TL;DR
Get monitors, keyboards and dev gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Cloudflare has made its Web Search API available in beta, letting AI applications retrieve live internet search results through AI Gateway. The launch supports Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup; Cloudflare says requests are logged in AI Gateway and billed at each provider’s listed API price, with no added markup.
Cloudflare announced its Web Search API beta on October 2, offering AI agents and applications a way to retrieve live internet search results through AI Gateway. The service supports Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup at launch, and is intended to let applications ground responses in current information rather than rely only on a model’s training data.
The API lets developers submit a search query and select one of the three launch providers. Requests can be made through Cloudflare’s REST API or from a Worker using the AI binding. The request can specify a result limit and gateway configuration. Cloudflare’s documentation provides example calls for both methods, including a query about activities in Salt Lake City.
Cloudflare says search requests pass through AI Gateway, where they appear in gateway logs. Usage is billed against AI Gateway credits at the selected provider’s list API price, with no additional Cloudflare markup, according to the company. Developers can also supply their own provider API key.
Cloudflare says all three providers support Zero Data Retention for requests made through its service and have committed to its verified bot crawling standards. These are statements in Cloudflare’s launch documentation; the announcement does not provide independent evaluations or detailed definitions of the safeguards.
Live Search for AI Applications
The release gives developers a direct way to add web search to AI workflows using Cloudflare’s infrastructure. Search results can provide information that was published after a model’s training cutoff, potentially reducing reliance on stale knowledge or hand-maintained URLs. The API is aimed at applications that need to retrieve current material as part of answering user queries.
Routing requests through AI Gateway also places search activity alongside other gateway usage in its logs, according to Cloudflare. That may help teams track and manage the costs of AI-backed applications. The stated pricing model passes through provider list prices without an added Cloudflare markup, though the total cost will depend on the selected provider and how often an application searches.
The beta status matters: the service is available for developers to try, but the announcement does not establish that its provider lineup, behavior or terms will remain unchanged. Teams considering it for production use will need to evaluate result quality, latency, availability and data handling for their own workloads.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Cloudflare’s Gateway-Based Search
Cloudflare describes Web Search API as part of its AI Gateway offering, rather than as a standalone search index operated by Cloudflare. At launch, queries can be sent to Ceramic.ai, Exa or Linkup. Cloudflare’s announcement does not detail how providers are selected beyond allowing developers to name a provider in the request.
The company’s examples show two integration routes: a POST request to an account-level REST endpoint, or a call from a Cloudflare Worker through the AI binding. In both cases, developers send a query and can set a limit on the returned results. Cloudflare directs users to its Web Search API documentation for setup guidance.
The company frames the feature as a way for AI applications to ground responses in live information, rather than guess at URLs or depend exclusively on a model’s training cutoff. That is the stated use case, not a guarantee that search results will be complete, current or accurate for every query.
““Web Search API is now available in beta.””
— Cloudflare, in its October 2, 2026, product announcement
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Beta Details Still To Come
Cloudflare’s announcement does not specify the beta’s duration, whether access is limited, or what service-level commitments apply. It also does not give comparative performance data for Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup, such as search coverage, response speed or result relevance.
The company says the providers support Zero Data Retention for requests through Cloudflare, but the announcement does not describe the precise retention policies, exceptions or verification process. It likewise does not explain the operational meaning of each provider’s commitment to Cloudflare’s verified bot crawling standards. Developers should consult current provider and Cloudflare documentation for terms that apply to their use.
It is also not clear from the launch post whether Cloudflare plans to add other providers, change pricing or expand the feature set. The beta release confirms availability, not long-term product arrangements.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Testing and Provider Evaluation
Developers can start by following Cloudflare’s Web Search API documentation and testing requests through the REST API or a Worker. They can choose a supported provider, set a result limit and, if preferred, bring their own provider API key. Cloudflare has not announced a date for a general-availability release or listed a further product milestone.
For teams assessing the beta, the immediate next step is to compare providers against their own search needs and review how requests, logs and billing work in their account. Cloudflare’s documentation and any future changelog updates will be the source for changes to availability, provider support or terms.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What did Cloudflare announce?
Cloudflare announced that its Web Search API is available in beta. It lets AI agents and applications submit internet search queries through AI Gateway.
Which search providers are supported?
The launch supports Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup. Cloudflare’s announcement does not provide comparative performance figures for them.
How is the service billed?
Cloudflare says requests are billed to AI Gateway credits at the selected provider’s list API price, with no additional Cloudflare markup. Developers can also use their own provider API key.
Does the API guarantee accurate or current answers?
No such guarantee is stated in the announcement. The API is designed to retrieve live search results, but developers still need to evaluate whether results are current, relevant and accurate for their applications.
When will the API leave beta?
Cloudflare has not announced a general-availability date. The service is currently described as being in beta.
Source: hn
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
![Competitive Programmer's Handbook (2018) [Pdf]](https://earnqa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/competitive-programmer-s-handbook-2018-pdf-featured-260x140.jpg "Competitive Programmer's Handbook (2018) [Pdf] 11")
