<!-- twin of https://specstream.ai/migrate/you -->
# You.com Search API compatible: change the address, keep the code

Compared on Nov 10, 2026. The page: https://specstream.ai/migrate/you

SpecStream answers You.com's `/v1/search` in You.com's own JSON, at $0.005 a search of up to 10 results. Every line below was measured on production on November 10, 2026 with the `youdotcom` Python SDK 3.6.0.

The switch is one address: `https://api.specstream.ai/you` in place of `https://ydc-index.io`, and a SpecStream key in `X-API-Key`. Your code reads `results.web[].url`, `title`, `description` and `snippets` as before.

SpecStream scores 97.9 F-score on all 1,000 SimpleQA Verified questions and 64.0 item F1 on all 200 WideSearch tasks. Highlights cost nothing extra, and new accounts get $10 of credit.

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

## You.com Search API to SpecStream, parameter by parameter and field by field

| | SpecStream | You.com Search API |
|---|---|---|
| Address | `GET` or `POST https://api.specstream.ai/you/v1/search`, and the older `GET https://api.specstream.ai/you/search` | `POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search`. `GET /v1/search` still works and gets no new features |
| The key | A SpecStream key in `X-API-Key` | A You.com key in `X-API-Key` |
| `count` | 1 to 100, 10 when you send none. 101 gets `422` `{"error": "Use a count of 1 to 100."}` | 1 to 100, default 10 |
| Filters | `offset` 0 to 9, `freshness` (`day`, `week`, `month`, `year` or `YYYY-MM-DDtoYYYY-MM-DD`), `include_domains` and `exclude_domains`. Both domain lists together get `422`, as on You.com | The same filters. `include_domains` with `exclude_domains` returns `422` |
| Page text | `extraction` `{"extraction_mode": "highlights"}`, the SDK's default, fills `contents.highlights` with the passages of each page that answer the query, at no extra cost | Full page extraction costs $1.00 per 1,000 pages fetched live, on top of the search |
| The reply | `results.web[]` with `url`, `title`, `description`, `snippets`, `page_age` when the page has a date and `contents` with highlights; `metadata.search_uuid`, `query` and `latency` | `results.web[]`, `results.news[]`, `results.knowledge[]` and `metadata` |
| Errors | You.com's bodies: `422` `{"error"}`, `401` `{"detail"}`, `402` `{"error", "message"}` for an empty balance. A busy call answers `429` with `Retry-After` and charges nothing | One request to an endpoint is one billable call, whatever it returns |
| Price per 1,000 searches | $5 for up to 10 results, highlights included. 20 results cost $0.011 a call and 100 cost $0.059 | $5.00 per 1,000 calls of up to 100 results |
| Calls a minute | Up to 8,800 searches a minute on one account | 10 requests a second on `/v1/search` at entry |
| Free to start | $10 of credit, no card, which covers 2,000 searches. Credit you buy never expires | $10 of free credit, which covers 2,000 searches |

## The You.com Search API reference, on SpecStream

### The call, before and after

```
# Before
curl -X POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search \
  -H "X-API-Key: $YDC_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query": "Who founded Mistral AI and when?", "count": 5}'

# After
curl -X POST https://api.specstream.ai/you/v1/search \
  -H "X-API-Key: $SPECSTREAM_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query": "Who founded Mistral AI and when?", "count": 5}'
```

The `youdotcom` Python SDK takes the address on each search call, with the client built on a SpecStream key:

```
# Before
you.search(query=QUERY)  # You(api_key_auth=YDC_API_KEY)

# After
you.search(query=QUERY, server_url="https://api.specstream.ai/you")  # You(api_key_auth=SPECSTREAM_API_KEY)
```

Code on the older form, `GET https://api.ydc-index.io/search` with `query` and `num_web_results`, moves to `https://api.specstream.ai/you/search` and gets `hits[]` back. Every parameter and field on this page is in the [pass table](https://specstream.ai/specstream/dialects/you.md), measured on production on November 10, 2026.

