crewAI web search

One argument per tool

SerperDevTool posts to f"{base_url}/{search_type}", so base_url takes the address without /search. Before and after:

import os
from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool

os.environ["SERPER_API_KEY"] = "<your Serper key>"
search = SerperDevTool()  # calls https://google.serper.dev/search

import os
from crewai_tools import SerperDevTool

os.environ["SERPER_API_KEY"] = os.environ["SPECSTREAM_API_KEY"]
search = SerperDevTool(base_url="https://api.specstream.ai/serper")

BraveSearchTool sends its GET to search_url as it is, so that argument takes the whole search address. Before and after:

import os
from crewai_tools import BraveSearchTool

os.environ["BRAVE_API_KEY"] = "<your Brave key>"
search = BraveSearchTool()  # calls https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search

import os
from crewai_tools import BraveSearchTool

os.environ["BRAVE_API_KEY"] = os.environ["SPECSTREAM_API_KEY"]
search = BraveSearchTool(search_url="https://api.specstream.ai/res/v1/web/search")

The same request and the same JSON

SerperDevTool sends {"q": ..., "num": 10} with the key in X-API-KEY and reads organic[], taking title and link as required fields and snippet and position when present. SpecStream's Serper route returns organic[] with all four. BraveSearchTool sends count 10 with the key in X-Subscription-Token and reads web.results[], which SpecStream's Brave route returns with title, url and description.

Both tools ask for 10 results by default, so each search is $0.005. The Serper call from Python:

import os, requests

reply = requests.post(
    "https://api.specstream.ai/serper/search",
    headers={"X-API-KEY": os.environ["SPECSTREAM_API_KEY"], "Content-Type": "application/json"},
    json={"q": "open source vector databases", "num": 10},
).json()

for result in reply["organic"]:
    print(result["position"], result["title"], result["link"])

Every parameter and field of each route is in the Serper guide and the Brave guide.

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

A search of up to 10 results costs $0.005. 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. A call stopped by a 429 charges nothing.

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 page.

Every drop-in call 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. One account can send up to 26,666 searches a minute.

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}'

Search, pages and rows on one key

The same key reads up to 20 pages or documents a call with the Extract API at $0.80 per 1,000 pages, and a page with no text is not charged. Deep Search 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.

Serper

A Google search API sold in credit packs, from $1.00 per 1,000 on the 50k pack to $0.30 on the 12.5M pack, with credits valid for 6 months. SerperDevTool calls it by default. SpecStream answers the same tool at the same address shape, searches the whole live web, and its credit never expires.

Brave Search API

$5 per 1,000 requests with $5 in free credits a month and up to 50 queries per second. BraveSearchTool calls it by default. SpecStream answers that tool at the same $5 per 1,000, with 97.9 F-score on SimpleQA Verified.

SerpApi

Plans start at $25 a month for 1,000 searches on Starter, with 200 successful searches per hour. crewAI's SerpApi tools fix their address in the code, so they cannot be pointed elsewhere. SerperDevTool on SpecStream costs $5 per 1,000 with no monthly plan.

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. TavilySearchTool passes only the key to Tavily's client. SpecStream charges $0.005 a search behind the Serper or Brave tool.