Brave Search API Adds Place Search

Brave, the privacy-focused browser developer, has launched Place Search, a new endpoint for its Brave Search API designed to power map and location-based applications. This new feature provides developers with granular access to Brave's extensive index of over 200 million points of interest (POIs).

Integrated into the Brave Search API's existing Search plan, Place Search allows applications to perform precise geographic queries. Users can search for businesses, landmarks, or parks within a specified radius from a central point, with capabilities ranging from a 500-yard radius to an expansive 13 miles (20 kilometers). An "Explore Mode" also enables discovery of popular POIs without a specific query.

The company highlights several key advantages of the new endpoint. Place Search guarantees location-specific results, unlike standard searches where location data is conditional. It also promises significant speed improvements, performing up to twice as fast as conventional location-returning searches, reducing latency for end-users. This move expands Brave's developer offerings, complementing its broader strategy for AI applications, including the Brave Search API LLM Context API which has seen significant growth in powering AI tools.

Brave positions Place Search as ideal for a range of applications, from travel and tourism platforms to business directories and geofenced recommendation services. The API is available via low-cost pay-as-you-go subscriptions, with monthly credits supporting small-scale projects and trials.