<!-- twin of https://specstream.ai/google-pse/litellm -->
# LiteLLM: Google PSE stops on January 1, 2027. The setting to change

Compared on Nov 10, 2026. The page: https://specstream.ai/google-pse/litellm

LiteLLM's `google_pse` search provider calls Google's Custom Search JSON API with `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY` and `GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID`. Google closed that API to new customers and ends it on January 1, 2027.

LiteLLM reads Google's address from one variable. Set `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1` and put a SpecStream key in `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY`. The same request goes out and the same JSON comes back; our test passed by this base.

SpecStream scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions and costs $5 per 1,000 searches, with no daily limit. A new account gets $10 of credit, no card, which covers 2,000 searches.

[Get an API key](https://specstream.ai/signup?src=alternatives-google-pse-litellm&utm_source=alternatives-md&utm_campaign=google-pse-litellm&returnTo=%2Fworkspace%2Fsearch%3Froute%3Dgoogle) New accounts get $10 of credit, no card. It covers 2,000 searches.

## LiteLLM's Google PSE provider and what replaces it, from each company's own pages on Nov 10, 2026

| | SpecStream | Google PSE | Tavily | Serper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiteLLM setting | `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1`, or `SEARXNG_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/searxng/<key>` | `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY` and `GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID`. `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE` defaults to `https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1` | `TAVILY_API_KEY`. `TAVILY_API_BASE` defaults to `https://api.tavily.com` | `SERPER_API_KEY`. `SERPER_API_BASE` defaults to `https://google.serper.dev` |
| Open to a new account | Yes. Create a key and start with $10 of credit, no card | No. Closed to new customers, and existing customers have until January 1, 2027 | Yes, with 1,000 free credits every month | Yes, with 2,500 free queries |
| Price per 1,000 searches | $5, with up to 10 results a search | $5 per 1,000 queries after 100 free queries a day, for existing customers only | $0.008 a credit on pay as you go. A basic search is 1 credit and an advanced search 2 | $1.00 per 1,000 in the pack of 50,000 credits |
| Limit | No daily limit. Up to 8,800 searches a minute on one account | 10,000 queries a day | On a monthly plan, requests stop when the month's credits run out | 300 queries per second on the largest pack |
| How long it lasts | Credit you buy never expires | Until January 1, 2027, when Google ends the API | Credits reset on the first day of each month | Credits are valid for 6 months |
| What answers the search | The whole live web, read at the moment of the call, in Google's JSON. 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions | The Programmable Search Engine you configured | Tavily's search. Its own post reports 97.6% on SimpleQA | Serper's search, bought in credit packs from 50,000 credits |

## Why LiteLLM users point GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE at SpecStream

### The change is one variable

LiteLLM builds the Google PSE URL as `api_base` plus the query string, and takes `api_base` from `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE` when it is set. So the variable holds the whole endpoint, with `/customsearch/v1` at the end.

```
# LiteLLM environment
GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1
GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY=<YOUR_SPECSTREAM_KEY>
GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID=<keep your current value>
```

LiteLLM refuses to search without `GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID`, so keep the value you have. SpecStream accepts `cx` and does not use it. This is the call LiteLLM then sends, with `key`, `cx`, `q` and `num` in the query string:

```
curl "https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1?key=$SPECSTREAM_API_KEY&cx=$GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID&q=open+source+vector+databases&num=10"
```

### The same JSON, so LiteLLM's parser reads it

LiteLLM reads `items[]` and maps `title`, `link` to the result URL and `snippet`. SpecStream answers in Google's shape: `kind` `customsearch#search`, `items[]` with `title`, `link`, `snippet` and `displayLink`, `searchInformation.totalResults` and `queries.nextPage`. The same call from Python:

```
import os, requests

reply = requests.get(
    "https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1",
    params={"key": os.environ["SPECSTREAM_API_KEY"], "cx": "any", "q": "open source vector databases", "num": 10},
).json()

for item in reply["items"]:
    print(item["title"], item["link"], item["snippet"])
```

### What you see when the Google key fails

Without a key, LiteLLM stops with `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY is not set`, and without an engine ID with `GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID is not set`. Google closed the API to new customers, so a new project gets no key to set. With `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE` at SpecStream, a SpecStream key fills `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY` and the search runs.

### Or the SearXNG provider

LiteLLM's `searxng` provider reads `SEARXNG_API_BASE` and adds `/search` when the address does not end in it. Set it to SpecStream's SearXNG route with your key in the address; our test passed by this base too.

```
SEARXNG_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/searxng/YOUR_SPECSTREAM_KEY
```

### $5 per 1,000 searches, with no daily limit

A search of up to 10 results costs $0.005, and each started block of 10 more results adds $0.006. There is no monthly plan and no daily limit. Credit you buy never expires, and a new account starts with $10 of credit, which covers 2,000 searches.

### The most accurate web search API in the world

On SimpleQA Verified the SpecStream Search API scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 official questions, 978 of them correct. On WideSearch it scores 64.0 item F1 and 43.4 row F1 on all 200 official tasks. The Extract API scores 0.908 F1 on WCXB. Every score and its method is on the [benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=google-pse-litellm) page.

### About one second a search, measured under load

The Google route runs on the fast search. On November 9, 2026 production took 1, 5, 10 and 20 fast searches a second and answered 718 of 720. The median was 0.82 s at 1 search a second and 1.07 s at 20 a second, and the 95th percentile stayed between 1.09 and 1.73 s. One account can send up to 8,800 searches a minute; a call over that is answered with `Retry-After` and is not charged.

