You.com · Pricing Change
You.com Ends Its Unlimited Free Tier
The free entry point that ran for a year is gone. Developers must now pay up or find an alternative.
Background
The Unlimited Era Is Over
For a year, You.com offered an unlimited free plan that included API access, making it a go-to for quick developer prototypes. It functioned as a low-cost entry point for testing the search API, and was widely used by startups and students alike.
In April 2026, You.com discontinued the unlimited free plan. New users now start with a trial that lets them sample Pro features for up to 25 queries, ending ongoing free access entirely.
The free-tier discontinuation came alongside a Research API price cut (to $12/1,000 calls) and a shift to a three-tier pricing structure. Together, these moves signal a strategy of closing the no-cost entry while concentrating resources on paying heavy users.
Change Summary
What Changed
Concurrent changes: Research API cut to $12/1,000 calls; new three-tier pricing (trial/Pro/Max).
Impact and Next Steps
What to Do
For developers who were using the free tier, this change forces a choice: find an alternative or move to a paid plan. Expect more Perplexity comparisons as users weigh their options.
If you were comfortable on the free tier, the 25-query trial will hit its cap fast. Continuing means going paid.
On the other side, developers and companies running heavy API workloads will benefit from the Research API price cut. Weigh the free-tier friction against the unit-price savings relative to your actual usage pattern before deciding.