# Programmable Search Element Paid API

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** The Programmable Search Element Paid API is closed to new customers.
>
> Existing Programmable Search Element Paid API customers are not affected.

The [Programmable Search
Element](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/docs/tutorial/implementingsearchbox) now offers a paid
ads-free version. By enabling the Programmable Search Element Paid API your
Programmable Search Element will continue to function exactly the same as the
free ad-supported version, except that instead of ads being displayed along with
search results you'll instead be charged a small fee for each search.

Note that our nonprofit, education, and government users can get an ads-free
experience by following [these
instructions](https://support.google.com/programmable-search/answer/12423873).

## Prerequisites

### Search engine configuration

Before using the Programmable Search Element Paid API you first need to create
and configure your Programmable Search Engine. If you have not already created a Programmable Search Engine, you
can start by visiting the [Programmable Search Engine control panel](https://programmablesearchengine.google.com/controlpanel/all).

Follow the [tutorial](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/docs/tutorial/creatingcse) to learn more
about different configuration options.

### API key

The Programmable Search Element API requires the use of an API key.

If at any point you want to return to the free ad-supported search element, in [Programmable Search Engine control panel](https://programmablesearchengine.google.com/controlpanel/all), navigate to the Ads section of your search engine's
Overview page and delete the key from the "Paid Element API key" field.

## Pricing

The Programmable Search Element API charges $5 per 1000 ad-free search element
queries. [Billing](https://cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/manage-billing-account) needs to be configured in the
API Console. Quotas can be configured in the [Cloud Platform
Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/dashboard) to help limit maximum
daily expenditures.

Note that new consumer projects will default to unlimited daily quota; we
*strongly* recommend setting a [daily quota](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/api/programmablesearchelement.googleapis.com/quotas) that is sufficient for
your traffic volume. Once the daily quota limit is reached all search element
queries using the engine will be denied for the remainder of the day. Note also
that per-minute and per-user per-minute quota controls are also available (with
IP address being used to distinguish between users).

## Monitoring

Two options are available for monitoring usage of the Programmable Search
Element API. First, [Cloud Platform Console's API
Dashboard](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/dashboard) provides a variety
of pre-built graphs for monitoring common metrics such as error rates and
queries-per-second. Second, the Google Cloud Operations console provides
powerful tools for building custom graphs and also for setting up alerting. See
[API Monitoring](https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview#monitoring) for more information.