Google Cloud Vision API

Google Cloud Vision API gives developers image-analysis features they can add to applications through REST or RPC. It supports image labeling, face and landmark detection, OCR, explicit-content tagging, object localization, and web detection. Text Detection reads text in images, while Document Text Detection handles dense text, handwriting, and PDF or TIFF files. Object Localization returns labels and bounding boxes for multiple objects. Web Detection can return related web entities, matching image URLs and pages, visually similar images, and a best-guess label. Face Detection finds faces and facial landmarks and provides likelihood ratings, but does not identify specific people. Google documents workflows with Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, and Cloud Translation API, and recommends ML Kit for Firebase for Android and iOS development using its vision services. Limits include 20 MB per image, 10 MB per JSON request, 16 images per synchronous annotate request, and 2,000 per asynchronous batch request. The first 1,000 units per feature each month are free; charges vary by feature and usage tier.

Who it is for

It suits developers looking to add prebuilt image-analysis capabilities to applications. Mobile developers should note Google's recommendation of ML Kit for Firebase for Android and iOS.

What is good

Access is available through REST and RPC.
Document Text Detection supports handwriting and PDF or TIFF files.
Object Localization returns labels and bounding boxes.
The first 1,000 units per feature each month are free.

What to know first

Face Detection does not identify specific people.
Images are limited to 20 MB each.
Synchronous requests are limited to 16 images.
Asynchronous batches are limited to 2,000 images.

Verdict

Cloud Vision API offers several image-analysis features through developer interfaces, with a free monthly allowance for each feature. Check the request and image limits, and remember that face detection is not identity recognition.

Google Cloud Vision API plans and pricing

All plans

Cloud Vision API pay-as-you-go Free Per image; each feature applied to an image is a billable unit, billed in monthly usage tiers. First 1,000 units per feature each month free · Label Detection: $1.50 per 1,000 units for 1,001–5,000,000; $1.00 thereafter · Text and Document Text Detection: $1.50 per 1,000 units for 1,001–5,000,000; $0.60 thereafter · Web Detection: $3.50 per 1,000 units for 1,001–5,000,000; contact Google for higher tier cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026

Compared on AI image recognition software

Free plan: Yes
Text moderation: No
Image moderation: Yes
Deployment options: cloud

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