Google Cloud Vision API
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs on
- api, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Summary
Google Cloud Vision API gives developers image-analysis capabilities to integrate into applications through REST or RPC. Its features include image labeling, face and landmark detection, text recognition, object localization, web detection, and explicit-content tagging. Text Detection reads text in images; Document Text Detection supports dense text, handwriting, and PDF or TIFF files. Object Localization returns labels and bounding boxes for recognized objects. Web Detection can return related entities, matching image URLs and pages, visually similar images, and a best-guess label. Face Detection locates faces and landmarks and gives likelihood ratings, but it does not recognize specific people. Documented integrations include Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, and Cloud Translation API. For Android and iOS development using Google Cloud Vision services, Google recommends ML Kit for Firebase. 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 then depend on the feature and usage tier. The listed starting price is 1.50 USD.
Who it is for
It suits developers seeking prebuilt vision capabilities to add to applications, especially image labeling, OCR, object localization, or content tagging. Mobile developers should note Google's recommendation of ML Kit for Firebase for Android and iOS.
What is good
- Supports REST and RPC access.
- Includes OCR for images and dense documents.
- Object localization returns labels and bounding boxes.
- Web Detection can surface visually similar images.
What to know first
- Specific individual facial recognition is not supported.
- Images are limited to 20 MB each.
- Synchronous annotate requests allow up to 16 images.
Verdict
Vision API offers several image-analysis features through a developer-oriented interface, including OCR, object localization, and web image discovery. Its request limits and lack of specific-person recognition may shape whether it fits an application.
Google Cloud Vision API plans and pricing
All plansCompared 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
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Sources
- cloud.google.com/vision· checked 28 Sept 2026
- docs.cloud.google.com/vision/docs/features-list· checked 28 Sept 2026
- docs.cloud.google.com/vision/docs· checked 28 Sept 2026
- docs.cloud.google.com/vision/quotas· checked 28 Sept 2026
- cloud.google.com/support· checked 28 Sept 2026
- cloud.google.com/vision/pricing· checked 28 Sept 2026