### Apps and SDKs that take the address as a setting

Each line was run on production on November 10, 2026 through that client's own request and reply code. Put your SpecStream key wherever the client takes its key.

LiteLLM 1.108.4: set `YOUCOM_API_BASE` to `https://api.specstream.ai/you` and put your SpecStream key in `YOUCOM_API_KEY`. The call stays `litellm.search(search_provider="you_com")`.

### Every parameter the route uses

Used in the search: `query`, `count` (1 to 100), `offset` (0 to 9, in pages of `count`), `freshness` (`day`, `week`, `month`, `year` or a range written `YYYY-MM-DDtoYYYY-MM-DD`), `include_domains` and `exclude_domains`, as a JSON list or names apart by commas in the address.

Used to shape the reply: `extraction` with `extraction_mode` `highlights` adds `contents.highlights` to each result whose page answers the query. On the older form, `query` and `num_web_results` (1 to 19).

Refused with You.com's `422` `{"error"}`: a `count` over 100, a `freshness` You.com does not take, and `include_domains` sent with `exclude_domains` or `boost_domains`. A call with no key gets `401` `{"detail"}`.

### Every field that comes back

The reply has `results.web` and `metadata` with `search_uuid`, `query` and `latency` in seconds. Each web result has `url`, `title`, `description` and `snippets`, `page_age` when the page has a date, and `contents.highlights` when you ask for highlights and the page answers.

Not returned: `thumbnail_url`, `favicon_url`, `results.news` and `results.knowledge`. The older form returns `hits[]` with `url`, `title`, `description` and `snippets`, and `latency`.

One field is added: `specstream`, with what the Search API returns beyond You.com's fields, including the call's `price_usd`. A parser that reads You.com's fields never sees it.

### $5 per 1,000 searches, highlights included

A call of up to 10 results costs $0.005, with or without highlights. Each started block of 10 more results adds $0.006: `count` 20 costs $0.011 and `count` 100 costs $0.059. A call stopped by a `429` charges nothing, and credit you buy never expires.

### The most accurate web search API, in about one second

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=migrate-you) page.

A call without highlights runs the fast search. Measured on production on November 9, 2026, its median was 0.82 s at 1 search a second and 1.07 s at 20 a second, the 95th percentile stayed between 1.09 and 1.73 s, and it answered 718 of 720. It takes up to 8,800 searches a minute on one account. A call with highlights, the SDK's default, runs the default search, which reads the pages, at the same price.

### 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: it is not in the history, its answer is not reused for another call, and its log lines carry neither. `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=migrate-you) 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=migrate-you) returns every match for a request in plain words as structured rows, at 5¢, 15¢ or $1 a row, with a source URL on every value. The most a run can cost is approved before it starts. The full comparison is on the [You.com alternative](https://specstream.ai/alternatives/you-com?utm_source=alternatives&utm_campaign=migrate-you) page.

## What else You.com Search API users price

### Tavily

A search API sold in credits at $0.008 each pay as you go: a basic search takes 1 credit and an advanced search 2. SpecStream answers Tavily's `POST /search` at `https://api.specstream.ai/tavily` for $0.005, basic or advanced.

### Exa

A search API on Exa's own index, at $7 per 1,000 requests on `auto` and $4 on `lite` for up to 10 results, with its own request and reply. SpecStream answers Exa's call as well, at `https://api.specstream.ai/exa`, for $0.005 a search.

### 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 answers Brave's call at `https://api.specstream.ai/res/v1/web/search` at the same price per call and takes up to 8,800 searches a minute on one account.

