The Search API for
Search and Scrape, One Call
Send a query, and DataBlue searches Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo, then optionally scrapes each result into requested page formats in the same job. No separate search provider to wire up, no second scrape call per URL. Each result comes back in the same shape as a single /scrape call, so existing parsing code just works. Sign up and get 1,000 one-time credits to run your first query.
Search Results, With the Pages Attached.
A search API takes a query and returns ranked results the way a search engine sees them, not a page of blue links you have to parse yourself. Most search APIs stop there and hand back titles and snippets. DataBlue goes further and scrapes each result page too, when you ask it to, so the content behind every link arrives in the same response.
That combination matters most for AI agents and RAG pipelines, where a search result without its content is only half useful. Query DataBlue once, and each result arrives with markdown for an LLM to read or a schema-validated JSON object you define. Empty the formats array, and the same endpoint returns lightweight discovery data, rank and snippet only.
The job lifecycle mirrors DataBlue's own Crawl endpointrather than any other provider's search API, since both run as background jobs with the same polling, SSE, and webhook options. Teams already using Crawl or Scrape will recognize the pattern immediately.
From Query to Ranked Content.
Starting a search returns a job ID right away. Poll GET /search/{job_id} or set a webhook, and each result lands with its content already scraped.
# REST curl -X POST "https://api.datablue.dev/v1/search" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer wh_..." \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "query": "best python web scraping libraries 2026", "engine": "google", "formats": ["markdown"] }'
{
"success": true,
"job_id": "550e8400-e29b-...",
"status": "started"
}
# then: GET /search/{job_id}
"data": [{
"rank": 1, "title": "...",
"markdown": "..."
}]Search, Scrape, or
Both, Your Call.
A query alone rarely tells the whole story. These controls decide which engine answers it and how much of each result comes back.
Multi-engine queries
Rendered Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo, selectable per request with the engine field.
Search + scrape combo
Every result can carry requested page formats, scraped in the same job as the search itself.
Discovery only
Leave formats empty and get rank, title, and snippet without scraping a destination page.
Per-result extraction
Nest an extract schema and every result returns typed fields instead of freeform text.
No provider keys
Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo are available through one DataBlue credential.
Webhook notifications
Set webhook_url and a signed request lands the moment the search job completes.
Built for Production, Priced for Scale.
Most search APIs charge extra the moment you want more than a snippet. DataBlue doesn't split the bill that way. A scraped result costs the same flat credit weight as a plain scrape call, and a discovery-only result costs the same too, so combining search and scraping in one job never carries a markup. Monthly plan credits reset each billing period, and top-up credits never expire.
Every scraped result gets the same rendering treatment as a standalone /scrape call, an HTTP fetch racing a browser render, so JavaScript-heavy result pages come back complete rather than half-loaded. Switching to a different engine takes one field, not a new integration. No Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other provider credential is accepted by Search.
Output is LLM-ready by default because every scraped result reuses the same markdown shape as a single /scrape call. Markdown from every result drops straight into a RAG pipeline without extra parsing. Nest an extract schema in the request and the whole batch of results returns typed JSON instead. Point a query at your own research topic and watch ranked, scraped results land in one response.
What Teams Build With It.
A combined search and scrape call quietly replaces a lot of glue code behind agents, chatbots, and research tools.
AI agent web search
Give an agent one tool call that searches and reads results, instead of chaining a search call into a separate scrape call.
RAG retrieval
Pull live, ranked content into a retrieval pipeline without babysitting a separate search provider and scraper.
Answer engines & chatbots
Ground a chatbot's answers in fresh search results rather than a knowledge base that goes stale.
Competitive research
Run the same query across engines and compare what each one surfaces, side by side.
Lead & company research
Search a company name and scrape the top results into tidy notes in one pass.
Freshness monitoring
Re-run a query on a schedule and diff the scraped results to catch the moment a top answer changes.
Your First Search in Seconds.
