indexnow vs google-indexing-api
IndexNow vs Google Indexing API — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
When you publish new content, waiting for search engines to discover it naturally can take days or weeks. Both IndexNow and Google's Indexing API solve this by letting you notify search engines immediately about content changes. However, they take fundamentally different approaches to the same problem.
The key difference lies in scope and philosophy. IndexNow is an open protocol that works with multiple search engines including Bing, Yandex, and others, while Google's Indexing API only works with Google and officially supports just job postings and livestream content.
Feature Comparison
IndexNow operates as a simple protocol where you submit a single URL to one participating search engine, which then shares that information with all other IndexNow partners. This means one submission potentially notifies Bing, Yandex, Seznam, and other engines simultaneously. The protocol supports bulk submissions of up to 10,000 URLs per request and requires only a simple API key verification through a text file on your domain. Google's Indexing API requires OAuth 2.0 authentication and is officially limited to job posting structured data and livestream pages. However, many SEOs use it for other content types despite Google's warnings. The API supports individual URL submissions with detailed status responses, but you're limited to 200 quota units per day by default (though you can request increases). Google also provides more granular feedback about crawling status and any issues encountered. The setup complexity differs significantly. IndexNow requires just generating an API key and hosting a verification file, while Google's API demands creating a service account, configuring OAuth credentials, and managing authentication tokens that expire periodically.
Pricing Comparison
Both tools are completely free to use, but they have different operational costs. IndexNow has virtually no ongoing maintenance once configured—you generate one API key and you're done. Google's Indexing API requires more developer resources to maintain authentication and handle the more complex implementation. The real cost consideration is quota limits. IndexNow has no published rate limits for most participating engines, while Google caps you at 200 requests daily unless you successfully petition for more quota. For high-volume sites, this makes IndexNow more cost-effective since you won't need to implement complex queuing systems or pay for additional quota.
Best For
IndexNow is better when you want maximum search engine coverage with minimal setup complexity. It's ideal for WordPress sites, content publishers, and anyone who wants to notify multiple search engines without managing separate APIs. The bulk submission feature makes it perfect for sites that publish large amounts of content regularly. Google Indexing API is better when you specifically need guaranteed Google indexing for job postings or livestreams, or when you need detailed feedback about crawling status. It's also the choice for enterprise applications where Google's official support and detailed error reporting justify the additional implementation complexity.
The Verdict
For most websites, IndexNow is the clear winner. It's simpler to implement, covers more search engines, and has no meaningful quota restrictions. Unless you're specifically publishing job postings or livestreams where Google's API is officially supported, IndexNow gives you better coverage with less hassle. The only scenario where Google's API makes sense is when you need its detailed status reporting or are already heavily invested in Google's developer ecosystem.