it tried to highlight surprising details about Bing's price surge.

## Google DR ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The most comprehensive and well-researched analysis of the bunch. Excellent structure, detailed pricing breakdowns, and thoughtful comparisons. The methodology section adds credibility, and the citations are properly formatted. Could be shorter, but if you want the full picture, this is your guy.

## Grok 3 ⭐⭐⭐½
A concise analysis that gets to the point quickly. Good focus on cost comparison and key features. The "Surprising Detail" about Bing's price increase is well-highlighted. Loses points for being a bit too brief and missing some important details about terms and conditions.

## TLDR: The Best Combined Analysis
### Pricing Comparison
| Provider    | Cost per Query | Notes                                    |
|-------------|----------------|------------------------------------------|
| Brave/Exa   | $0.0025       | Most cost-effective for keyword search   |
| Google      | $0.005        | Standard rate after free tier            |
| Bing        | $0.01         | Premium pricing tier                     |
| DuckDuckGo  | N/A           | Instant answers API only                 |

*Prices current as of review date. Subject to change based on provider updates.*

### Best For:
- General Purpose: Google (expensive but reliable)
- Privacy Focus: Brave (independent index)
- AI/LLM Integration: Exa (semantic search)
- Developer Tools: Phind (technical focus)
- Enterprise: Microsoft/Bing (if you're made of money)

### Free Tiers:
- Google: 100 queries/day
- Brave: 2,000-5,000 queries/month
- Exa: $10 credit
- Others: Various limited offerings

### Key Takeaways:
1. The market is shifting toward AI-enhanced search APIs
2. Privacy-focused options are becoming more competitive
3. Traditional players (Google, Bing) are generally more expensive
4. Most APIs now offer semantic search capabilities
5. Watch out for hidden costs in result limits and feature tiers

### Pro Tips:
- Start with Brave or Exa for cost-effective testing
- Use Google if you need reliable, branded search
- Avoid Bing unless you really need Microsoft ecosystem integration
- Consider hybrid approaches (different APIs for different needs)
- Read the fine print on rate limits and result counts