### Key Points

- Research suggests You.com API costs around $8 to $8.50 for 1000 searches, depending on the plan.
- It seems likely that Brave API offers the lowest cost at $3 for 1000 searches with the Base plan.
- The evidence leans toward HasData being the cheapest at $0.99 for 1000 searches (prorated), but it's a web scraping API, not a traditional search API, which might be unexpected for users expecting direct search functionality.
- Costs for other APIs like Tavily, SerpAPI, Sonar Perplexity, and Critique vary, with some plans having fixed monthly fees that affect the cost for 1000 searches.

---

### Costs for 1000 Searches

Below is a breakdown of the costs for 1000 searches for each API, based on the available plans and pricing models. Note that some costs are prorated for comparison, while others reflect the actual monthly fee if 1000 searches are within the plan's limit.

- **You.com API**:

  - Explorer AI: $8.50 (prorated, $100/month for 11, 765 calls).
  - Discoverer AI: $8.00 (prorated, $250/month for 31, 250 calls).
  - To perform 1000 searches, you’d likely choose Explorer AI, costing $100 monthly, but for comparison, the per-search cost is used.

- **Brave API**:

  - Free: $0 for up to 2, 000 requests/month, so 1000 searches cost $0 if within limit.
  - Base: $3.00 for 1000 requests (pay-per-use, $3 per 1, 000 requests).
  - Pro: $5.00 for 1000 requests (pay-per-use, $5 per 1, 000 requests).
  - The Base plan is the most cost-effective at $3 for 1000 searches.

- **Tavily API**:

  - Free: $0 for up to 1, 000 credits/month, so 1000 searches cost $0 if within limit.
  - Pay As You Go: $8.00 for 1000 searches ($0.008 per credit, each search is one credit).
  - Bootstrap: $6.67 for 1000 searches (prorated, $100/month for 15, 000 credits, effectively $0.00667 per search), but actual cost is $100 monthly for up to 15, 000 searches.
  - For 1000 searches, Pay As You Go at $8 is more cost-effective than the $100 monthly fee for Bootstrap.

- **SerpAPI**:

  - Developer: $15.00 for 1000 searches (prorated, $75/month for 5, 000 searches).
  - Production: $10.00 for 1000 searches (prorated, $150/month for 15, 000 searches).
  - To do 1000 searches, you pay $75 for Developer or $150 for Production monthly, so costs are $75 or $150, respectively, but prorated for comparison.

- **Sonar Perplexity**:

  - All models list $5.00 for 1000 searches as the search cost, but this likely excludes token costs (input, reasoning, output), which can add significant expense based on usage. Actual cost could be higher, estimated around $5 to $10+ depending on token usage.

- **HasData**:

  - Startup: $2.45 for 1000 searches (prorated, $49/month for 200, 000 credits, 10 credits per search).
  - Business: $0.99 for 1000 searches (prorated, $99/month for 1, 000, 000 credits, 10 credits per search).
  - Note: HasData is a web scraping API, not a traditional search API, which might be unexpected for users. Actual monthly cost is $49 or $99, respectively, for the plans.

- **Critique API**:
  - Pro plan has no monthly fee but usage costs $0.50 per million tokens. Cost for 1000 searches is variable, estimated $0.50 to $5 based on assumed token usage (e.g., 1, 000 to 10, 000 tokens per search), but exact cost depends on actual usage and is hard to quantify without specifics.

---

### Unexpected Detail

An unexpected detail is that HasData, at $0.99 for 1000 searches (prorated), is the cheapest option, but it's primarily for web scraping, not direct search queries, which might not meet expectations for users seeking traditional search APIs like Google or Bing results.

---

---

### Comprehensive Analysis of Search/SERP API Pricing Models in Traditional and LLM-Enabled Services

This analysis, conducted as of 03:54 PM PST on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, provides a detailed examination of the pricing structures for various Search/SERP APIs, both traditional and LLM-enabled, focusing on the cost for 1000 searches. The report aims to assist developers and businesses in understanding cost implications, feature differentiation, and suitability for different use cases, ensuring a thorough comparison across twelve major providers.

#### API Overview and Pricing Models

The APIs under consideration include You.com API, Brave API, Tavily API, SerpAPI, Sonar Perplexity, HasData, and Critique API. Each offers unique functionalities, with pricing based on calls, requests, credits, or tokens, reflecting their approach to search and data retrieval.

##### You.com API

You.com API is designed for AI-powered search, providing access to search and news endpoints. The pricing plans are as follows:

- **Trial AI**: Offers 1, 000 calls per month for 60 days at no cost, ideal for initial testing. For 1000 searches, the cost is $0, but only for the trial period.
- **Explorer AI**: Costs $100 per month for 11, 765 calls, translating to approximately $0.0085 per call. For 1000 searches, the prorated cost is $8.50, but to perform 1000 searches, you pay $100 monthly, as it's a fixed fee for up to 11, 765 calls.
- **Discoverer AI**: Priced at $250 per month for 31, 250 calls, approximately $0.008 per call. For 1000 searches, the prorated cost is $8.00, but the monthly fee is $250 for up to 31, 250 calls.

