<!-- twin of https://specstream.ai/image-search-api -->
# Image search API: $5 per 1,000 searches, seven APIs answered

Compared on Nov 10, 2026. The page: https://specstream.ai/image-search-api

SpecStream's image search API costs $0.005 a call of up to 10 images, $5 per 1,000, with no plan and no daily limit. Each result carries the image, the page it is on, and its size and thumbnail when the search engines give them.

Add `images=true` to `GET https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search`. Code written for Google's `searchType=image`, Bing Image Search v7, SerpApi, SearchApi, Serper, Brave or SearXNG keeps its call and its parser: change the address and the key.

The same key runs web search scoring 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions, and the Extract API at $0.80 per 1,000 pages. New accounts get $10 of credit, no card.

[Get an API key](https://specstream.ai/signup?src=alternatives-image-search-api&utm_source=alternatives-md&utm_campaign=image-search-api&returnTo=%2Fworkspace%2Fagents%3Ftab%3Dkeys) New accounts get $10 of credit, no card. It covers 2,000 searches.

## Image search APIs side by side, from each company's own pages

| | SpecStream | Google Custom Search, searchType=image | Bing Image Search API v7 | SerpApi Google Images | Serper images | Brave image search |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open to a new developer today | Yes. $10 of credit on sign up, no card, which covers 2,000 searches | No. Closed to new customers, and discontinued on January 1, 2027 | No. Retired on August 11, 2025, with existing instances decommissioned | Yes. The free plan has 250 searches a month | Yes. 2,500 free queries, no card | Yes. $5 in free credits every month |
| Price per 1,000 searches | $5. An image search of up to 10 results is one search at $0.005, the price of a web search | $5 per 1,000 queries after 100 free queries a day, for existing customers | No longer sold. Microsoft's named replacement, Grounding with Bing Search, costs $14 per 1,000 transactions | $25 a month for 1,000 searches on Starter, $75 a month for 5,000 on Developer | $50 for 50,000 credits ($1.00 per 1,000), down to $0.30 per 1,000 on 12.5 million credits | $5 per 1,000 requests for complete search results, images included |
| Volume limit | No daily limit. A busy call answers `429` with `Retry-After` and is not charged | 10,000 queries a day | Grounding with Bing Search: 150 transactions a second, 1 million a day | 200 searches an hour on Starter | 50 queries per second on the $50 pack | 50 queries per second |
| Images per call | 10 when you name no count, up to 100. Each started block of 10 more adds $0.006 | 1 to 10, and never more than 100 for a query | 35 by default, 150 at most | Pages by `ijn`, from 0 to 99 | `num` and `page` on each request | Up to 200 images per request |
| What a result carries | `image_url` (the image), `url` (the page it is on), `title` and `site`, with `width`, `height`, `mime` and the thumbnail when the search engines give them | `link`, `image.contextLink` (the webpage hosting the image), sizes, `byteSize` and a thumbnail | `contentUrl` (the image on the source website), `hostPageUrl`, sizes, `contentSize` and a thumbnail | `images_results[]` with `original`, `original_width`, `original_height`, `link` and `thumbnail` | `images[]` with `imageUrl`, the direct URL to the full size image, its sizes, the thumbnail and `link` | `results[]` with the image in `properties.url` and the page in `url` |
| The same call on SpecStream | `GET` or `POST /v1/web-search` with `images=true`, and the six forms in this row on one key | `/customsearch/v1?searchType=image`, in Google's JSON | `/v7.0/images/search`, with the key in `Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` | `/serpapi/search.json` with `engine=google_images` or `tbm=isch` | `/serper/images`, with the key in `X-API-KEY` | `/res/v1/images/search`, with the key in `X-Subscription-Token` |

## What the SpecStream image search API returns

### The call

```
curl -G https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SPECSTREAM_KEY" \
  --data-urlencode "q=red running shoes" -d images=true -d num=10
```

Each of `sources` is one image: `image_url` is the image, `url` the page it is on, with its `title` and `site`. `width`, `height`, `mime`, `thumbnail_url`, `thumbnail_width` and `thumbnail_height` are there when the search engines give them, and a reply never makes one up. The results come from the image search of several engines at once, one result for each image address. The reply carries `price_usd` and `request_id`.

`num` (1 to 100) and `page` page the results. `POST /v1/web-search` takes the same parameters in a JSON body and keeps the query out of every URL log. `passages` and `news` do not go with `images`: a call that sends both gets `422`.

### Seven image APIs, answered in their own JSON

Code written for another image API keeps its call and its parser. Change the address to `https://api.specstream.ai` and put a SpecStream key where the old key went; each route answers in that API's own shape and its own error form.

Google Custom Search `searchType=image` at `/customsearch/v1`: [Google image search migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/google-image-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). Bing Image Search v7 at `/v7.0/images/search` and `/bing/v7.0/images/search`: [Bing image search migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/bing-image-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). SerpApi `engine=google_images` and `tbm=isch` at `/serpapi/search.json`: [SerpApi Google Images migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/serpapi-google-images?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). SearchApi `engine=google_images` at `/searchapi/api/v1/search`: [SearchApi Google Images migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/searchapi-google-images?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). Serper at `/serper/images`: [Serper images migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/serper-images?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). Brave at `/res/v1/images/search`: [Brave image search migration](https://specstream.ai/migrate/brave-image-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). SearXNG with `categories=images` at `/searxng/<key>/search`, with `img_src` and `thumbnail_src`.

### $5 per 1,000 image searches, with no plan

An image search of up to 10 results is one search at $0.005, the same price as a web search, on every one of the seven forms and on `images=true`. A call that names no count gets 10 results, and each started block of 10 more adds $0.006, so 100 images in one call cost $0.059. There is no monthly plan, no credit pack that runs out after six months and no daily limit. A busy call answers `429` with `Retry-After` and is not charged. Credit you buy never expires.

