Desearch vs Brave Search API

    Brave Search API serves results from its own web index. Desearch combines web search with structured social data.

    Brave runs an independent index with web, news, image, video, and summarizer endpoints. Desearch combines web search, AI Search across selected sources, URL extraction, and dedicated social APIs.

    Get API key Read docs

    At a glance

    Scroll the table sideways to compare both APIs.

    Desearch and Brave Search API: capabilities and workflow differences
    CapabilityDesearchBrave Search API
    Main workflowWeb and social context for agentsSearch endpoints served from an independent index
    Web searchTitles, links, and snippetsResults with titles, URLs, descriptions, and optional extra snippets
    AI answersOptional AI summary with source linksAnswers plan returns summarized responses with citations
    Request controlsSources, date filter, and result count per requestCountry, language, freshness, safesearch, count, and offset
    SourcesWeb + public X, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram dataBrave's own web index, plus news, image, and video endpoints
    BillingUsage-based; cost metadata on billable responsesPer-request plan rates with monthly free credits

    Which fits your workflow?

    When to consider Brave Search API

    • You want results from an index that is independent of Google and Bing.
    • You need country, language, freshness, and safesearch controls on every query.
    • You want news, image, and video endpoints alongside web results.

    When to consider Desearch

    • Your agent needs structured public social records alongside web results.
    • You want one question answered across web, X, Reddit, Wikipedia, YouTube, Hacker News, and arXiv.
    • You need per-request cost metadata on billable responses for internal metering.

    How pricing works

    Desearch

    Usage-based billing. The billable unit varies by endpoint; cost metadata helps you track each billable request.

    View Desearch pricing

    Brave Search API

    Per-request plans with monthly free credits. Brave lists $5 per 1,000 requests on its Search plan and $4 per 1,000 requests plus token charges on its Answers plan, each with $5 in free monthly credits. Desearch meters usage by endpoint and unit, with per-request cost returned on billable responses.

    View Brave Search API pricing

    Common questions

    Consider Brave when an independent web index and per-query controls such as country, language, and freshness drive your requirements. Consider Desearch when your agent also needs public social records or a cited answer across several sources. Run the same queries through both before deciding.

    Yes, on different products. Brave's Answers plan returns summarized responses with citations and is billed per request plus tokens. Desearch AI Search can return a summary with source links, and the summary is optional.

    Brave documents a maximum of 20 results per page with an offset up to 9. Desearch sets results per source with the count parameter on AI Search, and Web Search returns ranked results for a query. Check both against the page size your application needs.

    Brave applies $5 in free monthly credits and asks for a card to confirm identity on its free plan. Desearch adds $5 in credits when you attach a card at sign-up, then bills pay-as-you-go. Compare the cost of a complete task, not just the per-request rate.
    Sources · Reviewed

    Based on official product documentation. Follow the pricing links above for current plans and rates.

    Compare with your own queries.

    Try Desearch on a task you would run with Brave Search API. Compare the source coverage, response format, and cost for your workflow.

    Get API keyRead docs