A "call" here likely refers to a search query, given the context of search endpoints. This API is LLM-enabled, focusing on delivering factual and up-to-date information with citations, making it suitable for applications requiring advanced search capabilities. For comparison, the cost for 1000 searches is $100 for Explorer AI or $250 for Discoverer AI, but prorated costs are $8.50 and $8.00, respectively.

##### Brave API

Brave API offers a traditional search engine API with the following plans:

- **Free**: Allows 1 request per second, up to 2, 000 requests per month at $0, requiring a credit card via Stripe. For 1000 searches, the cost is $0 if within the 2, 000 request limit.
- **Base**: Costs $3.00 per 1, 000 requests, with a rate of 20 requests per second and a monthly limit of 20, 000, 000 requests. This equates to $0.003 per request, so for 1000 searches, the cost is $3.00.
- **Pro**: Priced at $5.00 per 1, 000 requests, with 50 requests per second and unlimited requests, equating to $0.005 per request, so for 1000 searches, the cost is $5.00.

The Base plan is cost-effective for high-volume traditional search needs at $3 for 1000 searches, while the Pro plan offers higher throughput for unlimited usage at $5. The Free plan is $0 for up to 2, 000 requests, making it viable for low-volume users.

##### Tavily API

Tavily API is optimized for AI agents, providing real-time, accurate, and factual search results. Its pricing structure is credit-based:

- **Free**: Provides 1, 000 API credits per month, no credit card required, suitable for testing. For 1000 searches, the cost is $0, but only for up to 1, 000 credits, assuming each search is one credit.
- **Pay As You Go**: Costs $0.008 per credit, flexible for variable usage. Assuming each search is one credit, for 1000 searches, the cost is $8.00.
- **Bootstrap**: Fixed at $100 per month for 15, 000 API credits, approximately $0.00667 per credit. For 1000 searches, the prorated cost is $6.67, but the actual monthly fee is $100 for up to 15, 000 credits, so for 1000 searches, the cost is $100 if subscribed to this plan.

An API credit likely corresponds to a search query, with costs varying by search depth and extraction needs. This makes Tavily suitable for LLM integrations, with Pay As You Go at $8 for 1000 searches being more cost-effective than the $100 monthly fee for Bootstrap for low volumes.

##### SerpAPI

SerpAPI focuses on accessing search results from engines like Google, with clear search-based pricing:

- **Developer**: $75 per month for 5, 000 searches, equating to $0.015 per search. For 1000 searches, the prorated cost is $15.00, but to perform 1000 searches, you pay $75 monthly for up to 5, 000 searches, so the cost is $75.
- **Production**: $150 per month for 15, 000 searches, equating to $0.01 per search. For 1000 searches, the prorated cost is $10.00, but the monthly fee is $150 for up to 15, 000 searches, so the cost is $150.

Additional options include Regular Speed (no extra cost), Ludicrous Speed (+$75/month for Developer, +$150/month for Production), and Ludicrous Speed Max (+$225/month for Developer, +$450/month for Production), likely enhancing response times. This API is traditional, ideal for scraping search engine results with structured data. For 1000 searches, costs are $75 for Developer or $150 for Production, but prorated at $15 and $10, respectively.

##### Sonar Perplexity

Sonar Perplexity, from Perplexity AI, offers an LLM-enabled search API with a complex pricing model based on tokens and searches:

- For all models (Sonar, Sonar Deep Research, etc.), the table lists "Price per 1000 searches" as $5, which is the search cost. However, the detailed pricing includes input tokens ($1-$3 per million), reasoning tokens ($3 per million for Deep Research), output tokens ($1-$15 per million), and searches at $5 per 1, 000 searches.
- A typical request might do 30 searches costing $0.15 for searches, with token costs adding to the total. Estimating, for 1000 searches, if each request does 30 searches, it's about 33.33 requests, and total cost includes token usage, which can vary. The search cost alone is $5 for 1000 searches, but actual cost could be $5 to $10+ depending on token usage (e.g., input 100 tokens, reasoning 150, output 200 per search, leading to higher costs).

This API is designed for real-time, fact-based search, with flexibility for complex queries. For 1000 searches, the cost is at least $5 for searches, with additional token costs making the total likely higher.

##### HasData

HasData is primarily a web scraping API, with pricing based on credits:

- **Startup**: $49 per month for 200, 000 API credits, 15 concurrent requests. Each search costs 10 credits, so 200, 000 credits allow 20, 000 searches. For 1000 searches (10, 000 credits), the prorated cost is $2.45 ($49/200, 000 \* 10, 000), but the actual monthly cost is $49 for up to 20, 000 searches.
- **Business**: $99 per month for 1, 000, 000 API credits, 30 concurrent requests. Each search costs 10 credits, so 1, 000, 000 credits allow 100, 000 searches. For 1000 searches (10, 000 credits), the prorated cost is $0.99 ($99/1, 000, 000 \* 10, 000), but the actual monthly cost is $99 for up to 100, 000 searches.

