With a paid account, API calls to the information query service are billable.
Usage notes
The pay-as-you-go (postpaid) billing method charges you daily based on your actual usage. Alibaba Cloud then generates a bill and deducts the fees from your account.
If billing statistics differ by 1% or more, project and technical contacts from both parties will review the data. If the discrepancy is less than 1%, the statistics from Alibaba Cloud shall prevail.
Metering
billable item: This field shows the product and service name that appears on your Alibaba Cloud bill. Refer to this field when you reconcile your bill.
1. Metering for Nearby Search
Metering rule: A call is counted as a valid request if the HTTP response code (httpcode) is less than 400.
When you use the CommonQueryByScene API for Nearby Search:
billable item | |
CommonQueryByScene | Nearby Search (Enhanced Edition)*1 |
2. Metering for Vertical Search (Medical)
Metering rule: A call is counted as a valid request if the HTTP response code (httpcode) is less than 400.
Vertical Search (Medical) metering: Charges vary by search type, and you are billed per call for each type.
MedicalAnswer API: MedicalAnswer API
MedicalKnow API: MedicalKnow API
Product feature | billable item | |
MedicalAnswer | Vertical Search (Medical Q&A) | Web Search (Standard Edition)*1 |
MedicalKnow | Vertical Search (Health Knowledge Graph) | Vertical Search *2 |
Unit price
Nearby Search
When you call the CommonQueryByScene API, the service activated by your request parameters determines the metering and billing.
Service type | Unit price (CNY/1,000 calls) |
Nearby Search (Enhanced Edition) [CommonQueryByScene] | 30 |
Billing rules
The default performance specification for a new purchase is 15 QPS.
To request a higher performance specification, contact your account manager or click Contact Us at least one week in advance. Without an advance request, your performance is limited to the default QPS.
Billing Example: Nearby Search (Enhanced Edition)
Example: On May 10, 2025, a user makes 400,000 calls to Nearby Search (Enhanced Edition).
Fee for Nearby Search (Enhanced Edition): (400,000 / 1,000) * 30 = CNY 12,000
Vertical Search (Medical)
When you call the MedicalAnswer API, you incur charges for Vertical Search (Medical Q&A) based on your request parameters.
When you call the MedicalKnow API, you incur charges for Vertical Search (Health Knowledge Graph) based on your request parameters.
Service type | Unit price (CNY/1,000 calls) |
Vertical Search (Medical Q&A) [MedicalAnswer] | Priced the same as Web Search (Standard Edition) |
Vertical Search (Health Knowledge Graph) [MedicalKnow] | 2 |
Billing rules
The default performance specification for a new purchase is 5 QPS.
To request a higher performance specification, contact your account manager or click Contact Us at least one week in advance. Without an advance request, your performance is limited to the default QPS.
Billing Example: Vertical Search (Medical)
Example: On May 10, 2025, a user makes 100 calls to Vertical Search (Medical Q&A) (which falls within pricing tier 1) and 300 calls to Vertical Search (Health Knowledge Graph).
Daily charges are calculated as follows:
Fee for Vertical Search (Medical Q&A): (100 / 1,000) * 42 = 4.20 (CNY)
Fee for Vertical Search (Health Knowledge Graph): (300 / 1,000) * 2 = 0.60 (CNY)
Total fee for May 10: 4.20 + 0.60 = 4.80 (CNY)