Google Cloud Vision API

Input—per 1M tokens

Output—per 1M tokens

Context—tokens

WeightsClosed

About

Google Cloud Vision API lets developers add image analysis to applications through REST or RPC. Its features include image labeling, object localization, face and landmark detection, OCR, web detection, and explicit-content tagging. Text Detection reads text in images; Document Text Detection handles dense text, handwriting, and PDF or TIFF files. Object Localization returns labels and bounding boxes for multiple recognized objects. Web Detection can surface related entities, matching image URLs and pages, visually similar images, and a best-guess label. Face Detection reports face locations, landmarks, and likelihood ratings, but does not identify specific people. Documented workflows connect Vision with Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, and Cloud Translation API. Google 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 images per asynchronous batch request. The pay-as-you-go plan lists the first 1,000 units per feature each month as free; charges depend on feature and usage tier.

Who it is for

It suits developers who want to integrate prebuilt vision features into applications through an API. Teams should account for request-size and image-count limits, and face analysis does not identify individuals.

What is good

REST and RPC access
OCR supports handwriting and PDF or TIFF
Object localization returns labels and bounding boxes
First 1,000 units per feature each month are free

What to know first

Cloud deployment only
No specific individual facial recognition
20 MB maximum image size

Verdict

Vision API offers several image-analysis capabilities and documented cloud workflows, with per-feature usage limits to factor into implementation. Face detection provides locations and likelihood ratings, not identification of specific people.

Compared on AI image recognition software

Free plan: Yescloud.google.com
Text moderation: Nocloud.google.com
Image moderation: Yescloud.google.com
Deployment options: cloudcloud.google.com

Facts

Purpose: Cloud Vision API provides image analysis features that developers can integrate into applications.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Access: The API is available through REST and RPC.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Image features: Features include image labeling, face and landmark detection, OCR, and explicit-content tagging.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
OCR: Text Detection recognizes text in images, while Document Text Detection supports dense text, handwriting, and PDF or TIFF files.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Object localization: Object Localization returns labels and bounding boxes for multiple recognized objects in an image.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Image search: Web Detection can return related web entities, matching image URLs, pages containing matching images, visually similar images, and a best-guess label.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Face detection limit: Face Detection locates faces and facial landmarks and provides likelihood ratings, but specific individual facial recognition is not supported.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Integrations: Google documentation shows Vision API workflows with Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, and Cloud Translation API.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Mobile development: Google recommends ML Kit for Firebase for Android and iOS SDKs that use Cloud Vision services, along with on-device vision APIs and custom-model inference.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Usage limits: The documented limits include 20 MB per image, 10 MB per JSON request, 16 images per synchronous annotate request, and 2,000 images per asynchronous batch request.docs.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Security and compliance: Google Cloud states that customers own their data and that Google processes it according to customer agreements; its compliance center lists certifications, attestations, and audit reports.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Support: Google Cloud Standard Support offers unlimited individual access to technical support and billing support through multiple channels.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026
Intended users: The API is presented for developers seeking quick integration of prebuilt vision features into applications.cloud.google.com · 28 Sept 2026