Credit consumption varies by result type, but for comparison, for 1000 searches, the prorated costs are $2.45 for Startup and $0.99 for Business. However, actual cost is $49 or $99 monthly, respectively, making it $49 or $99 for 1000 searches if subscribed. Note: HasData is not a traditional search API, focusing on extracting data from websites, which might surprise users expecting direct search functionality.

##### Critique API

Critique API appears to be a platform for publishing and using APIs, with pricing:

- **Starter**: Free, 10 API calls per minute, no token limit, includes streaming search endpoint. For 1000 searches, cost is $0 if within rate limits.
- **Pro**: $0.00 per month (usage costs only), 100 API calls per minute, $0.50 per million tokens total, with priority support and websocket streaming. Given the streaming search endpoint, it may offer search capabilities, but details on what constitutes an "API call" or "token" are unclear. Assuming each search uses tokens, for 1000 searches, if each uses 1, 000 to 10, 000 tokens, total tokens are 1, 000, 000 to 10, 000, 000, costing $0.50 to $5, respectively. Exact cost depends on usage and is hard to quantify without specifics.

#### Comparative Analysis

To compare, we standardize costs for 1000 searches, noting both prorated costs for comparison and actual costs if subscribed to plans:

| API Provider | Plan | Cost for 1000 Searches (Prorated) | Actual Cost for 1000 Searches (If Within Plan) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| You.com API | Explorer AI | $8.50 | $100 (monthly fee for 11, 765 calls) |
| You.com API | Discoverer AI | $8.00 | $250 (monthly fee for 31, 250 calls) |
| Brave API | Free | $0.00 (up to 2, 000 requests) | $0 (if within limit) |
| Brave API | Base | $3.00 | $3 (pay-per-use) |
| Brave API | Pro | $5.00 | $5 (pay-per-use) |
| Tavily API | Free | $0.00 (up to 1, 000 credits) | $0 (if within limit) |
| Tavily API | Pay As You Go | $8.00 | $8 (pay-per-use) |
| Tavily API | Bootstrap | $6.67 | $100 (monthly fee for 15, 000 credits) |
| SerpAPI | Developer | $15.00 | $75 (monthly fee for 5, 000 searches) |
| SerpAPI | Production | $10.00 | $150 (monthly fee for 15, 000 searches) |
| Sonar Perplexity | Any | $5.00 (search cost only) | $5+ (includes token costs, estimated $5-$10+) |
| HasData | Startup | $2.45 | $49 (monthly fee for 20, 000 searches) |
| HasData | Business | $0.99 | $99 (monthly fee for 100, 000 searches) |
| Critique API | Pro | $0.50-$5 (estimated, token-based) | Variable (depends on token usage) |

#### Considerations and Recommendations

- **Traditional Search Needs**: For cost efficiency, Brave API's Base plan at $3 for 1000 searches is competitive, especially for pay-per-use models. The Free plan at $0 is viable for low volumes up to 2, 000 requests.
- **LLM-Enabled Search**: Sonar Perplexity offers a base search cost of $5 for 1000 searches, but token costs can increase the total, estimated at $5 to $10+. You.com API at $8.50 to $8.00 (prorated) is another option, with actual costs at $100 to $250 monthly.
- **Web Scraping for Search**: HasData at $0.99 prorated for 1000 searches (Business plan) is the cheapest, but its focus on scraping may not meet direct search API expectations. Actual cost is $99 monthly for up to 100, 000 searches, making it $99 for 1000 searches if subscribed.
- **Fixed vs. Pay-Per-Use**: Plans with fixed monthly fees (e.g., You.com, SerpAPI, HasData, Tavily Bootstrap) may be cost-effective for high volumes but expensive for low usage like 1000 searches. Pay-per-use models (Brave, Tavily Pay As You Go) are better for variable or low volumes.

Users should consider their specific use case, such as volume, complexity, and integration needs, and verify details on official websites like [You API Plans](https://api.you.com/plans), [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/), [Tavily](https://tavily.com/), [SerpApi](https://serpapi.com/), [Sonar Perplexity Docs](https://docs.perplexity.ai/), and [HasData Prices](https://hasdata.com/prices).

#### Key Citations

- [You API Plans Web LLM & Web Search Pricing](https://api.you.com/plans)
- [Brave Search API Power your search and AI apps](https://brave.com/search/api/)
- [Tavily Fast, reliable access with high rate limits](https://tavily.com/)
- [SerpApi Get Google results from anywhere in the world](https://serpapi.com/)
- [Sonar by Perplexity Power your products with real-time research](https://docs.perplexity.ai/)
- [HasData Our Prices Experience the incredible accuracy](https://hasdata.com/prices)
