> SpecStream is the live web data engine for teams and agents. This is the Markdown copy of https://specstream.ai/bing-search-api-alternative. Every page, with what SpecStream does and costs: https://specstream.ai/llms.txt # Bing Search API alternative | SpecStream Compared on Nov 8, 2026. # Bing Search API alternative: move to SpecStream's Search API Microsoft retired the Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2025, decommissioned every existing instance and closed new sign-ups. SpecStream is the live web data engine for teams and agents. Its Search API takes the same `q` parameter at `GET /v1/web-search` for $5 per 1,000 searches, returns ranked results with URL, title and snippet, and adds an answer with the page it was read from. It is the most accurate web search API in the world. SpecStream leads WideSearch (60.9, on the low-cost model; the best other API scores 57.6 even on the larger model) and SimpleQA Verified (99), with every score and its cost on the [benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative) page. [Get an API key](https://specstream.ai/signup?src=alternatives-bing-search-api-alternative&utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative&returnTo=%2Fworkspace%2Fagents%3Ftab%3Dkeys) New accounts get $10 of credit for their first 30 days, no card. ## SpecStream and the Bing Search APIs | | SpecStream | Bing Search APIs | Grounding with Bing Search | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Status on Nov 8, 2026 | Live and open to new accounts | Retired Aug 11, 2025; existing instances decommissioned, no new sign-ups | Offered by Microsoft inside Azure AI Agents | | How you call it | `GET /v1/web-search?q=...` from any code, the Python and TypeScript SDKs, the CLI or any MCP client | Retired | A tool inside an Azure AI Agent, used with a model as it writes a response | | Authentication | `Authorization: Bearer ` | `Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` header | Not stated | | Result fields | `sources[]` with `url`, `title`, `site`, `snippet` and `published` | `webPages.value[]` with `url`, `name` and `snippet` | Not stated | | Answer with its page | `answer` with `value`, `page` and `seen_at` | Not stated | Not stated | | Price | $5 per 1,000 searches | Retired | Not stated | | Failed calls | A `503` with `Retry-After` charges nothing | Retired | Not stated | | Page text | Extract API, $0.80 per 1,000 pages, PDF, Word and Excel included; a page with no text is not charged | Retired | Not stated | | Full lists with a source on each value | Deep Search: every match as a structured row, 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, plus 5¢ for an email and 15¢ for a phone | Retired | Not stated | | Reruns and delivery | A saved request reruns hourly to yearly, and changes go to Slack, email, a sheet, a CRM or a signed webhook | Retired | Not stated | ## Why teams move from Bing to SpecStream ### The same request with a new header A Bing integration sent `q` and read `webPages.value[]`. SpecStream takes `q` under the same name, in any language, from 1 to 2,000 characters, and returns `sources[]` in rank order. `url` stays `url`, `name` becomes `title`, and `snippet` stays `snippet`. The `Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` header becomes `Authorization: Bearer `. ### An answer with the page it came from Each reply also carries `answer`: the value, the page it was read from and its read time. The answer is `null` unless the vote over the values the results print rates it above 0.6, because a wrong answer costs more than none, and every value found stays in `rows`. Add `passages=true` to get the text of the top pages closest to the question. ### Any code, any agent Microsoft points Bing customers to Grounding with Bing Search, a tool inside Azure AI Agents that works with a model as it writes responses. SpecStream's Search API is a plain HTTP call from any code, with Python and TypeScript SDKs, a CLI and the `search_web` tool for any MCP client. The same balance pays for the [Extract API](https://specstream.ai/extract-api?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative) at $0.80 per 1,000 pages and [Deep Search](https://specstream.ai/deep-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative), which returns every match as structured rows and reruns on a schedule. ## How SpecStream scores The same numbers as the benchmarks page, from the official tasks and scorers. ResultsWideSearchCostSimpleQA Verified | | SpecStream | ![](https://specstream.ai/images/benchmarks/parallel.svg)Parallel | ![](https://specstream.ai/images/benchmarks/exa.svg)Exa | ![](https://specstream.ai/images/benchmarks/tavily.svg)Tavily | ![](https://specstream.ai/images/benchmarks/perplexity.svg)Perplexity | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Web research**WideSearch, GPT-5.6 Luna | 60.9 | 45.5 | 53.0 | 47.9 | 47.0 | | **Factual accuracy**SimpleQA Verified, GPT-5.6 Luna | 96 | 94 | 91 | 94 | 94 | | **Factual accuracy**SimpleQA Verified, GPT-5.6 Sol | 99 | 97 | 91 | 92 | 95 | ## Move from Bing to SpecStream Create a key under Agents & API in the workspace. New accounts get $10 of credit for 30 days, no card, which covers 2,000 searches. Change the endpoint and the header, and keep `q`: ``` curl "https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search?q=Who%20founded%20Mistral%20AI%20and%20when%3F" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " ``` Read `sources[]` where you read `webPages.value[]`, and take `name` from `title`. Send an `Idempotency-Key` header to retry safely, since a call is charged once per key. A `503` with `Retry-After` charges nothing, and the Python and TypeScript SDKs (1.3.2 and later) send it again once by themselves when the wait is 10 seconds or less. [Get an API key](https://specstream.ai/signup?src=alternatives-bing-search-api-alternative&utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative&returnTo=%2Fworkspace%2Fagents%3Ftab%3Dkeys) ## Frequently asked questions Something we didn't answer? [Talk to a human](https://specstream.ai/talk-to-a-human.md) When did the Bing Search API shut down? Microsoft retired the Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2025. Its lifecycle notice says existing instances are decommissioned completely and new sign-ups are closed. What replaces the Bing Web Search API? SpecStream's `GET /v1/web-search` takes the same `q` parameter and returns ranked results with URL, title, site and snippet, plus an answer with its page, at $5 per 1,000 searches. Prices are on the [pricing](https://specstream.ai/pricing?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=bing-search-api-alternative) page. Do I have to use Azure AI Agents? Microsoft's suggested path, Grounding with Bing Search, runs inside Azure AI Agents. SpecStream's Search API is a plain HTTP call that any code, SDK, CLI or MCP client sends with an API key. How do Bing fields map to SpecStream? `webPages.value[].url` maps to `sources[].url`, `name` to `title`, and `snippet` to `snippet`. `q` keeps its name, and the subscription key header becomes `Authorization: Bearer `. Can SpecStream return a full list? A search for many results returns `kind: list` with the first rows and a `handoff` that prices the full list as a Deep Search find, at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a delivered row. A saved request reruns hourly to yearly and sends new rows to Slack, email, a sheet, a CRM or a webhook. ### Sources SpecStream wrote this page. Each rival figure comes from that company's own page. 1. [Microsoft: Bing Search APIs retiring on August 11, 2025](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/bing-search-api-retirement)learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/bing-search-api-retirement, read Nov 8, 2026 2. [Microsoft: Grounding with Bing Search](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/agents/how-to/tools/bing-grounding)learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/agents/how-to/tools/bing-grounding, read Nov 8, 2026 3. [Other providers' benchmark scores, September 9, 2026](https://parallel.ai/benchmarks)parallel.ai/benchmarks, read Nov 8, 2026 4. [SpecStream pricing](https://specstream.ai/pricing)specstream.ai/pricing, read Nov 8, 2026 5. [SpecStream for agents](https://specstream.ai/agents.md)specstream.ai/agents.md, read Nov 8, 2026