Microsoft will retire Bing Search APIs on August 11, 2025
DuckDuckGo and other large customers won't be affected
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Microsoft has quietly announced that it will retire Bing Search APIs on August 11. These APIs gave developers direct access to Bing’s raw results. Many startups and search engines relied on these APIs to compete with Google. However, the shutdown surprised many developers.
Bing Search APIs are retiring later this year
Microsoft reportedly informed customers via email and a website post earlier this week. It recommends switching to Grounding with Bing Search as part of Azure AI Agents instead. This tool helps chatbots like ChatGPT access real-time web data.
Some developers still feel that this AI-focused alternative lacks the flexibility of the old APIs. According to a report from Wired, major customers like DuckDuckGo will keep access. However, smaller customers will most likely suffer from the retirement.
This change ends Microsoft’s tradition of open API access and shows it’s tightening control over its search tools. The Bing APIs helped many save time and money by providing ready-made web indexes. After ChatGPT launched in 2022, Microsoft raised Bing Search APIs prices up to ten times.
As a result, many customers started building their own indexes. Meanwhile, developers say the new AI system offers summaries rather than raw data. Privacy expert Tim Libert says some simple tasks now require more manual work. Other search companies like Brave, Mojeek, You.com, and Exa still offer similar tools.
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