> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.perplexity.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fast Search

> Use search_type fast on the Search API for lower-latency, lower-cost web results.

## Overview

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.

<Note>
  For Fast Search inside the Agent API, see [Web Search: Search Type](/docs/agent-api/tools/web-search#search-type). Fast Search is a search type, not the Agent API `fast` preset.
</Note>

## When to use Fast Search

| Use                            | When                                                                                                               |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `search_type: "fast"`          | Day-to-day agentic work: tool calls inside agent loops, high-volume retrieval, and latency-sensitive applications. |
| `search_type: "web"` (default) | Rare, difficult, or ambiguous questions.                                                                           |

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

## Use Fast 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`](/docs/search/quickstart#installation). 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.

<CodeGroup>
  ```python Python theme={null}
  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}")
  ```

  ```typescript Typescript theme={null}
  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}`);
  }
  ```

  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  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
  ```
</CodeGroup>

Fast Search accepts `max_results` from 1 to 20. Values above 20 are only supported with `search_type: "people"`. See [People Search](/docs/search/filters/people-search).

## SDK support

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.

## Pricing

| API        |    Standard (`web`)    |      Fast (`fast`)     |
| ---------- | :--------------------: | :--------------------: |
| Search API | \$5.00 per 1K requests | \$1.00 per 1K requests |

Search API billing counts each successful `POST /search` request, the same as standard web search. In the [API console](https://console.perplexity.ai), Fast Search requests appear as **Fast Search API Requests Count** under Search API usage.

There are no additional token-based charges. See [Pricing](/docs/getting-started/pricing).

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Search API Quickstart" icon="search" href="/docs/search/quickstart">
    Filters, multi-query search, and content controls
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/search-post">
    Full Search API parameters
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pricing" icon="receipt" href="/docs/getting-started/pricing">
    Search and tool pricing
  </Card>
</CardGroup>