Baidu API pricing, limits and access
What the Baidu AI Search API (Qianfan web_search) costs, who can use it and its published limits, from the official pages, with the catalogue Actors for Baidu data beside it.
Short answer
Real-time web search through Baidu’s Qianfan platform requires an API key and offers per-call billing, a monthly free allowance and prepaid call packs. Prices vary by edition and content region, with a default query-rate limit governing request pace.
Rates and dates checked 2026-11-12 against the sources below. How the comparison works.Facts that decide the bill
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Public API |
| Official API | Baidu AI Search API (Qianfan web_search) |
| Who can use it | Baidu AI Cloud sells a real-time web search API on its Qianfan platform (POST /v2/ai_search/web_search) that returns result titles, URLs and summaries, in standard, enhanced and pro editions. An API key is required |
| Published price | Pay-as-you-go per call for Chinese-language content: standard ¥0.036, enhanced ¥0.04, pro ¥0.072; overseas content is enhanced only at ¥0.072. 1,500 free calls a month (about 50 a day). Prepaid packs of 10,000, 100,000 and 1,000,000 calls exist |
| Limits | Default limit is 3 queries per second. Results are a search API answer, not a copy of the baidu.com results page, and use is subject to Baidu AI Cloud terms |
What this means in practice
Choose the edition by content coverage
Chinese-language content is available through standard, enhanced and pro editions. Overseas content is available through enhanced only, so decide the required coverage before comparing prices on the official pricing page.
Match billing and pacing to usage
The service offers a monthly free call allowance alongside pay-as-you-go billing and prepaid packs. Compare those options against expected call volume, then pace requests within the default query-rate limit.
Access uses an API key on the Qianfan platform and is subject to Baidu AI Cloud terms. Follow the documented API response format when integrating search results into an application.
Routes that work for Baidu data
The official route first, then the catalogue Actors that fit this problem, by their published fields. Store figures are the publisher's public numbers.
| Route | Core fields | Price / 1K | Success, 30 days | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public APIBaidu AI Search API (Qianfan web_search) | not compared | below | Official docs | |
| Baidu Web, Image & News Results Extractor | 3/4 | $0.99 | 100% of 24 runs | Open in Apify Store |
Official price: Pay-as-you-go per call for Chinese-language content: standard ¥0.036, enhanced ¥0.04, pro ¥0.072; overseas content is enhanced only at ¥0.072. 1,500 free calls a month (about 50 a day). Prepaid packs of 10,000, 100,000 and 1,000,000 calls exist. Compare all 9 Baidu routes.
Questions people ask
Does the API reproduce the baidu.com results page?
The response is a search API answer containing titles, URLs and summaries. Choose a source that captures the website results page if that exact presentation is required.
Which edition supports overseas content?
Overseas content is available through the enhanced edition only. Use its published overseas-content price when estimating call costs.
Is free usage available?
Baidu publishes a monthly free call allowance. Plan usage beyond that allowance around the applicable paid option.
What access and request limits apply?
An API key is required to use the service on Qianfan. Pace calls within the published default query-rate limit.
Sources
Every dated claim on this page comes from the public sources below. Check the source before you make a business decision on it.
- Baidu AI Search API (Qianfan web_search) documentation — checked 2026-11-10
- Baidu AI Search API (Qianfan web_search) pricing — checked 2026-11-10
- Baidu terms — checked 2026-11-10
Need the data without the official API?
Baidu Web, Image & News Results Extractor returns 3 of 4 core Baidu fields at $0.99 per 1,000 results. Compare all 9 Baidu routes.