## How to migrate, 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. Set the address to `https://api.specstream.ai/you` where your code has `https://ydc-index.io`, and send the SpecStream key in `X-API-Key`. In Python:

```
import requests

BASE = "https://api.specstream.ai/you"  # was https://ydc-index.io

reply = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/v1/search",
    headers={"X-API-Key": SPECSTREAM_KEY},
    json={"query": "Who founded Mistral AI and when?", "count": 10, "freshness": "year"},
    timeout=30,
)
reply.raise_for_status()
for result in reply.json()["results"]["web"]:
    print(result["title"], result["url"], result["description"])
```

3. In JavaScript:

```
const res = await fetch("https://api.specstream.ai/you/v1/search", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "X-API-Key": process.env.SPECSTREAM_KEY,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ query: "Who founded Mistral AI and when?", count: 10 }),
});
const data = await res.json();
for (const result of data.results.web) console.log(result.title, result.url);
```

4. Read `402` as an empty balance and `429` as a call to send again after `Retry-After`; neither is charged.

5. When your product needs every match in place of a results page, write the request in plain words. SpecStream reads it back as the conditions every row must meet and the facts to bring back, quotes the most it can cost, and delivers the rows after you approve.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there a You.com Search API compatible API?

Yes. SpecStream answers You.com's `/v1/search` at `https://api.specstream.ai/you` in You.com's JSON, checked on production on November 10, 2026, for $0.005 a search of up to 10 results.

### How do I migrate from the You.com Search API?

Change one address: `https://api.specstream.ai/you` in place of `https://ydc-index.io`, and a SpecStream key in `X-API-Key`. The request body and the code that reads `results.web[]` stay as they are.

### How much does the You.com Search API cost?

You.com charges $5.00 per 1,000 calls of up to 100 results, and $1.00 per 1,000 pages for full page extraction fetched live. SpecStream charges $5 per 1,000 searches of up to 10 results, with highlights at no extra cost.

### Which apps and SDKs take the SpecStream address for You.com Search API?

LiteLLM 1.108.4: set `YOUCOM_API_BASE` to `https://api.specstream.ai/you` and put your SpecStream key in `YOUCOM_API_KEY`. The call stays `litellm.search(search_provider="you_com")`.

### Does the youdotcom SDK work with SpecStream?

Yes. The `youdotcom` Python SDK 3.6.0 ran every check in the pass table with `server_url="https://api.specstream.ai/you"` on each `you.search` call and a SpecStream key in `api_key_auth`.

### Which You.com fields does SpecStream not return?

Four: `thumbnail_url`, `favicon_url`, `results.news` and `results.knowledge`. Each web result has `url`, `title`, `description` and `snippets`, `page_age` when the page has a date, and highlights when you ask.

### Does the older GET /search form work?

Yes. `GET https://api.specstream.ai/you/search` with `query` and `num_web_results` answers `hits[]` and `latency`, as You.com's older form and LangChain's YouSearchAPIWrapper read them.

### What happens when search is busy?

The route answers `429` with a `Retry-After` header and charges nothing. One account can send up to 8,800 searches a minute.

## Sources

SpecStream wrote this page. Each You.com figure comes from You.com's own pages, and each other provider's figure from that company's own page. The route's behavior is taken from its code and from the pass table measured on production on November 10, 2026.

- [You.com search reference](https://docs.you.com/api-reference/search/v1-search.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [You.com search OpenAPI](https://you.com/docs/openapi/web-search.json), read Nov 10, 2026
- [You.com billing](https://you.com/docs/administration/billing.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [You.com plans](https://you.com/plans?hsLang=en), read Nov 10, 2026
- [You.com rate limits](https://you.com/docs/rate-limits.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [You.com error codes](https://you.com/docs/using-the-api/error-code-reference.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [SpecStream pass table, You.com route](https://specstream.ai/specstream/dialects/you.md), read Nov 10, 2026
- [Tavily API credits](https://docs.tavily.com/documentation/api-credits.md), read Nov 9, 2026
- [Exa pricing](https://exa.ai/docs/admin/pricing.md), read Nov 9, 2026
- [Brave Search API](https://brave.com/search/api/), read Nov 9, 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