No sales call and no contract to sign. Sign up, grab a key, and your first query is one request away.
Create a Free Account
Sign up and grab an API key instantly. You get 1,000 one-time signup credits to test real queries, no credit card required.
Send Your First Search
Call /v1/search with a Bearer token and a query. Add formats to scrape each result, or leave formats empty for discovery data only.
Read the Results
Poll GET /search/{job_id} or set a webhook, and ranked results with scraped content arrive together. Ship it.
Search and scrape, priced like one call.
Start free with 1,000 one-time signup credits. Each result costs the same flat credit weight whether it's scraped or discovery-only, so a search job's total cost is clear before it finishes. There's no premium for choosing a different engine or adding extraction. Monthly plans reset on schedule, and top-up credits stay available until you spend them.
Search API Questions.
What is a Search API?
A search API takes a query, runs it against a real search engine, and hands the results back as organized data instead of a page you'd have to scrape yourself. DataBlue's version goes a step further. It searches and, if you ask it to, scrapes every result page too, in the same job. Send a query and get ranked results with full page content attached.
Which search engines does DataBlue support?
Google through DataBlue's rendered Google search engine by default, with Bing and DuckDuckGo available as no-key alternatives. Set engine to choose a preference on any request. Search may use an eligible fallback when that engine returns no usable results, and the response records which provider succeeded.
Does the Search API scrape the result pages too?
Yes. Request formats such as markdown, HTML, links, images, headings, structured_data, or screenshot, and each result comes back with the requested page content. One job returns ranked results with content attached, ready for a RAG pipeline or an agent to read directly.
Can I get search results without scraping destination pages?
Yes. Pass an empty formats array, and DataBlue returns each result's title and snippet without touching the pages themselves. That's useful when you only need to know what ranks, not what's on the page. Add formats back once you decide you need the content too.
How is this different from the Google SERP API?
The Google SERP API is built for rank tracking. It returns the whole Google results page, ads and all, exactly as Google renders it. The Search API serves a different job. It runs a lighter query across whichever engine you pick, then optionally scrapes each result page into requested formats for an agent or RAG pipeline to consume. Pick the SERP API for SEO work and the Search API for search-driven retrieval.
Can I extract structured data from each search result?
Yes, through the same extract config used on a single scrape call. Pass a prompt and a JSON Schema, and every result gets processed by an LLM provider you configure, returning typed fields instead of raw markdown. A single search job doubles as a bulk extraction job across every result it finds. Point extract at a schema once and reuse it across every query.
How do I get notified when a search job finishes?
Poll GET /search/{job_id} and check the status field, or subscribe over SSE and watch results arrive as they're scraped. Set webhook_url on top of either approach, and DataBlue posts a signed notification once the job completes, verified with webhook_secret. Most short searches finish in a few seconds, so polling alone usually works fine. Wire up a webhook for longer jobs and stop watching the clock.
How much does the Search API cost?
Each scraped result costs the same flat credit weight as a single scrape call, and a discovery-only result costs the same too. There's no separate charge for choosing DuckDuckGo over Google, or for adding extract on top. Monthly plan credits reset each billing period, and top-up credits never expire. New accounts start with 1,000 one-time signup credits, enough to test real queries before spending anything.
Does this match Firecrawl's search endpoint?
Not directly. Firecrawl's search endpoint answers synchronously and uses different field names. DataBlue's Search API runs as an async job instead, the same pattern used by Crawl, with engine selection and formats controlling destination scraping. Each scraped result uses the same requested page-format fields and metadata as a single /scrape call.
Do I need provider API keys?
No. DataBlue operates the rendered Google path, and Bing and DuckDuckGo use no-key discovery paths. Your DataBlue API key is the only credential the Search endpoint accepts.
Start Searching in One Call.
Grab a free key and send your first search. Get ranked results with scraped content already attached, no card required, with 1,000 one-time signup credits to get you started.