### You decide what is kept, on each key

Give LiteLLM a key with `zero_retention` and a search made with it keeps no request text and no answer after the reply. The charge keeps the account, the key, the request ID, the price and the time. `spend_cap_cents` is the most the key can spend.

```
curl -X POST https://api.specstream.ai/v1/account/keys \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SPECSTREAM_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name": "production", "scopes": ["account:read", "finds:spend"], "spend_cap_cents": 500000, "zero_retention": true}'
```

### Search, pages and rows on one key

The same key reads up to 20 pages or documents a call with the [Extract API](https://specstream.ai/extract-api?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=google-pse-litellm) at $0.80 per 1,000 pages, and a page with no text is not charged. [Deep Search](https://specstream.ai/deep-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=google-pse-litellm) takes a request in plain words and returns every match on the live web as structured rows, at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, with a source URL on every value. The most a run can cost is quoted before it starts.

## Other Google PSE alternatives for LiteLLM

### Google PSE, until January 1, 2027

Existing customers can keep the default base until Google ends the API: $5 per 1,000 queries after 100 free a day, up to 10,000 a day. A new project gets no key. SpecStream costs the same $5 per 1,000, with no daily limit, on the same provider.

### Vertex AI Search

Google's named alternative, for searching up to 50 domains, at $1.50 per 1,000 queries on Standard and $4.00 on Enterprise. For full web search Google asks you to contact it. SpecStream searches the whole live web behind the `google_pse` provider you already configured.

### Tavily

Search billed in credits at $0.008 each on pay as you go, with 1,000 free credits a month that reset on the first day of each month. Moving to it means a new provider and a new reply shape. SpecStream keeps your provider and charges $0.005 a search.

### Serper

Search sold in credit packs: $1.00 per 1,000 in the pack of 50,000, with credits valid for 6 months and 2,500 free queries to start. SpecStream credit never expires, and the `google_pse` provider stays as it is.

### Brave Search API

A search API on Brave's own index at $5 per 1,000 requests, with $5 in free credits every month and 50 queries per second. SpecStream costs the same $5 per 1,000 and answers in the Google JSON your LiteLLM setup already reads.

## How to move LiteLLM's Google PSE provider to SpecStream

1. Create a key under Agents & API in the SpecStream workspace. A new account gets $10 of credit, no card, which covers 2,000 searches.

2. Check the key with the call LiteLLM will send. A `200` with `items` means LiteLLM gets the same.

```
curl "https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1?key=$SPECSTREAM_API_KEY&cx=any&q=test&num=10"
```

3. Where LiteLLM runs, set the base and the key, and keep `GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID`.

```
GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1
GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY=<YOUR_SPECSTREAM_KEY>
```

4. Restart LiteLLM and run a search through the `google_pse` provider as you do today. Each search shows up in your SpecStream request log with its price.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is Google PSE not working in LiteLLM?

Google closed the Custom Search JSON API to new customers and ends it on January 1, 2027, so a new project gets no key. Set `GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE=https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1` with a SpecStream key in `GOOGLE_PSE_API_KEY` and the provider works again.

### What is the best Google PSE alternative for LiteLLM?

SpecStream, at $5 per 1,000 searches with no daily limit and 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions. It answers LiteLLM's own Google PSE call in Google's JSON, so one variable moves it.

### What is GOOGLE_PSE_API_BASE in LiteLLM?

The address LiteLLM sends Google PSE searches to, by default `https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1`. It holds the whole endpoint, so set it to `https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1`.

### Do I still need GOOGLE_PSE_ENGINE_ID?

Yes, LiteLLM refuses to search without it. Keep your current value: SpecStream accepts `cx` and does not use it, and searches the whole live web.

### How much does LiteLLM web search cost with SpecStream?

$0.005 a search of up to 10 results, or $5 per 1,000. Credit you buy never expires, and the first $10 of credit covers 2,000 searches.

### Is Google Custom Search shutting down?

Yes, on January 1, 2027 for existing customers, and it is already closed to new customers. Google names Vertex AI Search for up to 50 domains.

## Sources

SpecStream wrote this page. LiteLLM's settings come from its source on GitHub, and each provider's figure from that company's own page.

- [LiteLLM Google PSE provider, transformation.py](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/litellm/llms/google_pse/search/transformation.py), read Nov 10, 2026
- [LiteLLM SearXNG provider, transformation.py](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/litellm/llms/searxng/search/transformation.py), read Nov 10, 2026
- [LiteLLM Tavily provider, transformation.py](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/litellm/llms/tavily/search/transformation.py), read Nov 10, 2026
- [LiteLLM Serper provider, transformation.py](https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/litellm/llms/serper/search/transformation.py), read Nov 10, 2026
- [LiteLLM docs, Google PSE search](https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/search/google_pse), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Google Custom Search JSON API overview](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Vertex AI Search pricing](https://cloud.google.com/generative-ai-app-builder/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Tavily API credits](https://docs.tavily.com/documentation/api-credits.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Tavily pricing](https://tavily.com/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Tavily, SealQA and SimpleQA post](https://www.tavily.com/blog/tavily-ranks-1-on-sealqa-and-simpleqa), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serper](https://serper.dev/), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream pricing](https://specstream.ai/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream for agents](https://specstream.ai/agents.md), read Nov 10, 2026