Fast Search

Fast Search reduces search latency and cost in agent workflows. Set search_type: "fast" on a Search API request.

The Search API charges $1.00 per 1,000 Fast Search requests instead of $5.00 for standard web search.

If you omit search_type, the request uses standard web search.

Set search_type to "fast" on a POST /search request. Results use the same response format as standard web search.

First, install a library and set PERPLEXITY_API_KEY. With Perplexity Python library versions 0.43.4 and 0.43.5, use extra_body as shown below: passing search_type="fast" directly fails the library's request validation.

from perplexity import Perplexity

client = Perplexity()

search = client.search.create(
    query="latest stable Rust release",
    extra_body={"search_type": "fast"},
    max_results=5
)

for result in search.results:
    print(f"{result.title}: {result.url}")

import Perplexity from '@perplexity-ai/perplexity_ai';

const client = new Perplexity();

const search = await client.search.create({
    query: "latest stable Rust release",
    search_type: "fast" as any, // The current SDK types do not yet include "fast".
    max_results: 5
});

for (const result of search.results) {
    console.log(`${result.title}: ${result.url}`);
}

curl -X POST 'https://api.perplexity.ai/search' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PERPLEXITY_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "query": "latest stable Rust release",
    "search_type": "fast",
    "max_results": 5
  }' | jq

Fast Search accepts max_results from 1 to 20. Values above 20 are only supported with search_type: "people". See People Search.

The examples accommodate the request definitions in Perplexity Python library 0.43.4 and 0.43.5 and TypeScript SDK 0.38.5.

• Python: use extra_body={"search_type": "fast"}. The library rejects "fast" when passed directly as search_type.
• TypeScript: cast the value with as any, as shown, until the SDK updates.

Search API billing counts each successful POST /search request, the same as standard web search. In the API console, Fast Search requests appear as Fast Search API Requests Count under Search API usage.

There are no additional token-based charges. See Pricing.