- Home
- Visual Search Software
- Google Cloud Vision API Product Search
Google Cloud Vision API Product Search
What it is
Google Cloud Vision API Product Search helps retailers search product catalogs with images. You create products with reference images, organize them into product sets, and find visually or semantically similar items from query images. Supported categories are homegoods, apparel, toys, packaged goods, and general. Query images can come from Google Cloud Storage, a web URL, or a base64 string, and requests may include product-label filters using AND or OR expressions. REST, RPC, and Google Cloud client libraries are supported, while CSV import can create product sets, products, and reference images together. The index updates approximately daily, so changes may wait until the next update. Limits include 20 MB per image, 10 MB per JSON object, and 16 images per request. Free prediction and storage cover 0–1,000 images monthly; paid storage starts at $0.10 per 1,000 images.
For and against
For
- Searches visually and semantically similar products
- Accepts Cloud Storage, URL, or base64 images
- Supports REST, RPC, and client libraries
- Offers CSV bulk import
- Provides free prediction and storage tiers
Against
- Index changes may take approximately a day
- Images and requests have documented size limits
- A product can belong to five sets maximum
- Paid prediction and storage tiers apply
The verdict
Product Search combines catalog management, image similarity, and API access for retail workflows. Check indexing timing, quotas, and per-1,000-image pricing when planning usage.
Who it suits
It suits retailers that want image-based catalog search through an API and can work within documented quotas, limits, and daily indexing updates.
Plans and prices
Prediction, 0–1,000 images/month
Prediction per 1,000 images: free
Read 8 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
Storage, 0–1,000 images/month
Storage per 1,000 images: free
Read 8 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
Storage, 1,001–20,000,000 images/month
Storage; list price $0.10 per 1,000 images
Read 8 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
Prediction, 5,000,001–20,000,000 images/month
Prediction; list price $1.80 per 1,000 images
Read 8 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
Prediction, 1,001–5,000,000 images/month
Prediction; list price $4.50 per 1,000 images
Read 8 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
On the record
- Audience
- The product documentation describes Product Search for retailers who want to search their product catalogs using images.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Bulk import
- A CSV bulk import can create product sets, products, and reference images together.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Categories
- Supported product categories are homegoods, apparel, toys, packaged goods, and general.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Content limits
- The documented limits are 20 MB per image file, 10 MB per JSON request object, and 16 images per request.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Image inputs
- Search queries can use an image from Google Cloud Storage, a web URL, or a base64-encoded string.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Indexing delay
- The product index updates approximately daily, so image additions or deletions might not appear in search results until the next update.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Integration
- The API can be called through REST or RPC and has Google Cloud client libraries for supported programming languages.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Product set limit
- A product can belong to at most five product sets.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Vision API Product Search lets retailers create products with reference images, group them into product sets, and find visually and semantically similar products from user query images.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Rate quotas
- The documented quotas include 1,800 query requests per minute, 2,400 resource-management requests per minute, and 120 ImportProductSets requests per day.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Search filters
- Search requests can apply optional product-label key-value filters, with AND or OR expressions subject to expression rules.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Security and compliance
- Google Cloud states it undergoes independent verification of security, privacy, and compliance controls and lists standards including ISO/IEC 27001, 27017, 27018, and 27701, as well as SOC 2 and SOC 3 reports.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- Google Cloud directs users to Stack Overflow with the google-cloud-vision tag, a discussion group, and paid support packages that can include 24/7 coverage, phone support, and a technical support manager.docs.cloud.google.com · read 8 Oct 2026