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

Create the key with `zero_retention` and a search made with it keeps no request text and no answer after the reply. `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}'
```

### Images, web, news and pages on one key

SpecStream is the live web data engine. The key that searches images also answers web and news search on the same address: code written for Google's web call moves with the [Custom Search migration guide](https://specstream.ai/migrate/google-custom-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api). Web search scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions and 64.0 item F1 on all 200 WideSearch tasks, on the [benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api) page.

The same balance pays for the [Extract API](https://specstream.ai/extract-api?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api) at $0.80 per 1,000 pages, and for [Deep Search](https://specstream.ai/deep-search?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=image-search-api), which returns every match for a request in plain words as structured rows at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row.

## Other image search APIs, and what each costs

### Google Custom Search JSON API

Its `searchType=image` call costs existing customers $5 per 1,000 queries after 100 free a day, up to 10,000 a day. It is closed to new customers and Google discontinues it on January 1, 2027. SpecStream answers that same call at the same price, with no daily limit.

### Bing Image Search API

Retired on August 11, 2025. Microsoft's named replacement, Grounding with Bing Search, costs $14 per 1,000 transactions and returns a model's answer, not a list of images. SpecStream answers the v7 image call in Bing's JSON at $5 per 1,000.

### SerpApi Google Images

Sold on monthly plans: $25 a month for 1,000 searches on Starter and $75 for 5,000 on Developer, with 250 free searches a month. SpecStream answers `engine=google_images` in SerpApi's JSON at $5 per 1,000 with no plan.

### Serper images

Credit packs from $50 for 50,000 credits ($1.00 per 1,000), valid for 6 months, with 2,500 free queries. SpecStream answers `/serper/images` in Serper's JSON, and credit you buy never expires.

### Brave image search

$5 per 1,000 requests for complete search results, images included, with $5 in free credits every month and 50 queries per second. SpecStream answers Brave's `/res/v1/images/search` call at the same price per call.

## Search images with SpecStream, step by step

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

2. Call `/v1/web-search` with `images=true`. In Python:

```
import requests

reply = requests.get(
    "https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {SPECSTREAM_KEY}"},
    params={"q": "red running shoes", "images": "true", "num": 10},
    timeout=30,
)
reply.raise_for_status()
for image in reply.json()["data"]["sources"]:
    print(image["image_url"], image["url"], image.get("width"), image.get("height"))
```

3. In JavaScript:

```
const params = new URLSearchParams({ q: "red running shoes", images: "true", num: "10" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.specstream.ai/v1/web-search?${params}`, {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.SPECSTREAM_KEY}` },
});
const { data } = await res.json();
for (const image of data.sources) console.log(image.image_url, image.url);
```

4. If your code already calls Google, Bing, SerpApi, SearchApi, Serper, Brave or SearXNG for images, keep it: set the address to `https://api.specstream.ai` and the key where the old one went. Google's Python client, SerpApi's two Python clients and Microsoft's image search SDK each ran an image search this way on November 10, 2026. To page, send `page` on `/v1/web-search`, or each API's own paging parameter on its route. On a `429`, wait the seconds in `Retry-After` and send the call again; nothing was charged.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best image search API?

SpecStream, at $5 per 1,000 searches with no plan and no daily limit. It returns the image, the page it is on, and its size and thumbnail when the search engines give them, and it answers seven other image APIs' calls in their own JSON.

### Is there a Google image search API?

Google's was the Custom Search JSON API with `searchType=image`, which is closed to new customers and ends on January 1, 2027. SpecStream answers that same call at `https://api.specstream.ai/customsearch/v1`, in Google's JSON, at $5 per 1,000 searches.

### Is the Bing Image Search API still available?

No. Microsoft retired the Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2025. SpecStream answers the v7 image call at `https://api.specstream.ai/v7.0/images/search` in Bing's JSON.

### How much does an image search API cost?

On SpecStream $0.005 a call of up to 10 images, $5 per 1,000. SerpApi's Starter plan is $25 a month for 1,000 searches, Brave lists $5 per 1,000 requests, and Microsoft's Grounding with Bing Search costs $14 per 1,000 transactions.

### Which image search API works for AI agents?

SpecStream: one key gives an agent image search, web search and page reads, at $5 per 1,000 searches with no daily limit. MCP clients connect at `https://api.specstream.ai/mcp`.

### Does SpecStream have a reverse image search API?

No. SpecStream searches images by words: you send a query in `q` and get images back. It does not search by an image.

## Sources

SpecStream wrote this page. Each figure for another API comes from that company's own pages. SpecStream's routes are described from their code.

- [Google Custom Search JSON API overview](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Google Custom Search JSON API reference, cse.list](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/reference/rest/v1/cse/list), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Google Custom Search JSON API reference, Search](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/reference/rest/v1/Search), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Microsoft, Bing Search APIs retiring on August 11, 2025](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/bing-search-api-retirement), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Bing Image Search API v7, query parameters](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/search-apis/bing-image-search/reference/query-parameters), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Bing Image Search API v7, response objects](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/search-apis/bing-image-search/reference/response-objects), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Microsoft, Bing APIs and Grounding with Bing pricing](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/apis), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SerpApi pricing](https://serpapi.com/pricing), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SerpApi Google Images API](https://serpapi.com/google-images-api), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serper](https://serper.dev/), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Serper images API description](https://artifacts.apis.io/serper/openapi/serper-images-api-openapi.yml), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Brave Image Search API, get started](https://api-dashboard.search.brave.com/app/documentation/image-search/get-started), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream benchmarks](https://specstream.ai/benchmarks), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream for agents](https://specstream.ai/agents.md), read Nov 10, 2026