AI Search API endpoint

POST /v1/searchAbout AI Search

Run one prompt across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews and get each model’s answer plus the sources it cited, as JSON.

Overview

Pass a query to get each model’s answer and cited sources.

Omit models for three default surfaces, set fullSweep for all five, or select models to pay for fewer.

Reference

POST/v1/search

$0.01 to $0.06 / model · billed per model queried, so all 5 models = $0.20. Pass models to query fewer.

Parameters

querystringrequired

The query to run against the AI models.

modelsenum[]optional

AI surfaces to query, each billed separately; pass a subset when the user names surfaces or wants a lower cost. Omit for the defaults (chatgpt, perplexity, gemini); fullSweep queries all five. google_ai_overview accepts queries up to 700 characters, the others 2000.

Values:chatgptclaudeperplexitygeminigoogle_ai_overview

fullSweepbooleanoptional

Query all five AI surfaces (adds claude and google_ai_overview) for full cross-surface coverage, at a higher cost. Ignored when models is given.

Parameter	Type	Description
queryrequired	string	The query to run against the AI models.
modelsoptional	enum[]	AI surfaces to query, each billed separately; pass a subset when the user names surfaces or wants a lower cost. Omit for the defaults (chatgpt, perplexity, gemini); fullSweep queries all five. google_ai_overview accepts queries up to 700 characters, the others 2000. Values:chatgptclaudeperplexitygeminigoogle_ai_overview
fullSweepoptional	boolean	Query all five AI surfaces (adds claude and google_ai_overview) for full cross-surface coverage, at a higher cost. Ignored when models is given.

Request

curl https://www.cite42.dev/api/v1/search \
  -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CITE42_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query":"best startup CRM"}'

Response

{
  "query": "best startup CRM",
  "results": [
    {
      "model": "chatgpt",
      "ok": true,
      "answer": "Acme CRM, Rival CRM, and Legacy CRM stand out for startup teams.",
      "citations": [
        {
          "url": "https://reviews.example/startup-crm",
          "title": "Startup CRM guide"
        }
      ],
      "latencyMs": 4120
    }
  ],
  "measurement": {
    "methodologyVersion": "2026-09-28-v1",
    "surfaces": [
      {
        "model": "chatgpt",
        "provider": "OpenAI",
        "access": "official-api",
        "webSearch": "auto",
        "status": "complete"
      }
    ]
  },
  "requestId": "…",
  "billing": {
    "cost": {
      "microCredits": 20000,
      "usd": "0.20"
    },
    "balance": {
      "microCredits": 1336000,
      "usd": "13.36"
    }
  }
}